What is CBT?
What is CBT?
Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy is a collaborative process where the person and therapist work together to gain a better understanding of the links between thoughts, feelings, physical responses and behaviour.
Our experiences and beliefs can lead us to interpret events and situations in a way that can cause distress. Our aim is to help individuals identify and overcome these difficulties.
The main focus of therapy is on current difficulties, however even as far back as in our childhood, experiences can influence how these difficulties have developed. During therapy we work together to set personal goals to help you achieve better mental health.
The Therapy Process
Initial sessions focus on assessing current difficulties, how these have developed, and how they impact upon your life. At the end of the assessment session(s) we will give you an overview of what we think your problem/diagnosis is and outline a brief treatment protocol for you.
We work together to develop a full understanding of how these difficulties are being maintained. Sessions last for 50 minutes and are usually weekly but this may alter as therapy progresses.
Therapy requires active participation, including working on what has been discussed during the therapy session, outside of therapy.
What we treat
CBT is an evidence based therapy and has proven to be successful in treating a wide range of conditions, for
example:-
- Depression
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Social Anxiety
- Health Anxiety
- Panic
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Stress (both home and work related)
- Anger Management
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Hoarding Disorder
- Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder)
- Pain Management
- Long term Physical Health Problems - impacting on mental health
- Phobias
- Low Self Esteem
If your potential problem is not listed above, please contact us for a brief chat or email exchange.
Victoria is a fully qualified ADHD Assessor, in line with National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines. Assessments are only offered to adults and older adolescents currently. Access to a medical practitioner, who is also qualified to prescribe for ADHD, is also available and details will be given after an assessment, if applicable.
We offer a FREE 10 minute telephone consultation, or email exchange, to ascertain whether CBT can help you.
We charge for half a session if a patient does not attend their appointment. Cancellations can be made up to 24 hours in advance, without charge.
Profile
Victoria Moorhead BA(Hons) MSc MBPsS PGDip
BABCP, BPS and PSA Accredited
Victoria's journey to being a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist has been varied. Initially she was a medical secretary, moving to clinical audit working for the NHS for over 10 years. Victoria then retrained in Early Years Education and has Qualified Teacher Status. Despite this, Victoria thoroughly enjoyed working within the healthcare sector and, therefore, decided to do an MSc in Health Psychology, before branching into Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy and gaining a Post Graduate Diploma at the University of Derby. Victoria is an accredited member of both the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists and the British Psychological Society.
Victoria worked at St George’s Specialist Psychotherapy Services (NHS) for the Mood, Anxiety, PTSD Psychotherapy Service (MAPPS), from 2013, until 2022. The patient base was broad and complex, it included the treatment of complex and persistent Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, Anxiety based problems, Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and general phobias. The post involved working as part of the MDT providing highly specialised evidence-based psychological therapies to individuals whom there has been an inadequate response to 'first line' interventions, or for whom these interventions were not appropriate.
Victoria also worked for IESO Digital Health which is a private NHS provider, where she offers typed online therapy to patients living all over the UK. The therapy involves treatment of mainly Step 3 and 3+ patients and covers a host of mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, OCD, depression and PTSD.
Additionally, Victoria has also had the opportunity to be involved with ground breaking research and work on Dental Phobia, Facial Pain, Bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding) and Burning Mouth Syndrome, through her health psychology work and more recently her CBT work. Victoria also works in a dental setting, offering treatment and support to those suffering with the issues listed above. She is currently involved with writing a book about the psychological treatment of dental issues with her colleague John Davies.
Alongside CBT, Victoria is a fully trained EMDR therapist through the EMDR Association and EMDR Europe. EMDR is Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and is an evidence based process, and is included in National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). It is an excellent way to overcome PTSD, but also has strong evidence to help with anxiety and depression.
With her background in early years education and having knowledge of child development and attachment theory, Victoria treats children and adolescents. An in depth assessment, usually with a parent or guardian present, is undertaken to ascertain appropriateness for therapy in this setting, before offering specific treatment.
Victoria is a fully qualified ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Assessor and adheres to NICE guidelines. Full adult assessments are around 90minutes in duration and a fully report will be written and available for both the patient and their GP. Victoria links in with a medical practitioner who is qualified to prescribe for ADHD, where necessary. This is also a private service, but a shared care plan with an NHS GP, when stabilised on medication, can be sought.