I warmly welcome you to my website.
Wherever you were trying to go when you ended up here…WELCOME!
Whether or not you know what you’re looking for…WELCOME!
Embarking on the path of self-discovery and healing is a courageous step—one that often requires support and guidance along the way.
My aim is to understand you personally, what you’re anxious about, what this anxiety signal is telling you about you. These messengers inside your mind have enormous value. They’re not supposed to be “fixed” or silenced before letting them speak.
A psychiatrist or a doctor might give you a pill to make the anxiety signal go away.
Does this work? I doubt it.
If a red light shows up on the dashboard of your car, you could get rid of it by unscrewing the bulb—but silencing this messenger makes no sense, it makes things worse. So if you want a therapist who tells you what to do in order to get ride of your anxiety l am not the one for you.
I am interested in understanding you, exploring your feelings, emotions, mistakes, challenges, and perhaps celebrate your strengths, and uncover the resilience that lies within you.
For more information about me and my work, click the links. Gain the clarity you need to improve your life, then close this website, the internet, and start embracing the lessons that life offer you.
Counselling Support Group
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Open to all, Group session are held online, once a month. For more information, please email me. BOOK HERE for further info click here
Individual Therapy Sessions
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I offer online, telephone or face to face talking therapy sessions for adults 18+.
FEE £60
Please fill in the contact form to discuss this further. BOOK HERE
Couples Therapy Sessions
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I offer online, telephone couples therapy sessions.
FEE £60
Please fill in the contact form to discuss this further. BOOK HERE
Therapeutic Yoga Sessions
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“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.”
Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Trauma creates both an emotional and physical imprint on the body. Traditional talking therapies focus mostly on what can be expressed verbally. These can be very effective but we now know from the vastly growing area of neuroscience that the impact of trauma extends beyond emotional distress and pain. You might have found that trauma and the physiological symptoms and somatic complaints that are associated with it, are often hard to treat with “top-down” talking therapy.
We know that our response to traumatic events is initially a physical one. The ‘Fight, Flight or Freeze’ response is activated in times of stress, as the body perceives stress as a threat.
Unfortunately long after stressful events are over, our bodies can continue to react as if threats are continually present.
Repeated exposure to trauma overwhelms our self-protective capacities
Survivors find themselves trapped in a cycle of hyper-arousal and dissociative numbing
A lot of survivors complain of feeling ‘out of control’ in their life and in their own body
HOW CAN YOGA HELP?
Stress and trauma can damage our capacity to emotionally self-regulate. Yoga can help with this. Purposeful attention alongside asanas (physical postures) and pranayama (breathing) improves the capacity for present moment awareness. This can help with dissociation, when we disconnect from reality. Trauma and stress can damage the insula in our brains, responsible for sensory experiences. Yoga strengthens the connections with both the insula and pre-frontal cortex so strengthening the mind-body connection.
(RCT trial 2014 Bessel van der Kolk et al)
Yoga helps to:
Build connections between the mind and body, increasing our capacity for present-awareness
Staying with, rather than getting rid of or defending against difficult feelings
Build greater tolerance for difficult emotional states and bodily sensations
Learn how aspects of our early experiences and our characters are discernible in our bodily states and that these too can be changed
Therapeutic yoga can be combined with talking therapy and is suitable for adolescents as well as adults.
THERAPEUTIC YOGA
I teach 1:1 and group courses in a specially adapted space at my practice in Godalming.
I also teach courses and workshops incorporating Mindfulness and breath work and yoga where appropriate to professionals and organisations.
. BOOK HERE for further info click here
Mindfulness & Breath work sessions
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Mindfulness ans breath work serves as a powerful tool to help slow down our pace and embrace the present moment fully.
Research has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in alleviating stress, anxiety, and enhancing overall well-being. Even small moments of mindfulness and breath awareness can help us feel liberated from the autopilot mode, awakening to the profound richness inherent in our daily experiences. It's a skill accessible to all, requiring only a touch of dedication and patience to cultivate.
I have undergone training with Eckhart Tolle in advanced mindfulness at the School of Awakening and I've dedicated over 15 years to the practice of mindfulness and breath awareness.
