If you are struggling with trauma, you may be helped by EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing).
The aim of EMDR is to help the brain process traumatic memories, reducing the effect they have on daily life. It is usually offered in combination with other forms of therapy, such as psychotherapy.
EMDR is recommended by the National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It can help anybody who is struggling to move past traumatic experiences, especially those experiencing symptoms including anxiety, depression, nightmares and hypervigilance.
When you make an enquiry, you will be asked to provide some information about yourself and what you are struggling with. If you are enquiring on behalf of somebody else, for example, a child, you will be asked to provide information for them. You will then be invited to a telephone consultation where you can provide a clearer picture, which will help our clinicians decide on the most appropriate course of action. Usually, EMDR is offered alongside other forms of therapy.
Costs differ between individuals. You will be given a clear idea of fees before any treatment begins.
Parents and other family members are often invited to take part in sessions involving children. Additional support, such as family therapy or psychotherapy, is also available for the families of children who are experiencing difficulties.
More information about EMDR can be found on the NHS website, at:
www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/
Professor Jamie Hacker Hughes is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, EMDR Consultant, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Registered Psychologist Specialising in Psychotherapy and Registered Applied Psychology Practice Supervisor and is currently Visiting Professor of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, Visiting Professor of Psychology at the University of Northumbria, Honorary Professor of Psychology at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Jamie specialises in the assessment and treatment of anxiety and stress problems, especially traumatic stress problems, and addictions. Following a short service commission in the Army, Jamie studied psychology at Birmingham University and University College London, psychopathology at Darwin College Cambridge, clinical psychology at Surrey University and war and psychiatry at King’s College London and trained as a clinical psychologist in the NHS. Jamie has worked in the field of psychotraumatology for 20 years. After an initial 5 years working in the NHS, Jamie worked as a consultant clinical psychologist with the MoD for 12 years, during which time he was the first senior lecturer in military psychology at the newly founded Academic Centre of Defence Mental Health at King’s College London, Head of Defence Clinical Psychology and the MoD’s first Defence Consultant Advisor in Psychology. He travelled widely to operational theatres including Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan and worked extensively with NATO and Partnership for Peace colleagues. Jamie is an EMDR Consultant and Supervisor, was a Founder Board Member of the UK Psychological Trauma Society and is a past President of the British Psychological Society as well as being patron or honorary president of a number of charities. Jamie has published widely with nearly 100 peer-reviewed papers, books and book chapters and has lectured on his specialist field of psychological trauma around the world. He is known for making his subject area accessible to all and easily understood, with frequent appearances in the media on BBC 1, BBC News Channel, ITV, Channel 4, Sky BBC radio and in several broadsheet and tabloid newspapers. For more information go to www.jamiehackerhughes.com
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Dr Shadi Shahnavaz is a UKCP registered couple and family Systemic Therapist with over 25 years experience of working with adolescents, individuals, couples and families.
Dr Shahnavaz worked in the NHS for 10 years and currently works at the Anna Freud Center where she is in the Contact and Residence Dispute Team and is also part of the teaching staff there.
Dr Shahnavaz specializes in trauma, loss and working with multicultural families. She also has a lot of experience with working with adolescents.
Dr Shahnavaz is trained in EMDR and trauma work.
She is also trained in working with attachment and parenting and is a ‘Circle of Security’ facilitator.
Dr Shahnavaz speaks French, Farsi and Swedish fluently.
Lesley Maroni trained as a child and adolescent psychotherapist at the Tavistock Clinic, after which she took up a highly specialist post in the Family Unit at the Cassel Hospital, assessing and treating parents with their infants and children. This work involved report writing and appearing as an expert witness for the courts.
Lesley has also had extensive experience treating severely disturbed adolescents and young people both in NHS inpatient units and in specialist community child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Her areas of expertise are in working with adolescents with eating disorders; those who self-harm; those at risk of suicide; those who have been physically, emotionally and/or sexually abused and who have recurring flashbacks, as well as seeing children and young people who are suffering from anxiety and depression.
To facilitate the successful treatment of PTSD and dissociation, Lesley has completed the training for EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing); this is a short-term treatment (approx. 7-8 sessions), recommended by NICE, which can be used with children, adolescents and adults.
Lesley has lectured and published widely on a range of mental health issues. Her publications include ‘Understanding your 4-5-year-old’ (Jessica Kingsley – part of the Tavistock Series ‘Understanding your Child’). Her most recent publication is a chapter entitled ‘The language of smell’ in the book ‘Towards Belonging’ (Karnac).
Maroni, L. (in press) ‘The language of silence: factors inhibiting the production of language. The Journal of Educational Psychotherapy. To appear in August 2021 edition.
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Maroni, L. (2015) ‘The smell of belonging’ in Briggs, A. (Ed.) Towards Belonging. Negotiating new relationships for adopted children and those in care. Tavistock Clinic Series. London: Karnac (Reprinted Routledge, 2018).
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