Certified Integrative Psychotherapist, Accredited EMDR Europe Practitioner, Certified IFS Therapist & Clinical Supervisor offering online sessions.
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it”
This is a quote by 13th Century poet Rumi...
I like this quote, it resonates with my philosophy of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is like a journey with a safe guide into unknown and sometimes even threatening territories. It is a process that helps us to understand how through necessity, we found a way to protect ourselves and survive rejection, abuse, neglect or even just being completely misunderstood. However, the effect of developing protection may have inhibited giving and receiving love, it may have affected self-confidence, self-respect, wellbeing or even everyday managing. Through skilful guidance in psychotherapy we can discover how past hurt created barriers which were once for survival but then may inhibit us from being in a natural state of ease with ourselves and others.
Choosing a psychotherapist can be a daunting task, especially during times of crisis or distress, I have listed below the sort of problems you might identify with:
- You may feel a lack of ease with tension or anxiety
- You may feel depressed or even suicidal
- You may be having flashbacks or nightmares after trauma
- You may feel bleak with a sense of meaninglessness
- You may have work stress or redundancy
- You may have had a bereavement
- Your relationships may be unsatisfying or falling apart
- You may not be able to make sense of events, past or present
- You may feel unvalued or struggle to connect with others
- You may have a problem with eating or alcohol
- You may be preoccupied with an overwhelming dilemma
You might be seeking therapy usually in Hebden Bridge, Halifax or West Yorkshire but currently on Zoom, because you feel disconnected from yourself, from others or both. You might be insecure, lonely or confused. Other reasons you might be looking on my website is to help you through past or recent trauma. You may have had a significant loss and be struggling to move forward. You may feel stuck, anxious, depressed or angry and not know why. It may be distress or disillusionment in relationships or you may have an intractable problem or life changing decision to make. These sorts of problems may debilitate you at some level and inhibit your capacity to feel successful and happy.
Whatever you are seeking from therapy you will need a safe place where you know immediately that you are in experienced, skilled, confident and safe hands. You will be respected and valued and never judged. You should expect to feel this at your initial meeting and the trusting rapport would begin.
When a part of your world is amiss, support, safety and reassurance and an understanding response is essential. An integrated approach offers insight and relief to problems and the opportunity to live more fully and contentedly.
Anais Ninn said “ We do not see things as they are but as we are” - To me this beautifully describes the human condition. We create our own emotional realities.
If you decide to enter into a long or short term counselling or psychotherapy, it may be helpful to work on how decisions about life are often formed very young and shape our concepts of ourselves and others. We may work with how beliefs were then reinforced and how certain protective internal systems may have developed to help manage, when needs in significant relationships were missed.
A bit about Me:
In 1988 I gained a First Class Honors Degree in Psychology and Human Sciences;Later a BACPrecognised Diploma in Humanistic Counselling The Northern Guild 1994. I then qualified as an Internationally Certified Psychotherapist IIPA at MIP; I hold a diploma in Casework Supervision since 2004; Parent-Infant Psychotherapy Watch, Wait and Wonder
Other trainings include Children and Adolescent StudiesMIP ;Sexual abuse and Personality Disorders;MIP
'Certified Circle of Security Parent Educator'Circle of Security Parenting and Level One inSensorimotor Psychotherapy; Short courses inInternal Family Systems; I am an accredited EMDR Practitioner.click here to email Francesca
Alongside qualifications and of equal importance, I believe that making sense of my own life experience informs much of my way of being with my clients. My work on myself through personal therapy and daily meditation and yoga as well as lots of outside exercise like biking enables me to offer a confident, congruent and secure space for you.
I am attentive and compassionate and use my head as well as my heart to accompany you through the complexity and mystery your inner world. I work from the premise that I do not know your experience but rather invite you to show me and explore at your pace, how you see the world, yourself and others, how you live in your body, how you protect yourself and sometimes limit yourself. I practice in a way that seeks to accept rather than judge and to be open to feedback and challenge.click here to email Francesca
I have worked in mental health for the NHS for over 20 years, providing psychotherapy, training and supervision. I bring a diverse experience and sincere commitment to meeting the needs of my clients at emotional depth. From consultation rooms in West Yorkshire, Hebden Bridge or Halifax as well as online, I provide a safe, confidential space within which issues that may be complex and confusing are explored. Within a supportive structured therapeutic relationship it becomes possible to make sense of upsetting past or present experience and meet life changing goals.
How therapy works:
I work in an integrative way, which means using approaches drawn from humanistic and psychodynamic theory. This works towards bringing together different parts of the personality that might feel separate or stuck which often creats problems such as depression or anxiety. Thoughts may be conflicting and feelings may be confused or hard to reach. Through therapeutic inquiry, a feeling of wholeness within the self is developed which frequently brings a sense of ease and confidence. The Integrative relational approach uses the therapeutic relationship as a dynamic force which becomes a here and now source of understanding as to how conflicts and insecurities might connect with past and present relationships or significant experiences.
Difficulties that respond well to counselling and psychotherapy
I have worked extensively since 1992 in the NHS inpatient and outpatient mental health care settings, as well voluntary organisations and in private practise offering effective counselling and psychotherapy approach for a range of problems including:
- Stress
- Relationship Difficulties
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Bereavement or other losses
- Redundancy or work stress
- Depression
- Post Natal Depression
- Birth Trauma or difficulty bonding
- Childhood Trauma,
- Sexual Abuse
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Personality Disorder
- Mood Disorders
Cost :
Please ask about costs. I sometimes have new spaces for concessionary rates where there is difficulty. 20% of income goes towards charity and supports provision of mental health care for people who can't afford it. click here to email Francesca
