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Services

Individual CBT and or CFT with Clients (either Face to Face, or Online)

Following contacting me I will offer a 15-minute phone call at a time convenient to you to discuss what is happening for you at this time and leading you to seek out therapy with me. Following this we will have a shared understanding of what you have been through, and we will have a plan for what may be helpful for you. If it is not therapy with me then I will try to signpost you to services that could be more helpful.
When we meet for our first appointment either at Tadcaster Library for a face-to-face appointment or online we will have a 50-minute assessment appointment which will enable us to develop a treatment plan and we will contract an initial trial of CBT/CFT (usually 3-6 sessions). We will develop some shared goals for therapy and complete base line measures both of which will help to track change.
CBT is a collaborative approach; it is you and me against the problem. I bring my CBT/CFT skills, and you bring your knowledge of you. We tend to work in the here and now and only really venture into the past to understand how the past may be impacting on the here and now and making change in the future. It is time limited, and you can consult the NICE guidelines to look at how many sessions are recommended for specific problems. https://www.nice.org.uk

Clinical Supervision

I am a BABCP Accredited CBT Supervisor, and I have been for over ten years. During my extensive career I have supervised and trained many CBT Trainees or CBT clinicians from a variety of clinical background’s such as Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers, and Psychiatric Nurses.
I have helped many trainees reach qualification as CBT Therapists and become accredited with the BABCP and enabled others to continue to remain accredited with the BABCP.
I love supervising and teaching others and I continue to work for the University of Hull on a sessional basis for their CBT courses. I worked for many years for the University of York and offered supervision and training for CBT courses at master’s level and Post Graduate Diploma level and Improving access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). I was also course leader for the Undergraduate Introduction to Short Term CBT course all of which involved hours of supervision and teaching.
I am happy to offer a 15 min free phone call to discuss supervision with therapists or trainees looking for CBT and or CFT Supervision.

Testimonials

"Maria has given me the tools and techniques to be able to manage anxiety and I feel in control of it now, meaning that it is no longer a concern that it might get out of control again as it has at various times in my life. I cannot thank Maria enough."

J - CBT/CFT Client

my approach

  • Compassion Focused Therapy
    CFT is an approach developed by Professor Paul Gilbert as he found that for some people high levels of shame and self-criticism interfered with engagement with CBT. He developed CFT and Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) which has developed from various psychological approaches such as CBT, Attachment Theory, Neurological and Evolutionary theory. The approach takes a biopsychosocial focus on developing a shared understanding of the problem and using positive psychology to develop new pathways in the brain that are more self-compassionate and self-supportive. For more information on CFT and free video and audio resources, access www.compassionatemind.org.uk
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) are both a collaborative, confidential and non-judgemental approach. You are the expert on you, and I have completed extensive training and have over 18 years of working as a CBT therapist, so I bring the clinical expertise. We can work together to overcome the difficulties that have brought you to therapy. CBT is effective with the following problems: Depression or low mood. Anxiety symptoms such as Panic attacks, Agoraphobia, worry (also called generalized anxiety disorder) Phobias Social Anxiety Low Self-Esteem Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Sleep problems Physical health problems Stress Confidence and problems with assertion Difficulty with problem solving and decision making For more information on CBT access www.BABCP.com
  • Areas of Interest
    I particularly have a special interest in OCD and work using exposure and response prevention. I have experience of working with chronic pain and staff support.
  • Experience
    I also work with depression using behavioural activation and CBT for depression, I am well trained in mindfulness and Compassion Focused Therapy which is particularly helpful for people with high levels of shame and self-criticism. I am able to weave third wave approaches in CBT such as ACT and Mindfulness if clients would find this helpful.
  • Education
    I am a CBT Therapist who has been accredited with the British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapists since 2004 and I completed the advanced CFT therapy training with Paul Gilbert and Mary Welford in 2015. Following this I have facilitated Compassion Focused Therapy groups. I continue to facilitate a Compassion Focused Therapy Graduate Group in York for The Retreat, York. I practice Yoga and mindfulness daily and completed an eight week MBSR course with The Northern Centre for Mindfulness in 2015.
  • My Career
    I have had an extensive career working in mental health since qualifying in 1996 and working as a Psychiatric Nurse in inpatient and outpatient settings and then training as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (CBT) in 2003. After many years of working clinically with adults in the NHS, I became a lecturer teaching CBT at The University of York, training clinicians to become CBT Psychotherapists. On leaving this and returning to practice in 2013, I found time to fully engage with Mindfulness and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). I have benefitted hugely from this and over the last 10 years this self-practicing using compassionate mind training (CMT) has become a vital part of my life and well-being. I continue to use CFT clinically alongside CBT within individual therapy, group therapy and through the training and supervision of other clinicians. During Covid 19 I worked for the NHS into ICU and Covid Red wards with staff working on those wards delivering CBT and CFT training and individual therapy. Over the last seven years I have been project lead for the Compassion in School project which is based on Dr Mary Welford's pioneering work using CFT as a whole school approach. I have led three projects in three schools and Mary has supervised me in this work. I continue to work closely with Bootham School, an independent Quaker school in York.
  • Qualifications
    2015: Advanced CFT training with Paul Gilbert and Mary Welford CFT for groups with Kate Lucre 2017: Attended CFT for anger with Russell Kolts Self Practice three day training with Paul Gilbert 2018: One day BABCP workshop Compassionate Supervision with Tobyn Bell 2019: CFT conference in Edinburgh CFT in education conference 2020: CFT online training (during Covid-19) Deep healing with Paul Gilbert, Vidyamala Burch and Rick Hanson CFT online with Paul Gilbert and Choden CFT online Paul Gilbert Compassionate Mind training 2021: ACT online training 100 things Act with Richard Bennett and Joe Oliver CFT training online Russell Kolts anger
  • Overview
    I have experience working within secondary and primary care with clients with anxiety and depression. I have lectured in CBT at the University of York and currently guest lecture at the University of Hull. I have also used Compassion Focused Therapy with individual clients since 2015 and use it on myself. I have been offering CFT whole school approaches for the past six years and this has involved large scale training of staff and students, as well as 1-1 therapy sessions, small group training, staff support sessions (individual and group), compassion based meditation sessions. I am self-employed as a CFT therapist and CBT therapist and I am able to offer therapy on an individual basis to adults and young people.
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