Counselling

If you are interested in personal development, overcoming the effects of stress, or trauma in your life we may be able to help. From our offices on Parkway, Camden, we offer counselling sessions on a private basis.

As well as working with trauma we can also offer help in addressing many other problems that may or may not be trauma-related. These include:

Unwanted feelings and emotions
Bereavement
Anger problems
Phobias
Anxiety
Depression
The effects of bullying
Abusive relationships
Relationship break ups
Panic attacks
General stress and 'burn-out'

The counseling we offer predominately consists of mindfulness-based cognitive behavioural methods. However, we tailor counselling to the client's needs which may require a range of modes of therapy. The approaches we use tend to be awareness enhancing and humanistic.

For those with a particular interest in TIR or trauma counselling the following guide describes what to expect as a client of TIR. We also cater for clients seeking Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in particular.

A Client's Guide to Traumatic Incident Reduction

What is Traumatic Stress?

Traumatic stress is psychological shock resulting from an event or situation that causes great distress and disruption. People find events 'traumatic' when they consider them to be 'abnormal', compared to their expectations and beliefs. In addition to criminal events and accidents, a person can also find events such as relationship breakdowns traumatic. This is because more 'normal' events such as divorce, also often involve occurrences that the person did not expect or which were hard to believe. Sometimes traumatic incidents are too painful for a person to remember. A person can be affected by past traumas without fully realizing the impact they are having. Traumatic experiences that are not consciously accepted and absorbed by a person will remain in the person's subconscious and can affect the way they live their lives.

Symptoms of unresolved trauma can be:

Increased anxiety
Chronic sadness and other symptoms of depression
Irrational fears
Low self esteem
Chronic fatigue
Inability to work or to concentrate
Preoccupation, lack of focus
Dependence on alcohol and/or drugs
Marital problems
Inappropriate negative emotions and patterns
Flashbacks
Insomnia
Less satisfying relationships
Inability to reach one's full potential

Resolving Trauma

Until the trauma has been addressed, its impact remains and can create barriers to a healthy, happy life. Traumatic Incident Reduction is a highly effective approach to resolving the trauma and its resulting negative effects. Sometimes clients are aware of and can talk about a traumatic event, but the opportunity to view it in its entirety has not occurred .Until the trauma has been addressed, its impact remains and can create barriers to a healthy, happy life. Traumatic Incident Reduction is a highly effective approach to resolving the trauma and its resulting negative effects. Sometimes clients are aware of and can talk about a traumatic event, but the opportunity to view it in its entirety has not occurred.

What is Traumatic Incident Reduction?

Traumatic Incident Reduction is a safe, simple technique to permanently reduce or eliminate the effects of a traumatic event.
TIR provides the opportunity for people to look at traumatic experiences in a structured, safe environment.
This is a person-centred method that allows the client to work at their own pace, without being challenged or told what he or she should think.
The facilitator's role is to assist the client to stay on track using clearly defined steps.
The facilitator acts as a neutral guide, and will not comment, advise or judge the client, or the traumatic incident.
The safe structure of TIR ensures the client does not become overwhelmed by this experience.

There are two forms of Traumatic Incident Reduction Basic Traumatic Incident Reduction is used when the client is aware of a traumatic incident and has an interest in exploring it further. The facilitator guides the client through the incident many times, unlayering the memories, emotions and decisions made at that time.

Thematic Traumatic Incident Reduction is used when the client has no conscious memory of a specific traumatic incident, but is aware of unwanted symptoms such as feeling depressed, low self esteem or other negative thoughts. The facilitator will help the client determine a 'theme'. A theme is an unwanted feeling, emotion, sensation, attitude or pain that is connected to the symptoms. This theme can, on occasion, be traced through a sequence of incidents.

There are also several TIR-related techniques for assisting a client to get to the bottom of upsets, confusions, worries and stuck patterns in life and resolve them.

The 'Viewing Session'

The role of the facilitator differs from that of the traditional therapist. In many traditional methods of psychotherapy, a therapist might offer feedback, alternative interpretations, ask leading questions or make suggestions as to a course of action the client should take. A TIR facilitator is different. The method utilized in TIR is unique. The client looks at or 'views' his or her own experiences to arrive at his or her own conclusions. During the session the facilitator will not interrupt, evaluate, interpret or give advice or comment on the contents of the session. The facilitator will simply guide the client through the TIR procedure. "Viewing" is the action of examining one's own experiences, feelings and thoughts with a view to understanding one's own actions and reduce unwanted thoughts and feelings.

The Viewing Session has three components:

Instructing

The facilitator will ask the client to follow an instruction or answer a question.

Viewing

The client then 'views' or examines his or her world in order to follow the instructions or answer the questions asked by the facilitator.

Reporting

The client will then be asked to report back to the facilitator on what he or she observed.

The Use of Repetition (repeatedly viewing an incident)

The purpose of viewing traumatic material repeatedly is to allow the client to integrate the traumatic incident into their lives. This is a gentle, gradual approach that allows the client to slowly view and integrate the entire trauma at a pace that is comfortable for the client.

Preparation for a Session

In TIR the session requires some preparation on the part of the viewer. The facilitator will ask you if you have had enough sleep, enough to eat and how recently you have taken any drugs or alcohol. All of these things can effect how well you are able to concentrate and determine your ability to contact a traumatic incident. When receiving TIR sessions be sure to get sufficient rest, food (avoid being hungry when you come to session) and refrain from taking all non-prescribed drugs and alcohol for at least 24 hours before each session.

A TIR session has no fixed length. The facilitator will continue the session until the client reaches a comfortable stopping point. It is important to schedule enough time for a TIR session as it may last for up to two or more hours.

In order for the TIR procedure to work effectively you need to be able to give the process your full attention. Please, therefore, tell your facilitator if you come to the session with your attention on a recent upset or problem or if there is something you need to say before starting the TIR procedure.

Additional Information on TIR

Principal Developer of TIR Frank Gerbode, M.D., Psychiatrist and Certified Trauma Specialist, received degrees in philosophy and psychiatry at Stanford, Yale and Cambridge before going on to investigate a wide variety of therapeutic techniques. Dr. Gerbode developed TIR as part of a comprehensive system of healing and discovery called metapsychology.

If you have further queries about the counselling we offer or if you would like to book a session, phone us on 0800 849 6723

Grateful thanks to all who contributed to the Client's guide:

Barbara Ayres, ACF Aerial Long CMF CF Marian Volkman CTS, CMF, Trainer, Ability Enhancement Services Henry Whitfield MSc, ATIRF, Advanced TIR Trainer Melly Ayres.

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