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Heather is a remarkable lady and a wonderful therapist

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:35:59 GMT

‘When I first met Heather, I was feeling hopeless and overwhelmed at work and in my personal life. She helped me to unravel my thoughts with kindness & insight and to find the courage to make major changes to my lifestyle & priorities which have truly transformed me. I understand, and even love, myself now thanks to Heather. Above all, she showed me that admitting to vulnerability is my key to staying strong and happy. Her questions and suggestions continue to guide me when I'm having a wobble. Heather is a remarkable lady and a wonderful therapist.’

I would highly recommend Heather as a therapist.

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:45:42 GMT

‘Over the last year I started my journey into recovery from depression and addictions. I had been trapped in these cycles for as long as I could recall and looking back, I would now say that I had reached a crisis point when I started treatment with Heather.

Over the past year, I have seen Heather for two courses of therapy and throughout our sessions she gradually helped me make sense of my life experiences and relationships with other people in relation to my depression and addictions.

I was able to use our sessions to be more compassionate to myself, while accepting I needed to make changes both within myself and with how I related to other people.

I am still on my journey to recovery, but I have learned so much from my sessions with Heather and I will always be grateful for the help she gave me. I would highly recommend Heather as a therapist.’

...that first session with Heather gave me hope.

Sat, 01 Jun 2019 14:48:28 GMT

‘Writing this testimonial for Heather is a pleasure as it goes a small way to thanking her for helping me transform my life. The greatest testament I can give Heather is that I no longer recognise the person that I was before that first session and I'll be forever grateful that our paths crossed.

Before working with Heather I felt like I was in a downward spiral, everyday situations were getting harder and harder to get through. I'd get embarrassed if someone spoke to me unexpectedly, I would have to know my escape route from every place I visited and I was convinced that nobody liked me. I was a bundle of stress but that first session with Heather gave me hope.

Heather is warm and friendly and created an environment where I felt safe and comfortable to explore and challenge my own thought processes. Heather has great intuition and guided me through my confusion to a place of clarity. There was no set schedule and Heather always allowed me to go at my own pace. I learnt some great techniques that I've built into my everyday thinking which have helped me navigate new situations and achieve things I never thought possible.’

Here's to more milestones!

Wed, 01 May 2019 14:50:30 GMT

‘Having reached rock bottom in terms of my mental health, I sought assistance from Heather following a personal recommendation from a friend. Over a 4 month period, I began to recognise myself again and I owe so much of that to Heather and her natural ability for listening without judgement and being able to coach people to more positive, present thoughts. Thank you, and here’s to more milestones!’

How to Relax Before Bed

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 15:21:04 GMT

Learn to relax before bedtime so you can get some good restful sleep.

You're so exhausted your eyelids feel like lead, but you can't actually get yourself to drift off to dreamland. Instead, your mind is racing with everything that went wrong during the day—or that could go wrong tomorrow. Lack of sleep can heavily impact our mental ability to deal with everything life throws at us and over time can heavily weigh on our mental & physical health.

Below you can find 5 different ways to help you wind down at the end of your evening to help you get a good night’s rest and be ready for the next day’s challenges.

1. Take the time to wind down. “Set aside at least 30 to 45 minutes—an hour is even better—to wind down before bed. During that window of time, you should ban yourself from anything that might be stimulating, including texting and computer work. Keep a good ritual for that wind-down hour so your body and mind start to know that each step is one step closer to bed."

2. Tune in if it helps you tune out. You may have heard that you shouldn't watch TV before bed, and admittedly some sleep experts aren't big fans, but many say a little TV before bed or something else mundane can actually stop your brain thinking about anything else and allow your body and mind to get ready to fall asleep. Don't watch or read anything too stimulating or stressful. That means skipping the nightly news and tuning in to something lighter.

