BACP Mindfulness Psychotherapist

in London

“Reach for the moon... and even if you miss… you’ll fall amongst the stars!”

My Personal Bio

Quando comecei meus estudos em psicologia, nunca pensei que isso mudaria minha vida de forma tão dramática e significativa, mas mesmo assim mudou; de uma forma empoderadora, perspicaz e diligente.

I spent a lot of my childhood in an anxious state constantly seeking the approval of my father. Attempts at expressing my emotional and psychological needs, those deemed normal for a child, were met unpredictably with detachment, contempt and physical violence. As a result, I developed a maladaptive sense of the world and how to relate to others. My understanding of interrelating was learnt from this damaging experience and as I grew older my anxiety turned to anger, destructively affecting all my relationships with family, friends and colleagues. However, at the time I was unaware of this process.

To help manage the emotional pain of resentment, rejection and emptiness I started to use drugs. Using substances catapulted me into a sense of freedom and further rebellion and before I knew it I was addicted. I had developed a serious habit that was going to destroy me even more than the feelings I was using it to run away from. One night I had a near-death experience and as a result I sought advice. As I started to learn about the effects of substances on the brain, no matter how euphoric it made me feel, I knew I didn’t want to carry on down this road. But what I didn’t realise was that as an addictive habit it was not going to be easy to break.

Minha biografia profissional

As a BACP Registered Psychotherapist, specialising in dual-diagnosis, my experience of working in the addiction and mental health field now spans almost 20 years. Whilst I work integratively, using a combination of therapeutic approaches as well as relapse prevention techniques, I firmly believe the client is the centre of the therapeutic journey. I consider it a privilege to be invited into their lives and to share in their highlights as well as their darkest experiences.

Viver numa sociedade ocidental moderna como a nossa tem as suas recompensas. No entanto, com as diversas pressões sociais, de saúde, económicas e espirituais, pode ser igualmente assustador e estressante. Enquanto alguns têm a capacidade de localizar recursos para lidar com estes factores de stress de forma mais saudável... outros têm dificuldade em responder e adaptar-se eficazmente e, portanto, dependem de estratégias de sobrevivência menos saudáveis que eventualmente se tornam habituais e causam danos - danos ligeiros a moderados para a maioria... mas para alguns infelizes... grave ou fatal.

My Therapeutic Approach

My work involves delivering treatment to individuals and groups who have suffered mild to severe forms of mental illnesses; this includes stress, anxiety, depression, bipolar affective disorder, personality disorders and schizophrenia.

Em termos de dependência e comportamentos compulsivos, ajudei indivíduos a superar distúrbios alimentares e automutilação deliberada, bem como o uso destrutivo de álcool, cannabis, cocaína, heroína e medicamentos prescritos, como tranquilizantes (ou seja, diazepam e outros benzodiazepínicos) e analgésicos ( ou seja, oxicodona, dihidrocodeína).

No decorrer dos meus estudos em psicologia, descobri que o vício é um hábito - embora grave - semelhante a todos os comportamentos que praticamos de forma constante, consistente e conscientemente inconsciente.