Charlie Kirkby

• Wednesday late afternoon and evening online
  
  
• Thursdays late afternoon and evening online
  
  
• Fridays in person and online 

Please do get in touch though because this is subject to change

EMDR therapy is a World Health Organisation and NICE recommended treatment for trauma, though it is also effective with a wide range of issues such as depression, anxiety & panic, phobias, addictions, complicated grief, low self-esteem and performance anxiety. It can work quickly to get to the root of the issue, and changes the way memories and negative beliefs about ourselves or the world are stored in the brain. It takes the emotional charge out of the memories using bilateral stimulation with eye-movement, sound or tapping, and changes negative beliefs about yourself or the world into positive ones. Some people seek EMDR with very clear knowledge of their trauma, but many others have tried other types of therapy which have helped, but still have a strong negative belief, difficult emotion or troublesome pattern that feels hard to shake. 

EMDR can:

• Change ingrained patterns of relating to issues, yourself, other people and situations
  
  
• Stop you getting hijacked by memories, thoughts, situations or events.
  
  
• This means an end to jumpiness, a pounding heart, nausea, dread, anxiety, insomnia, hypervigilance and despair, feelings that often feel like they come out of nowhere
  
  
• Eliminate triggers so you are liberated to live your life without having to avoid people, places, situations or thoughts
  
  
• Help you overcome fears and mental blocks that are stopping you doing things you'd like to, or living in a way that suits you
  
  
• Change negative self-beliefs that often feel deeply engrained, or beliefs about that world that mean your outlook is not what you'd ideally choose if you could

I became a therapist after having life changing therapy following a deep depression and a desire to support others. I love helping people to feel better, understand themselves better and make meaningful change, and have found EMDR to be one of the most effective therapy for bringing about lasting change, often quickly.

In the last 10 years I have worked as a psychotherapist in the NHS, The Priory and several charities, and worked as Head of Therapeutic Services for a specialist sexual violence trauma charity. Previously I worked in mental health in the charitable sector both working therapeutically and managing projects. Before that I worked in communications for c.10 years in the corporate world so I well understand the pressures and stresses these kinds of demanding work environments can bring. 

In the first session, we will look at your goals, what's brought you to seek support now, and what change you'd like to see.

We will go through a potted history of your past, explore what your are finding difficult currently, and look at how you'd prefer to be feeling in the future.  

Usually in the first session I'll give a short explanation of how it works and what to expect, and we'll practice a tool to support feelings of safety and emotional regulation together which you can use in between sessions to start supporting your wellbeing.

The session is a chance for you to ask questions, and to see if you would like to proceed. I will be assessing if EMDR is a suitable treatment for you too. 

If you want to go ahead, in the next few sessions we will formulate a plan together of what to work on, and start building your inner resources to draw on to help you when we start the desensitising work.