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I'm Anna Colquhoun, a BACP accredited integrative Therapeutic Counsellor. I offer confidential, one-to-one counselling online with adults and specialise in:
• anxiety
• depression
• eating disorders
• grief, loss
• neurodiversity (autism, ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia)
• relationships (partner, family, friends, colleagues)
• self esteem / sense of self
Experience in universities, charities and in private practice, .
• Masters in Therapeutic Counselling, University of Greenwich (BACP Accredited)
• CBT-E for Eating Disorders, University of Oxford
• Certified Cyber Therapist, Online Training Institute
Counselling and Psychotherapy
My client led approach provides the time and space for you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself, your past and your current situation. I create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can explore your thoughts, feelings and behaviours. I believe that by gaining insight into past life experiences and how they may be impacting on the here and now you can begin to move forward and build the relationships around you.
CBT-E
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E) is a specialised type of CBT created for eating disorders. It is based upon the evidence that our behaviours, feelings and thoughts are connected and have influence over one another. Eating disorders often are characterised by a pre-occupation with shape and weight and difficulties managing adverse life events and moods. This tends to lead to unhelpful behaviours around food (including restricting the amount or type of food consumed, overeating, binge eating and/or purging). This is a pattern that then has an impact on emotions, and can lead to feelings of anxiety, low self worth and/or low mood. The aim of CBT-E is to identify and address this cycle, in order to change behaviour around food, support adaptive thoughts about body shape and weight and improve upon self-worth. CBT-E will usually last for about 20 treatment sessions over 20 weeks, with a check-in 20 weeks later.
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Treatment usually starts with two sessions a week. After a month or so, the sessions become weekly, and towards the end of treatment they are spread further apart. This pattern may differ in certain contexts. However, it is important to have as few breaks in treatment as possible.
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Very early in treatment you and I will create a diagram illustrating what is keeping your eating problem going. The diagram will be used to guide your treatment rather like a road map.
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Early in treatment you will be taught how to monitor your eating behaviour and accompanying events, thoughts and feelings in the moment (as you go through the day). I will also help you to understand more about your body weight and how to assess it. Treatment will involve you knowing your weight and I will discuss with you any concerns you might have about this.
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Then you will be helped to introduce an eating pattern that involves eating at regular intervals through the day.
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Later in treatment there will be an emphasis on the following (if these apply to you):
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Improving your body image and decreasing any concerns about your appearance.
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Helping you cope with life situations that are likely to influence your eating.
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Eating more flexibly whilst remaining in control of your eating.
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Towards the end of treatment you and I will devise a plan to help you stay well in the future.
My practice is inclusive and welcoming to people of all abilities, ages, ethnicities, faiths, genders, nationalities, and sexual orientations.
What is counselling and psychotherapy?
Therapy is a bit like a structured conversation where you can speak freely about your life without judgement. It isn’t always necessary to have a problem to focus on, sometimes it can be helpful to reflect on how you are thinking and feeling about your values, experiences and relationships. Therapy can provide the space to grow self-awareness, develop personally and achieve your potential.
Therapy sessions are weekly and last for 50 minutes. CBT-E sessions run differently. You can read more about these in the 'Eating Disorders' section of my website.
How many sessions will there be?
I offer one-to-one individual therapy on an ongoing, open-ended basis. Therapy ranges from one session to long-term therapy. We will agree an initial number of sessions during the first one or two sessions
Approach
Our work will involve a therapeutic conversation, with occasional creative work including drawing and using objects. We will look at how your thoughts, emotions and behaviour interact, and how they may be influenced by your relationships with others, both in the here and now and in the past. My role is to work with you to develop your awareness of the meaning of these experiences and start to consider the underlying needs you have and how these might be best met. We may agree on thinking to be done between sessions, and you may try changing your behaviour in relation to your growing self-awareness. My approach supports you to:
• Explore issues with your mental health, body image, identity, grief, loss, and both personal and professional relationships.
• Explore how your thoughts, feelings and behaviour influence your communication with others and development of healthy relationships.
• Develop insight into relationships in the past and present and how these impact you today.
• Find what works for you to improve your experience of life.
Beginning therapy
In the first session I will follow up on what we have talked about on the phone and check my understanding of what you are looking for from therapy and what you would like to focus on in the sessions. Typically you will then use the time to explain more about these experiences, issues you are having, or relationships and we will engage in a therapeutic conversation about these, exploring the meaning they hold for you and the impact on you and your relationships with others. At the beginning and end of the session I will ask you how you are feeling about the session, and at the end of the session we will talk about whether you would like to book another session.
Counselling and Psychotherapy: I work one-to-one with adults
CBT-E for eating disorders: I work with adults with anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, body image issues, body dissatisfaction, bulimia nervosa, chronic or yo-yo dieting, eating problems, and/or low self-esteem. I do not work with children and adolescents.
Please note: I do not accept referrals for individuals with a BMI under 18.5 due to the health related implications of being at this low weight, which would benefit from the combined care of a multidisciplinary team.
I specialise in:
• anxiety
• depression
• eating disorders
• grief, loss
• neurodiversity (autism, ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia)
• relationships (partner, family, friends, colleagues)
• self esteem / sense of self
My current fees are:
30 minute consultation: Free
50 minute therapy £70
CBT-E 50 minute therapy £95
Eating disorder 1 hour 30 minute-2 hour assessment £140
English