Evidence-based therapies

  • EMDR is a specialist therapy that uses eye movement (or other bilateral stimulation) to help process traumatic memories. Unlike CBT, the client doesn't need to discuss the trauma in detail or complete homework between sessions.
    EMDR helps the client to connect with the trauma memories to facilitate the brain’s natural healing processes. EMDR tends to achieve positive results with less distress and in a shorter period of time. But it isn’t the right approach for everyone. If you experience dissociation or have a low distress tolerance we will need more preparation to help you get the most out of EMDR. In severe cases of dissociation or low distress tolerance, EMDR might not be suitable and CBT is a more effective alternative.

    EMDR therapy works well online. The bilateral stimulation is achieved through visual tracking on your screen. You remain in control of the pace and intensity (just as you would in-person).

  • CBT for PTSD focuses on challenging unhelpful thoughts and beliefs about the trauma. This often involves beliefs about blame and responsibility. For example: "I deserved or caused it". We aim for a more realistic and helpful understanding of the trauma. Accepting that the trauma happened does not mean condoning bad behaviours or giving up the fight for justice. CBT is insight-based and skills-focused. We aim to empower you with the right skills and knowledge, so that you could manage your symptoms, tackle unhelpful thoughts, and identify adaptive behaviours.

  • One therapeutic approach rarely meets all of the individual’s psychological needs. I draw on different therapies, such as Person Centred Therapy and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), as needed. If it makes sense to the individual and is effective in achieving our goals, we’ll use it.
    A trusting and supportive therapeutic relationship with your therapist is key to getting the most out of therapy. It takes time to build trust and feel safe enough to open up. We will work at your pace and I will be consistent, honest, and authentic. There will be humour and laughter, but there will also be hard truths.

MORE ABOUT FEES

Starting your journey

STEP 1 - INITIAL CONSULTATION

The first session aims to answer 2 questions:

1. Are we a good fit for each other in terms of therapy goals, approach, and personal preferences?

The initial session is an opportunity for us to get to know each other a little bit. It gives you a chance to see whether you could connect with me and open up about difficult things in therapy. Please don't feel obliged or expected to disclose difficult things in this first session.

Finding the right therapist for you is crucial for positive therapy outcomes. The first session doesn’t commit you to anything. Only if you feel that we are a good fit will we proceed and book you in for therapy.

I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s completely ok if we are not a good fit and you want to interview more therapists. I don’t take this personally and you won’t hurt my feelings, so please do not try to people please. You deserve to find the perfect therapist for you.

2. What are the current issues and what is the best treatment plan to work through this?

We will discuss current issues, triggers, symptoms, and their impact on your life. We then set realistic goals and agree on a provisional treatment plan to achieve this.

Any treatment plan will be subject to change because it is often wise to deal with the shit that is currently on fire before resuming with the original plan. So please always bring current, urgent things that need to be dealt with. The trauma has waited this long, it will still be there once we’ve dealt with the fire.

STEP 2 - TREATMENT

The trauma-focused work usually starts with a preparation phase to equip you with the necessary skills and coping strategies. This important step makes sure you feel safe and contained during the trauma processing, as well as between sessions. We then move on to the trauma processing itself, using the chosen therapy approach. This involves selecting the specific events and the order in which to process them to maximise the therapeutic effect. We would process one specific event completely before moving on to the next. The trauma processing sessions are 90 minutes long. This allows time for processing, grounding and debriefing afterwards.

I recommend weekly therapy sessions to process your trauma as quickly and efficiently as possible. I work in a focused way to help you achieve a symptom-free life.

STEP 3 - REPORT WRITING (OPTIONAL)

Assessment reports, supporting letters, therapy and discharge summaries are available on request. Prices vary depending on the length of the report.

BOOK YOUR CONSULTATION

“I worked with Dr Thanh for over a year originally for childhood trauma and anxieties.

I’ve gone from strength to strength since working with you through past and current traumas, I now feel equipped to navigate through anything that may come my way. You’ve been so supportive and been a voice to other practitioners when I have needed additional help, I’m so glad you helped me through everything!”

- Sophie Laurent, FORMER CLIENT