Our therapy in Canary Wharf, Hendon, Central London, Muswell Hill and Cambridge takes many forms, and is tailored to each and every person we treat. By getting to know you, your issues and what your goals are we ensure that we only choose the best course of action which is likely to make you feel better and achieve your ambitions. Sometimes, we offer a single therapy and other times, we use a combination approach depending on the individual and their requirements. As trained and licensed therapists with a broad scope of experience dealing with a diverse range of issues, we offer a variety of talking therapies. In addition to adult counselling and psychotherapy, we also offer our services to children and adolescents and can form groups where necessary, such as in parental interventions or relationship therapy.
Our Therapy Approaches
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
There are usually two phases to CBT, the first will help you to stabilise your symptoms so that you start to feel better on a day to day basis, the second will help you to identify what has made you vulnerable to developing the symptoms in the first place and work out ways of protecting yourself against these in the future so that your symptoms don’t return. Throughout therapy you will be taught a range of both practical and psychological strategies to practice and implement in between sessions.
An average minimum number of session for the first phase of CBT is 15-20, the second phase of therapy is dictated by you and your experiences. However, the most significant influence on progress is how much time you can dedicate to practising strategies and making changes outside of the session.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) looks at how our thoughts influence the way that we feel and what we do. It then helps us to identify thoughts that are inaccurate and/or unhelpful and causing us distress or resulting in problematic behaviours and replace them with thoughts that lead to an improvement in mood and the development of behaviours that get us to where we want to be.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is based on two principles:
1. Our thoughts and beliefs are connected to our behaviours, emotions and physical experiences. They are also connected to external events in our lives.
2. Our perception of events affect our emotional, behavioural and physiological responses to these events.
During treatment we try to focus on how problems from the past influence us in the present, or the “here and now”, and create a “toolbox” of new methods of coping and problem solving which we will be able to use in the future.
CBT aims to help clients learn new set of skills which they will then be able to use on their own to cope better in different situations.
CBT is the treatment of choice for most psychological disorders in children and adults.
If you would like to explore Commitment Behavioural Therapy with our therapists please contact us today.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an empirically based psychological intervention. It is the process of learning to accept what is out of your personal control, while committing to action that will improve your quality of life by helping you to clarify what is truly important and meaningful to you – i.e your values – then use that knowledge to guide, inspire and motivate you to change your life for the better.
The aim of ACT is to help people effectively handle the pain and stress that is inevitable in our daily life by learning to identify unpleasant feelings and then learning not to act upon them and not to avoid situations where these feelings or thoughts appear. Rather than trying to control thoughts, feelings, sensations and memories, ACT teaches people to use mindfulness skills and to “just notice” and accept thoughts, emotions or even physiological sensations without necessarily acting upon them (especially those which were usually labeled as “unwanted”).
If you would like to explore Acceptance Commitment Therapy with our therapists please contact us today.
Parent Counselling (Non-Violent Resistance)
Non-violent resistance (NVR) is an approach that helps parents to manage violent and destructive behaviour of their children. It usually involves parent counselling without meeting the young person. It aims to ameliorate children’s behavioural problems, improve relationship between family members and overcome parental helplessness. NVR approach has 8 core elements:
1. Parental commitment to Non Violent Resistance; a commitment to resist and to avoid violence regardless of the provocation (including avoidance of any verbal or physical aggression).
2. De-escalation Skills: Parents will learn and implement self-management and self-calming skills to de-escalate and avoid unnecessary confrontations.
3. Parental presence: Increasing parental presence and refocusing interactions away from conflict by undertaking effective action, developing sense of moral and personal confidence and by being supported by others.
4. The Support Network: Parents are encouraged to give disclosure about the extent of the problem to significant people (extended family members, friends and so on) and to invite them to be a part of this social support network.
5. Family Announcement: Making an announcement to the family that violence (or other aggressive, unwanted behaviour) will no longer be tolerated.
