My bespoke approach to offering CBT is informed, curated and reflective of several factors. The first being my own experiences of mental health challenges, I found various behavioural tools as well and explorative conversations along with movement, diet and spirituality has helped (and still helps), when I have struggled with low mood and anxiety.
Two, it is informed and curated by the feedback I often receive from clients and carers (especially those from the Global Majority) whilst working within the NHS. They reported that they were sceptical of the process of therapy, however found my approach to be safe, welcoming and holistic, which often differed from what they had experienced in prior [CBT] therapies and/or from what they had expected therapy to be like, please see client reviews here.
Lastly three, during my psychotherapy training, the above reflections were unfortunately supported by the stark absence [until of recent years where some academic papers have attempted to address this] of mention of culture, religion/spirituality and racism from the literature, [concerning both client and therapist]. I feel the absence of diversity considerations fails the population we are trained to serve in various ways i.e., its absence [un]intentionally leaves an impression that [specifically within Talking Therapy services] such topics were/are too contextual to truly dedicate time and attention to; I have often had various colleagues critique my thinking as being “too broad” because I wanted to make space for a diversity/identity considerations for those I am supporting, especially when it informs the clients formulation.
Such feedback has often left me feeling quite unsettled about power play in sessions, who decides what is important to discuss in therapy under the guise of “the limitations of CBT”. My experience has taught me that these do not have to be limitations, unless the systems we [therapist and client] are in aren’t equipped to provide the time and space for the conversation. It leaves me sad that many people may have deduced CBT as being a very simplistic treatment that does not allow for addressing these very important issues. As I think the fundamental principles of CBT are fantastic and many of us could benefit from learning skills around emotion regulation and the power of realising and testing our CHOICE.
However, the more I routinely made this a common part of my treatment with clients, their feedback either highlighted that they felt seen and safe for the first time, and/or if these were seasoned users of CBT [and other therapies alike], that it had been the first time these topics relating to their identity had been broached. So, in essence I learnt to use the evidence of client feedback to help me dictate what was important to consider in therapy.
As a Black Caribbean Woman (of African descent), and who is originally an immigrant to this country, you can imagine that it was very saddening to me to know that so many parts of a person’s personal identity could be missed in an incredibly vulnerable and exposing conversation, such as therapy.
Thus, my style of therapy, works to do its best to see and hold you as holistically as possible. To be realistic, it is unlikely we will cover everything that is troubling you, however, hopefully in our attempt to cover the most pertinent issues, whilst making space to address the contextual/diversity markers that feels important to you, the work we do will feel sufficient.
My style of CBT merges training from my CBT psychotherapy degree, training from my diploma in Black Psychology African Centred Therapies which helped to birth my art model called TISFA (Trust In Spirit Freedom Art), and merged with wisdom I have gained from life.
My approach to therapy is that is a focused conversation, and this conversation can feel causal whilst being immensely transformative. And where we are working on your problems/difficulties we are being open that there can be many ways to solve a problem. I expect that we will be collaborative, honest, committed and intentional as we go through this together.
Please note that I do not wish to assert that I am knowledgeable about all there is in mental health, nor am I declaring that my approach will work for all, in fact I do not expect it to. Instead, I hope that the offering of my work adds to the variety of therapies that exist, respecting that we are an amalgamation of personalities, ideas and experiences, it would be unrealistic and unhelpful to position my approach as a one size fits all, if anything I hope you try many different styles of therapy and that you may find something useful when working with me.
With genuine love, patience and kindness, I look forward to one day working with you.
