Child & Young Persons CBT Therapy.

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I am an experienced Child and Adolescent Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and a member of the British Psychological Society. I am trained to deliver Cognitive Behavioural-based therapy to primary and secondary school aged children and young people with anxiety, low-mood and depression, PTSD, Emotional-based school avoidance, traumatic stress, self-harm, OCD and tics, ASD and ADHD.

 

I can also offer parent-led sessions: introducing them to strategies to help their child overcome their difficulties. These strategies are based on the Social Learning theory and on behavioural and emotional regulation strategies (sleeping, daily routines, consequences, etc..)

 

I have worked in this role for 5  years within clinical settings- Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services for the NHS and primary and secondary schools across London, as well as in a private setting. I have worked therapeutically with children and young people for over 10 years in palliative care and bereavement settings, which has given me an understanding and sensitivity to the emotional developments and needs of young people.

 

I am fluent in English, Portuguese, French and Italian, and am comfortable working with children and families in these languages.  I feel that my knowledge of languages and different cultures has strengthened my understanding and sensitivity to diverse family structures and backgrounds.

 

Through my therapeutic work, I have understood the importance of early intervention in children and young people’s mental health.  I have observed the stigma around mental health and I am passionate about making a positive impact to normalise certain social attitudes to mental health.

Interventions

The sessions encourage the young person to explore their emotional difficulties, such as: self-esteem, anxious thoughts, low-mood etc..

The sessions are tailored to meet their individual needs and directed towards their own personal goals, with the aim of empowering the young person.

Some examples of cases I have worked with:

  • Anxiety

  • Low mood and Depression

  • Self-harm

  • Avoidance

  • Sleep disturbance

  • Disordered eating

  • Self-harm

  • Phobias

Common behavioural difficulties:

  • Throwing tantrums,

  • Hitting and screaming

  • Refusing to comply

  • Unclear boundaries

  • Difficulties with morning and bedtime routines

  • Sibling rivalry

  • Separation anxiety

  • Divorce

My focus is on prevention and early intervention, whereby I identify unhelpful behaviours, thought patterns and reactions which can form a vicious cycle.  In understanding these patterns, we can develop more helpful ones to alleviate the symptoms and get ‘unstuck’

“Before sessions I felt my communication with my kids was more about asking them to complete tasks rather than just enjoying my interactions and spending time to play with them. The sessions have taught me how to communicate with the kids in a way that opens up their emotions to me. I can see they are more relaxed and talkative with me and we now have a much stronger bond”

— 10 year old boy with severe anxiety

Our Services

  • A Holistic Approach

    A holistic approach which takes into account the child, their environment, family and support network. In turn I provide strategies for parents to best help their child outside of sessions.

  • Parent Led

    The sessions are focused around the parents(s) and introducing them to strategies to help their child overcome their difficulties. These strategies are based on the Social Learning theory and on behavioural and emotional regulation strategies.

  • Psycho-education

    Psycho-education is an integral part of the parent-led interventions I deliver. I explain the basis of emotional well-being in children and how parents can strive to achieve this.

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

    Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that focuses on how thoughts and emotions affect behavior. Your child doesn’t need to have a diagnosed mental health condition to benefit from CBT.

  • Flexible Sessions

    My programs usually involve an agreed upon goal and a set number of sessions. I am available for both 1:1 in person sessions or online via telephone / video calling.

  • A Diverse Range of Children

    Through my experience working with schools through the NHS, I have worked with a diverse range of children from all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. I am able to deliver sessions in English, French, Italian and Portuguese.

“Thank you so much for today. My husband and I are going through the storm of our life and every time you come to our house we feel like you are the sunshine. It's amazing that you made Wendy talk freely wih you, without our presence, in only 3 sessions! (we had 24 sessions previously with an SLT and she did not talk directly to the lady and absolutley nothing if I left the room). It's so nice to see her so happy. Thank you so much and we are looking forward to seeing you next week”

– mother of a child with Selective Mutism, age 4.

Training

  • Paediatric First Aid

  • Mental Health First Aid

  • Suicide First Aid

  • Positive Behaviour Support.

  • Child Bereavement Training

  • Family Support Training