6. Acts of Reconciliation: Offering unearned, spontaneous gestures of encouragement or “unearned” treats to the young person.
7. Refusing Orders and Breaking Taboos: Reinstating activities that parents felt that they were unable to do (going into their child’s room, talking to his/her friends and so on).
8. The Sit-In: A parental statement and demonstration of the commitment to non-violent resistance and of their presence in the young person’s life.
Biofeedback
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy utilises the power of positive suggestion to bring about subconscious change to our thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
The process itself aims to alter our state of consciousness in a way that relaxes the conscious part of the mind while simultaneously stimulating and focusing the subconscious part. This heightened state of awareness allows the therapist to then make appropriate suggestions.
If you are affected by phobias including a fear of flying, fear of driving, public speaking, refusal or fear of going to school, trichotillomania, hair-pulling our combining of hypnotherapy and psychology is ideally suited to you.
Counselling
Counselling can be used to overcome a number of issues from relationship problems through to conditions such as PTSD and Depression. This therapy in Canary Wharf and Hendon involves discussing your thoughts, feelings and actions and helps you to better understand them and take a more measured approach outside of therapy, putting your mental wellbeing first.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT is useful in treating a variety of symptoms from severe stress, through to OCD and anxiety. Unlike other forms of therapy, CBT focuses on the difficulties you are going through now and assesses where they are stemming from so that you can reframe your thoughts and feelings and employ more effective coping strategies.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy is a form of CBT that focusses on individuals leading fulfilling and meaningful lives even in the presence of pain, stress and suffering. Learning to deal with difficult thoughts, emotions and feelings, ACT can be effective for those dealing with long term illnesses, grief, relationship issues and stress as it can enable them to minimise problems that can’t be changed and develop flexible thinking.
Solution Focussed Therapy (SFT)
Solution focussed therapy looks at situational and behavioural differences and identifies triggers, patterns and behaviours that increase the problem, before finding solutions that can reduce them. This therapy is effective in treating both physical problems and imagined ones and so is useful for OCD, PTSD and stress.
Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)
Compassion focussed therapy aims to promote emotional and mental healing through compassion to the self and others. This emotional response is part of overall wellbeing and is essential for those suffering from poor mental health or going through a bereavement or difficult time with others.
EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing teaches eye movements, hand tapping and audio stimulation to unblock processing and help rewire the brain and is usually employed for victims of trauma or those who have PTSD. This therapy can help to improve self-esteem and promote healing from distress, pain and memories.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy uses a state of hypnosis to induce a state of focussed attention allowing positive suggestions and guided imagery to help individuals overcome a variety of concerns and issues including low self-esteem, worry and stress.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness and meditation are tools used widely to treat a variety of issues, by focussing on entering an elevated mental state, which can help in sorting through jumbled thoughts and assessing the self to lead to a calmer and more constructed outlook on life and it’s problems.
Online Therapy
Whatever your issue and whatever course of action we decide upon, all of our talking therapies are accessible online, via telephone, Zoom or Skype so you can carry on with your treatment without having to leave the house. Alternatively, you can still attend face to face appointments in our therapy centres in Hendon, Canary Wharf, Harley Street, Muswell Hill and Cambridge.
Contact Us
Regardless of the issues you may be struggling with, contact our team today to arrange your free 15 minute informal consultation with one of our experienced and compassionate therapists. During our first session we will prescribe a limited time, structured, goal oriented solution utilising the appropriate therapy, as needed.
In line with our ethos of helping you build your own bridges,
we do some things differently
‘Homework’
Aids
Sessions outside the clinic
Liaising and referring to other professionals as needed
Bridges Therapy Centre
18a Heriot Road,
London, NW4 2DG
Bridges Therapy Centre - Hendon, London, NW4 - English & Hebrew Counselling & Therapy Services
The contents on this site is for information only, and is not meant to substitute the advice of your own physician or other medical professional