Annie – Counsellor & Psychotherapist MBAC (Accred)

I am a person of two parts…………. I have my love of nature and spiritual beliefs which is balanced by my scientific rational side and my passion for learning about neuroscience and traumatology, both  of which I bring into my psychotherapy practice….. I am especially interested in Peter Levine’s work and Stephen Porges Polyvagal theory and apply this into my practice.

My love of animals and nature has led me to explore the ways in which I can include the healing spirit of nature in my work as a counsellor and psychotherapist.  For issues which are really difficult to put into words we may work with the creative arts, sand tray, mindfulness and sometimes in the outdoors amongst nature itself.

As a psychotherapist my work may include medium to long term therapy helping those with trauma be it childhood emotional, sexual, physical or verbal abuse, accident, violence, victim of crime, terminal illness and sudden bereavement.

Often people suffering from trauma may experience insomnia, anxiety, stress, flashbacks, loss of self esteem and self loathing, feelings of deep sadness, guilt and anger, emotional detachment or self meditating through drugs or alcohol.

As an experienced trauma psychotherapist I  can help you gently tune in to your bodies natural responses to trauma, responses which you may be totally unaware are happening.  Once tuned in you can start to have control over how your body reacts to events and thus control over your thoughts and behaviour.

If you have issues regarding PTSD, Dissociative Disorders, generalised anxiety, relationship issues, anxiety, depression, bipolar, family difficulties, seasonal affective disorder I may also be able to help you. To the right side of this page are a number of topics, click on any to learn more.

As a humanistic counsellor my belief is that we all have within us the ability to heal ourselves and it is my goal as counsellor to help facilitate your own healing process, and to provide you with tools to continue that process.

I am a Sand Tray Therapist and a professionally qualified counsellor integrating a variety of theoretical approaches such as Gestalt, CBT and TA.  I may also include Body orientated and Transpersonal work within our counselling sessions. I also specialise in Trauma Focused CBT…..

My interest in complex PTSD and our response to trauma has led me to attend many trauma focused CPD events as you can see below:

Continued Professional Development to date:

2021:

The Brain’s Way of Healing  (book) – Norman Doidge

The Wisdom of Trauma (Film)- Dr Gabor Mate

Trauma and the Nervous System from the Polyvagal Theory perspective – Interview Stephen Porges & Dr Gabor Mate

Trauma & the Somatic Connection – interview Peter Levine & Dr Gabor Mate

Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program (book) Christopher Germer/Kirstin Neff

The Mindfulness solution to pain (book) – Dr Jackie Gardner-Nix

Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) –  Certification – Unyte advisor Dr Liz Charles

2020:

Virtual Trauma Sumit: Polyvagal Theory – Stephen Porges

pesi: Polyvagal Theory in Action – Creating Safety and Connection with Trauma Clients – Deb Dana

Applied Mindfulness – Polyvagal Mindfulness

College of life – ACE’s training online

 National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (nicabm) Why the Vagal System Hold the Key to the Treatment of Trauma Stephen Porges

 2019:

PODS (1 day workshop) – Working with Shame

 National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (nicabm) :Treating Trauma Master Series:

Ruth Buczynski          Pat Ogden                   Peter Levine              Dan Siegel  Bessel van der Kolk.  Ruth Lanius             Stephen Porges           Allan Schore

• The Neurobiology of Trauma
• The Neurobiology of Attachment
• How to work with Traumatic Memory that is embedded in the Nervous System
• How to help clients tolerate dysregulation and come back from Hypoarousal:
• How to Work with the limbic system to reverse the physiological imprint of trauma:
• How Trauma Impacts the Major Brain Networks
• How to work with emotional and procedural memory in the case of preverbal trauma
• How to help clients who are stuck in a Trauma Response

London Trauma Specialists: Dr Georgina Clifford  ( 1 day workshop)

Facilitating a Trauma-focused Therapy Group Intervention for Complex PTSD

 ISC International: ( 3 day conference): Attachment & Trauma Conference: Relationships, Consciousness & the Developing Self

• Marco Iacoboni: “What we talk about when we talk about bottom up and top down brain processes: Like a thought that is also a feeling.

