Psychological Therapy
Beckie Davies, founder of Catalyst East Anglia provides psychological therapy: cognitive analytic therapy, occupational therapy and stress management to individuals in Norwich and Norfolk. She has also recently completed an NLP Wellbeing Coach Practitioner Training Course to compliment her existing therapeutic and coaching skills.
We consider having therapy or coaching for many different reasons. We perhaps feel we are not coping well with life or an area of our life such as relationships or work. Or we have suffered a loss or trauma and don't seem to be able to move forward. We may be experiencing depression, high anxiety, burn out, an addiction problem and want help to understand what has led to this and what we can do about it. Sometimes we feel we are in self-destruct mode but don't know how to break out of the patterns. Many of us are just not sure why we feel, think and behave the way we do and want or need the opportunity to try and understand ourselves more and find ways to feel more content and satisfied with our lives.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
Is CAT for me?
- Do you find yourself making the same mistakes in life, time and time again? Like starring in different films but with similar scripts?
- Do you feel you get caught up in “vicious circles” especially in relationships?
- Do you question if some of the decisions you make in life seem to sabotage your success and happiness?
- Do you wonder if some of the ways you learnt to cope when you were younger are perhaps not helping you now, but you don’t know what to do about it?
If you answered yes to any of the above, then CAT may well be of benefit to you.
What to expect from Cognitive Analytic Therapy?
CAT will help you identify and understand the patterns that emerged in relating to others, yourself and the world as a way of coping during your early life. You will see how these patterns (procedures) may now be unhelpful, be getting in the way of change and be connected to the problems that led you to seek help through therapy. This will be the focus of the first few sessions through an exploration of your life history and experiences.
Once these patterns have been identified and understood you will be encouraged to notice and recognise how they occur in your daily life and relationships. You will explore how you might begin to “soften” and revise the patterns. Your resources and strengths will be valued and built upon and together with the insights and skills you gain, the aim will be that you feel more empowered to continue making changes when the therapy has ended.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy:
- Is time-limited, usually 16 (weekly) sessions, with a 1 month follow up. This will be agreed with you after the initial consultation.
- Works with individuals, but can also be used effectively with groups.
- Is cognitive in that it makes full use of your ability to observe and think about yourself, your assumptions, your feelings and your behaviour.
- Is analytic in that unacknowledged, unconscious factors are explored and worked with, and their impact is recognised. In addition, the therapist-client relationship is understood and used to help bring about insights in other relationships you have.
- Is integrated in that a cohesive body of theory has been developed with a unique understanding of personality and development. It emphasises the interplay between thought processes, feelings, actions and consequences.
- Is an effective way of developing self-awareness and personal development with a growing body of research and evaluation.
- Focuses on your capacity for self-help and develops specific tools for understanding and changing your unhelpful coping procedures.
Please go to the Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy website which provides a more in depth overview of CAT and what to expect from therapy www.acat.me.uk
Occupational Therapy
What is Occupational Therapy?
“Occupational therapy uses purposeful activity and meaningful occupation as therapeutic tools to promote health and wellbeing” Health Professions Council (www.hpc-uk.org)
Or more simply – Occupational Therapy can empower you to do the things you want and need to do, as independently as possible. This includes all aspects of life activities, such as work, study, leisure, relationships, and looking after yourself; and encompasses the roles that you have or would like to have such as employee, student, manager, son, partner, lover, house-husband, sports woman, artist and carer.
Occupational Therapy is client centred and evidence-based. It is also holistic in the sense that it looks at the whole person and considers their physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and economic needs. Beckie has recently completed an NLP Wellbeing Coach Practitioner course which her skills as an occupational therapist as it focusses on developing existing internal resources and maximising a person's potential to lead a more satisfying life.
The focus and length of therapy will depend upon the problems that led you to seek help and what you are hoping to achieve. This will be negotiated with you after your first session.
It may focus on:
- Building on existing strengths and resources, such as communication, time management, problem solving skills.
- Learning new coping skills, for e.g. ways to manage anxiety and low mood and being more assertive.
- Adapting or changing aspects of your life and environment to achieve and maintain a more healthy balance, structure and support system.
