Reduce stress

I offer stress reduction courses & workshops, and 1:1 stress management coaching.

My courses and workshops teach a range of stress reduction approaches.  I draw on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness, relaxation training and other evidence-based techniques.  If you're curious about how hypnosis can help with stress reduction, read on.  I also offer regular self-hypnosis workshops.

My 1:1 stress management coaching is built around you and your issues, and may include hypnosis if that is your preference.   You can read more about hypnosis here.  I always discuss coaching and therapy plans with you, designing them around your life and what you feel most comfortable with.

Stress and anxiety are related, but slightly different.  Stress tends to be triggered by specific "stressors" - perhaps a problem at work, a demanding deadline, or the demands of work and personal or family life.

A little stress can be useful to help us deal with the demands of life.  Think about giving a presentation or going to a job interview - if we were too relaxed, we might not perform at our best.  But all too often stress can tip over into being unhelpful and distressing.  There's an evolutionary reason for this: humans evolved to seek out threats to keep us safe.  When we sense threat, we release hormones to help us react faster.  This "fight or flight" response can be useful if we are in a genuinely threatening situation, but all too often "everyday" situations can stimulate our "fight or flight" response leaving our minds and bodies in a constant state of stress.

Anxiety tends to relate to persistent or excessive worries or fears that aren't necessarily triggered by specific short-term stresses.  Long-term, chronic stress can also tip over into anxiety.  Don't worry if you are unsure whether what you are feeling is "stress" or "anxiety", that's something we can discuss (or you can read more about anxiety here).

Stress involves our "fight or flight" response, and a little stress can help us be "on top of our game" or deal with short-term demands like a difficult deadline.  But too much stress, over a long period, can cause problems.  Stress can affect how you think, feel and behave.  Stress feels different for everyone, but common signs include problems sleeping, loss of appetite, headaches, muscle pain or tension and irritability.  It can be difficult to concentrate or think clearly, and even simple things can feel overwhelming.  Over time, chronic stress can lead to anxiety, depression and long-term physical health problems.

If you feel overwhelmed by stress, you are not alone.  A recent survey (Mental Health Foundation, May '18) found that three in every four people in the UK have been so stressed in the last year that they have felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to reduce stress.  This can include anything from learning to manage multiple demands and re-evaluate our worries, to learning how to "hack" our natural relaxation response (which counters the "fight or flight" of stress).  I am passionate about prioritising our mental and physical wellbeing and believe that learning how to manage the stress of modern life is crucial.  My aim is to help you build your resilience to stress.

I use a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), applied relaxation, hypnotherapy, and mindfulness-based techniques to help you manage stress and build your resilience.  Hypnotherapy and relaxation techniques allow you  to relax quickly and naturally, bringing immediate relief.  CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) can help you identify and change the unhelpful thinking patterns which contribute to stress.  Mindfulness can increase your focus and help you learn to step back from unhelpful thinking.

I will help you learn the tools and techniques to reduce and manage stress for yourself in the long-term, finding out what works for you, rather than taking a “one size fits all” approach.

I use an evidence-based approach, which means I keep up to date with the latest research and my approach is based on the best up to date evidence.  I’m registered with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) and Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), and am a member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), and am bound to their stringent Codes of Ethics.

For some hints and tips on reducing stress and anxiety, take a look at my blog:

5 ways to reduce stress

Spring clean your thinking

Avoid stress this Christmas

I use a combination of hypnosis, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and mindfulness to help you deal with your problems. Read more about hypnotherapy, CBT and mindfulness.

I use a combination of CBT and hypnotherapy, which is proven to be quicker and more effective than CBT alone

My goal is to help you develop the tools to help yourself - not become tied into a long-term therapy programme

I work with you to develop a treatment plan that works for you and your lifestyle

My approach incorporates techniques based on the latest scientific evidence

I am accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR), am a member of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), and am bound by their Codes of Ethics

Finding someone you feel comfortable working with is the most important thing.  Please contact me for a free, no strings 15 minute phone consultation to find out how I can help

I am passionate about helping people who struggle with anxiety, worry or stress to reclaim their lives. I do this using a mixture of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), hypnosis and other evidence-based techniques (such as mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), matching the evidence about what works to your individual needs and preferences.

I want to help you learn useful tools and skills to help yourself. My aim is that you become your own therapist, not reliant on me.

I worked for over 15 years in corporate business, so I understand first hand the pressures of a fast-paced, pressure-filled environment and the difficulties of juggling this with family life.

I have an evidence-based philosophy, which means I believe you have the right to treatment which is based on sound scientific research. This means I keep up to date with the latest scientific research and my approach is based on the best up to date evidence.

I'm registered with with the General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR) and Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) and am a member of the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABC), and am bound to their stringent Codes of Ethics.

It’s really important that you work with someone you feel comfortable with, so please feel free to call me for a chat so you can get a feel for how I could help (or, if you prefer, send me a message).

To find out more about whether cognitive behavioural therapy or hypnotherapy could help you, I offer a free, no-strings 15 minute telephone or Zoom consultation.

31 Old London Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6ND

26 Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 3LS