Counsellor/Therapist, Accredited, MA in Counselling & Psychotherapy, MBACP Reg
I offer compassionate support and evidence-based strategies to help individuals overcome the debilitating effects of social anxiety. With a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those grappling with social anxiety, I provide a safe and non-judgmental environment for clients to explore their fears and develop effective coping mechanisms. Drawing upon my expertise and extensive experience, I empower clients to gradually face their social fears, build confidence, and ultimately thrive in social situations with greater ease and comfort.
It is so frustrating when you want to connect to others, to enjoy social engagements that everyone else seems to find so easy and yet you feel that you just can't. You get panicky, you struggle for the right words, you go a nice beetroot colour and fear that others will think you are stupid. I can help you change how you respond so that you can engage with others in a meaningful and enjoyable way.
Through my training and practice I have come to understand social anxiety as another expression of interpersonal and communication difficulties that can bring much suffering to peole who experience it. Not only due to the feelings of often intense anxiety itself, but also through avoiding anxiety-inducing situations and thus often missing out on opportunities to be with others, develop and enjoy life.
I work psychoanalytically, which means that what I offer is a space to think about these experiences in a deeper way - as part of your overall functioning and inner life, as opposed to focusing solely on symptom reduction.