MINDFULNESS AND BREATH WORK SESSIONS
I offer personalized one-on-one sessions as well as group mindfulness courses, conducted in a serene and tailored environment at my practice in Godalming.
Moreover, mindfulness and breath work seamlessly integrates into therapeutic settings. In my practice, I seamlessly weave mindfulness & breath work techniques into therapy sessions, facilitating a deeper exploration of one's inner landscape.
In therapy, our endeavor often leads us to delve deeper into our inner realms. However, navigating the present moment can prove daunting, particularly amid the turbulence of depression, anxiety, or illness.
In these moments, our instinctual response is to recoil inwardly, seeking refuge from life's adversities. While understandable, this defensive posture only perpetuates our suffering, obstructing our path to personal expansion and fulfillment.
Mindfulness, wielded with skill, offers a gentle invitation into the present moment—a soft refuge amidst life's storms.
By creating space for our struggles, it provides a compassionate vantage point from which to observe our experiences. Through cultivating inner wisdom, we become attuned to the subtle cues preceding our emotional triggers, interrupting the cycle of negative thought patterns and liberating ourselves from feelings of unworthiness and shame. Ultimately, mindfulness empowers us to embrace life's full spectrum, enabling us to live authentically and abundantly.
Please fill in the contact form to discuss this further. BOOK HERE
Walk and Talk Therapy Sessions
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Working with Nature
Many of us are familiar with the benefits of immersing ourselves in nature. Whether it's strolling through the countryside, feeling the invigoration of a windy beach, or simply sitting in a garden, the natural world has a profound impact on our well-being. These experiences awaken our senses and uplift our spirits, yet they can also unexpectedly evoke feelings of grief and sadness.
But what is nature trying to communicate to us?
Walk and talk therapy offers a perspective that views humans as inseparable from nature, integral components of the natural world. When we perceive ourselves as separate from nature, it breeds a sense of disconnect and imbalance, manifesting in anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression.
This disconnect has become especially pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The physical separation from loved ones, coupled with restrictions on socializing and fears of contracting the virus, has heightened our stress levels and internal disconnection. For those who have experienced loss, the sudden and traumatic separation amplifies this pain.
Many have found solace in the outdoors during these challenging times, discovering a profound connection with trees, plants, and the elements. By deepening our bond with the natural environment, we gain insight into our own thoughts and emotions. We begin to understand how societal and cultural conditioning leads us away from our true selves, fostering feelings of low self-worth and disconnection.
Observing nature's cyclical and inclusive patterns teaches us valuable lessons about interconnectedness and balance. By integrating these lessons into our daily lives, we can adopt a healthier pace and mindset. Recognizing and challenging our limiting beliefs allows us to align more closely with the natural world, becoming part of its intricate web of life.
Nature is a steadfast ally, offering support and wisdom if we open ourselves to its guidance. By allowing life's flow to move through us, we cultivate a profound sense of connection and tranquility. Outdoor therapy sessions provide an immersive experience where we explore our inherent connection with nature. By observing nature's cycles and movements, we can apply its principles to our internal world, fostering positive changes supported by a holistic perspective on life.
Please fill in the contact form to discuss this further. BOOK HERE
How can l support you?
I hold a 1st Class Hons B.A. in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy, alongside certifications in Advanced Yoga and Somatic Bodywork
Although primarily rooted in Integrative ‘talking’ psychotherapy, where appropriate I also use mindfulness, therapeutic yoga, compassion exercises and breath work in a whole body/mind approach.
This can help build a tool kit for long-term recovery.
I provide a supportive, safe, confidential, and nurturing space where you feel valued, heard and understood. My aim is to empower you to develop healthier habits and coping strategies, leading you towards a more fulfilling and balanced life. .
I firmly believe in the uniqueness of each individual, recognising that one approach cannot fit all.
Therefore I work collaboratively with you, this entails customising my approach to each client, offering personalised support tailored to address your unique concerns, challenges, and strengths.
Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness's of other people. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely. Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. - Carl Jung
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Exclusive personal reflections from Rachel on relevant relationship topics.
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Important takeaways to help you find the right therapist for you
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A curated list of related resources to further explore.
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How I learned to do what I do