3. Do some deep breathing. Not into prayer or formal meditation? Simply take 10 minutes to sit still and breathe, says M.J. Ryan, one of the creators of The New York Times bestselling Random Acts of Kindness series and the author of The Happiness Makeover. "The practice is really easy: All you do is notice your breath, and every time you are aware your mind went elsewhere, bring it back to your breath. When 10 minutes is up, stop. That's all it takes."

4. Take a hot bath. It's a cliché—but it works. "A hot bath will not only relax your muscles, but it will also raise your core body temperature, which acts as a trigger to help people fall asleep," says Michael Breus, PhD, author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep.

5. Exercise. There's no doubt that it's a great stress reliever—just make sure to do it at least three hours before bedtime, says Dr. Ojile. Otherwise it could actually rev you up and make it harder to sleep.

Honourable Mention:

A growing body of research shows that aromatherapy can be effective. For people having sleep trouble, we recommend essential oils in a diffuser to help you drift off to sleep. Some good ones for rest: lavender, petitgrain, chamomile, geranium, sandalwood and rose.

I would thoroughly recommend Heather as a therapist

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 14:53:34 GMT

‘Working with Heather was one of the most rewarding things that has happened to me. When I went to Heather I was struggling with confidence issues, my own sense of self and mild forms of anxiety. But working with Heather meant I was able to overcome these issues. Heather was always an advocate of dedication (I went to a session once a week for 6 months); and I believe it was this dedication that made myself able to make such incredible improvements in such a short space of time. More than this, Heather is personable, professional and will always tailor the sessions towards the temperament you are when you

walk in the door. That is, they are completely based around you. She once mentioned that she aims to be like a mirror, and that is a very apt piece of imagery. But not a mirror that looks straight back at you; a mirror that allows you to see and understand yourself that little bit more, so that you are able to grow and progress as an individual. Ultimately, the creation of a strong and trustworthy relationship with Heather allowed me to do the same with myself. As such, I would thoroughly recommend Heather as a therapist. You can approach her in the confidence that if you are both willing to put in the effort, maximum benefits will be reached.’

Heather's methods saved my life

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 14:51:50 GMT

‘Upon meeting Heather last year, I had experienced a series of traumatic experiences that left me in a very dark state of mind. Heather's attention and dedication to ensure that I received the care that I needed were genuine. Everything she did was in consideration of my health and well-being. Over 8 months, the change I have experienced within has been dramatic. Effortlessly, Heather's methods of therapy ultimately saved my life. I never felt any pressure within any session nor did any of it seemed robotic, it was very personal. After years of failed attempts of seeking help through the NHS, I received a reliable, dependable and caring therapist. The journey was not easy but by the last session I felt anew and I am grateful for it all.’

What is Integrative Therapy?

Tue, 19 Mar 2019 13:17:28 GMT

Integrative therapy specialises in taking a combined approach to therapy, combining a multitude of different approaches. This type of therapy focuses on the view that no single approach can treat a client in a variety of situations, all theories should be considered to tailor therapy that’s adapted to each client.

1. What Are the Benefits?

The main advantage of integrative therapy is the flexibility and focus on the whole individual. This means there’s an integrated approach to therapy ensuring it promoted wellness in all areas of life including: physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual. Through integrated therapies, clients can work to overcome negative behaviours and take steps towards improved health.

As well as more general benefits, others include:

• Lowered blood pressure.

• Restful sleep.

• Anxiety reduction.

• Stress management.

2. How Does it Differ from Other Therapies?

The integrative therapy approach differs from other therapies in the fact there is less structure to the sessions, the therapy is suited to you, and there is no exact model of working to follow. Integrative therapies will use different schools of thought that’ve been learned and developed over time. There is always room to make your therapy bespoke and flexible without feeling experimental.

3. What is it Recommended For?

This approach to therapy is beneficial to anyone suffering from any of the following issues:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Low Self Esteem

• Phobias

• Additions

• Bereavement

• Trauma

• Learning Difficulties

• Autism