Therapy undertaken by counsellors at Hucknall CBT & EMDR uses a mixture of methods, appropriately selected to help the circumstances of each client. The approach is based on the Person-Centred model but other strategies and skills are applied as required. The following information gives a brief summary of therapy/counselling approaches:

Humanistic Therapy

This type of counselling focuses on recognising our human potential for creativity, personal growth and choice. The main objectives of humanistic therapy are to find out how individuals see themselves in the here and now and to recognise their potential and choices for growth, self-direction and individual responsibilities. This method of counselling is quite optimistic and attempts to help individuals realise and build upon their strengths by offering a non-judgemental, safe and understanding environment.

Person-Centred Counselling

This type of counselling allows the client to guide themselves through their situation rather than being directed by the therapist. The Person-Centred approach allows clients to move at their own pace and to direct their own progress, change and development. When used effectively, this approach helps clients to be are aware that the counsellor believes in their capability to manage problems, which encourages them to believe in their own strengths, values and worth.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is an approach used by counsellors and other professionals to help ease emotional distress by recognising and treating the psychological problems that lie behind the clients distress, often unhelpful thinking patterns. This type of therapy has proven to be an effective method of treatment for a variety of problems, including anxiety disorders, depression disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, stress, anger and coping with loss or change.

Behavioural and Cognitive therapies mainly concentrate on the here and now, however, they do not dismiss the individuals past altogether, with the therapist and client working together to address the current issues. Goal setting, thought records and behavioural tasks are often set in order help the client put their new skills into practice.

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)Therapy

What is EMDR? EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. The treatment includes sessions in which you focus on an experience which is troubling you. While thinking about the experience, the therapist uses various types of bilateral stimulation which you follow from left to right with your eyes. It is not hypnosis: you remain fully conscious throughout. Forms of bilateral stimulation that may be used are tapping left and right and listening to sounds in your left and right ear. The therapist will talk to you about the different options and find the one that suits you best. The procedure of thinking about the distressing experience and following the bilateral stimulation results in the disturbing memory losing its intensity. It is not forgotten but it ceases to be troubling. In other words, it has been desensitised and reprocessed. Who is EMDR for? EMDR is for people who have symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or trauma in the context of other presentations. This means that something that took place in the past, and which was very disturbing, gets replayed as if it is still happening in the present for example, through flashbacks or nightmares, unwanted thoughts, images and sensations. This can make you feel anxious and constantly on guard and may lead you to avoid situations which trigger the memories. How does it work? The idea is that traumatic events which are overwhelming are not stored like other memories - they remain active and intrusive. The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR involves a dual focus of attention, requiring you to focus on something happening in the present (the bilateral stimulation, whatever its form) while thinking about the event in the past. This enables the brain to process and store the memory correctly. How effective is EMDR? Scientific trials of its effectiveness have shown that it is highly effective. It is recommended by NICE as a treatment for PTSD. What is an EMDR session like? The initial sessions will involve an assessment of things that are troubling you, including aspects of your past experience which may be contributing to the problem. Subsequent sessions involve preparing you for desensitisation and reprocessing by teaching techniques to manage any distress that arises during the processing. At the end of each session, the therapist will focus on using techniques to leave you in a calm state and provide information about what to expect in between sessions (e.g. some people may find themselves remembering more aspects of the memory) and a suggestion to keep a log. At the beginning of each subsequent session, the therapist will review your week and the processing that remains to be done. Who can provide EMDR? EMDR should be practised by therapists who have a core mental health profession and a formal training in EMDR which meets the competences of EMDR accreditation bodies. More information You can find more information about EMDR at the website of the EMDR Association UK: https://emdrassociation.org.uk/