• Orit Badouk Epstein: The Development of the self in the presence of a Scaregiver

• Bruce Ecker: Complex Attachment Trauma meets memory reconsolidation

• Daniel P Brown: The Attachment Project

• Stephen W Porges: The Emergence of a Polyvagal-Informed Therapy

• Dr Marilyn Glenville: The Role Nutrition Plays in Healing from Trauma

• Alessandro Carmelita/Marina Cirio: Mindful Interbeing Mirror Therapy

• Ruth Lanius: Healing the Traumatized Self
• Onno van der Hart: Severe Attachment Trauma manifesting in complex dissociation

October 2018: Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Janina Fisher (2 day workshop)

9th May 2018: Sleep Haven Technique – supporting people with nightmares and sleep disturbance

October 2017: Compassionate Mind Foundation’s International Conference

• 1 day workshop : DBT-PTSD – An evidence based CFT informed approach to treat Complex PTSD
• 2 day conference: Symposium 1:  A compassionate approach to Gender Identity, Diversity and Equality, Symposium 2: Compassion as an Integrating Psychotherapy Process, Symposium 3: Groups Approaches, Symposium 4: Innovation in CFT
• Keynotes:
• The Role of Compassion in the treatment of PTSD
• Compassion can be cultivated by Everyone
• From Neurobiology to Culture – fostering sustainable wisdom and compassion
• Compassionate approaches to working with voices in Psychosis
• Compassion and Body Focused approaches to working with Attachment and Trauma

23rd June 2017: PODS – Child Sexual Abuse – Hope for Healing

20th 21st March 2017 Annual General Conference UKPTS Belfast – Trauma, Conflict and Resolution

29th March 2017: The development & facilitation of an Emotion and Memory group Programme for the treatment of complex PTSD

30th March 2017: Coordinated response for psychological care of survivors of terrorist attacks.

August 2016: ESTSS Certificate in Psychotraumatology completed (Advanced Training in working with PTSD and the effects of Trauma)

24th June 2016 Resilience, Secondary Trauma and Post Trauma Growth – British Psychological Society

11/12th April 2016 Annual General Regional Conference UKPTS Edinburgh

3/4^th Dec 2015Annual General Regional Conference of UKPTS Cardiff

ESTSS Certificate in Psychotraumatology modules:

Traumatic Stress

            EMDR Anger, Resentment & Revenge Protocol

            Child and Adolescent Trauma

            Psychological Therapy for PTSD & Comorbid drug/alcohol misuse

………..Treatment of Traumatic Stress Reactions in Children

…………Lightbulb Moments

………..Resilience, Secondary Trauma and Post Trauma Growth

Aug/Sept 2015 British Mindfulness Institute – 8 week online Mindfulness & Meditation Course

20/21^st April 2015 Annual Regional Conference  UKPTS London

1/2/3^rd Dec 2014 Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre –PTSD Assessment, Formulation & Integrating Theory with Practice

 Working with Trauma Memories – using Enhanced Reliving & Other Narrative approaches to Work with Trauma Memories within the Context of Adult PTSD 

Cognitive Therapy for PTSD – working with unhelpful Appraisals and Images

 20/21^st October 2015 Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre –   Concept of Trauma – beyond PTSD           

            Trauma, Trauma Memory and the Brain

12/13^th July 2014 Annette Schwalbe Bristol – Body Mapping Intensive

17^th May 2014 PODS Exeter – Living and Working with Dissociation

26/27/28 February 2014 Dr Mary Welford Exeter –  Intro to Theory and Practice of Compassion Focused Therapy

20^th November 2013 Compass Therapy Centre – Intro Compassion Focused Therapy

Aug/Sept 2013 Rowcroft Hospice, –             Bereavement & Befriending Volunteer Training

31^st May 2013 BACP – BACP Certificate of Proficiency

18^th May 2013 Limbus Devon – Language and Trauma – Valerie Sinason

22/23^rd September 2012 Lila Institute , Devon – The Role of Play in Awakening Being

25^th May 2012 Isle of Avalon Foundation – An Intro to Spiritual Counselling

27^th May 2011 CAHMS Torbay –       Intro to Autism and ADHD

20^th Oct 2010 – CAHMS Torbay – Stress and Trauma Resolution

 Counselling Qualifications:

• Foundation in Counselling (TA based)
• Advanced Diploma in Counselling (Integrative)
• Diploma in Sand Tray Therapy
• Compassion Focused Therapy – Introduction to Theory and Practice
• Certificate of Psychotraumatology

This is not just a “talking” therapy but a listening and sensing therapy too.

I offer a confidential, relaxed and comfortable environment within the beautiful surroundings of Torbay, Devon.

Please take a good look around my website after which I hope you will feel better informed about counselling in general and have a good idea about the way in which we may work together.

This in turn may help you decide whether you would like to take the next step for either yourself, someone you care about, a client or a patient and contact me to arrange an informal half hour free session.

If you wish to learn more about Sand Tray, working with the Creative Arts, Mindfulness, Visualisation and Meditation and Eco therapy please click on the tabs above.

If you live in or around Torbay, the South Hams or surrounding areas and feel your life could benefit from professional counselling and an understanding approach to your problems, please don’t hesitate to call or email. I look forward to hearing from you.