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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Supervision

Louise is an Accredited Supervisor for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

Supervision is a requirement for all accredited counsellors as well as those working towards accreditation. Louise also trains, supervises and works with students as part of their training in counselling, psychotherapy and other therapy training models.

What is clinical supervision?

Clinical supervision is a formal space provided for therapists to meet with a qualified supervisor to to talk about, reflect on and explore their work, as well as their on-going professional development. Today, supervision is an integral part of counselling both, during training and throughout the professional career of a counsellor. The primary purpose of supervision is to protect the best interests of the client (Hawkins and Shohet 1987). It is a requirement for most of the accreditation bodies representing counsellors and psychotherapists. Please see the requirement for the Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP).

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioiral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological therapy that aims to develop a healthier way of thinking and behaving, to help alleviate distress, by changing thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs.

This method of therapy is well known for the treatment of depression, anxiety, panic disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, addictions etc.

CBT is the form of therapy having the largest evidence base today and is the therapy of choice for many GP’s. CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem solving. There are many presenting issues in which CBT is considered the frontline treatment.

Couple Therapy / Marriage Counselling

Louise is a trained couple therapist and has been working very successfully with couples for many years.

She uses several methods of couple therapy depending on the presenting issues.

However, two approaches which are heavily evidence based include the work of John Gottman (2007) and Sue Johnson (2011).

Gottman's method

Over a thirty year period Gothman's (2007) method of therapy emerged after they had observed and analysed thousands of couples in their “Love Lab.” Drawing from the fields of neuroscience and research they aquired the first real glimpse into the inner workings of marraige. They began to look at what went right in happy marraiges and out of the finding came three key concepts to develop therapeutic goals. They were in the areas of dealing with conflict, emphasising the couples shared meaning and building and repairing friendship and love. Gottman stated that “At the heart of my programme is the simple truth that happy marraiges are based on a deep friendship, with mutual respect for and enjoyment of each others company” (Gottman 2007 p. 19). The research also developed seven principles that make marraige work and several useful worksheets and questionairs to complete with couples. They include methods of identifying the four main behaviours that kill a relationship. Gottman (2007) calls them the “four hoursemen” they include criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling. If you add in “failure to repair attempts”, Gottman is able to predict divorce to an accuracy rate of 90 percent (Gottman 2007 p. 40).

The work of Sue Johnson

Dr Sue Johnson (2008) is one of the worlds leading therapists, lecturer and theorist in the field of couple therapy and has developed a highly effective therapy program called Emotion Focused Couple Therapy (EFT). Relational conflict is reframed in terms of a negative interaction cycle in which both partners have sought and failed to meet their needs for closeness and attachment security (Johnson, 2008).

Johnson teaches couples to nurture their relationships and identify ways to re-establish a secure emotional attachment. This model has received an astounding 75 percent success rate (Johnson 2008). Couples fall into the pattern of demand and withdraw or criticize and defend, it is as if they are wired to protest. One partner becomes demanding or protesting and the other withdraws. One pulls and the other pushes away, Johnson (2008) describes this as the “dance”. She then encourage both partners to create their own name for these behaviors and discuss them in an objective manner. Here the therapist job is to help them recognise the dance and admit their need for emotional connection and create a space where emotional intimacy can happen.

A full assessment is completed on the initial session to ascertain what method of therapy most suits the individual couple.

Individual Counselling

From time to time, we all experience situations where we can benefit from a trained professional. Individual counselling is helpful with significant life changes, decisions that need to be made and difficulties at home or work.

Talk therapy is also helpful for serious problems that interfere with day-to-day life, such as physical or mental illness. other emotional difficulties, either alone or in combination with medication.

Therapy can effectively decrease depression and anxiety, and related symptoms such as pain, fatigue and nausea. More than 80 percent of people with depressive disorders improve when they receive appropriate treatment, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Psychotherapy has also been found to increase survival time for heart surgery and cancer patients, and it can have a positive effect on the body’s immune system.

Qualifications

Vital Conexions Vital connections Relationship Builders Middlesex University ICHAS college
Dip in Christian counselling (Year: 2005) Post traumatic stress debriefing Adventures in Intimacy BSc in counselling and Psychotherapy (Hons) M.A. CBT

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