I am a BABCP accredited CBT Therapist, Fitness Instructor, Hypopressives coach and mom to 2 children living in Birmingham. 

How your body and mind came about...

Your body and mind came about combining my love of both being a therapist and keeping fit. I believe you cannot have good mental health without physical health and vice versa and both without a doubt WILL impact the other. I believe its important to connect to our bodies and not just our mind and that sometimes in can be too painful to connect to our mind so I'm a big advocate of listening to the body and understanding ourselves through that. When experiencing high levels of anxiety, it can be helpful to work with the body initially through things such as breathwork, exercise, mindfulness in order for the 'overthinking brain' to catch up rather than to think 'think our way through' difficulties as the brain will simply do its job and prepare for the threat rather than listen to any rational thinking. 

 

I have always loved keeping fit and decided after my first baby in 2016 to train as a group exercise instructor. I loved attending mom and baby fitness classes so that inspired me to take up the qualification. It was after this I decided to start up my own mom and baby fitness classes in 2019. A (very) short time after, I fell pregnant with my second baby and felt it wasn't the right time to continue with what I had started. Fast forward  to 2020 we hit a pandemic and I had my second baby and developed a pelvic organ prolapse following their delivery. I ignorantly believed that because I had kept fit I would not be someone who would develop pelvic organ prolapse. I was wrong! This lead to be spending alot of time googling my symptoms to find out what would be helpful to heal my prolapse. During the pandemic I accessed a physiotherapist over the phone who advised me that i did not have a prolapse, but we know our own bodies don't we so I was not convinced by this advice (I did access face to face physio 12 months later who confirmed that I had a grade 2 bladder prolapse). This lead me to discover Hypopressives and decided to train as an instructor.

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Why Therapy?

Fast forward again  to 2021 I went back to work as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner within the NHS and decided to further develop my skills and knowledge in the mental health field by doing my diploma in CBT( I packed alot in didn't I). By this time, I had send 11 years in mental health and 6 of those years in a talking therapies service. This is were I had the idea to combine both physical health and mental health and start something of my own.

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I specialise in working with all things anxiety and have a specialist interest in OCD, Social Anxiety, Generalised Anxiety Disorder work related stress and burn out (been there), ADHD (executive functioning in adults), Trauma and PTSD. I have not only a keen interest in anxiety difficulties but have lived experience of having times when my own anxiety has been bad so I completely get what it does to you..it feels awful doesn't it! I also remember how I felt when I developed a prolapse and my body no longer felt like my own which lead to 'hyper focus' on symptoms (which isn't helpful I know that much). 

I currently work within the NHS offering psychological intervention to NHS workers (all professions)  as well as an NHS provider that deliver typed therapy. I work with men and women so men, dont hesitate to reach out either!

During my work with you, I will use not only my experience gained through the training I have undergone, but from the countless people I have worked with (mostly in the NHS) and my own as experience and ensuring that I always tailor my approach to meet your individual wants and needs whether that more structure, less structure, using your expertise (as yes, you are also an expert too) as its never a 'one size fits all' approach to working with anxiety. My approach is kind and compassionate but also, I will hold you to account when needed and be your biggest cheerleader. I also know a thing or tow due to my own experience with anxiety so feel I can empathise authentically with that feeling.  

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Why Hypopressives?

I make use of my specialist interest (and passion) of the pelvic floor using Hypopressives to help you reconnect to your body again combined with body strengthening which has helped me immensely. I have always loved learning about the human body so being able to find a tools that can be applied to an issue that I have and help others in a similar position fills me with joy. I also find that the breath work element is really useful for anxiety and enabled me to learn to breath better not just for fitness but for my wellbeing. I now naturally breathe through my diaphragm rather than chest which I know can increase tension in those areas. 

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Qualifications:

PGDip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

PGCert in Low Intensity Psychological Interventions

BA (Hons) Social Care and Social Policy 

BABCP Membership number:00001009481 

ICO Registration  (Data protection register) reference  ZB777035

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Exercise qualification:

Level 2 Exercise to Music

Level 3 Anatomy and Physiology

Level 3 Pre and Postnatal Fitness

Level 1 Hypopressives (Trained with Hypopressives Scotland)

Burrell Education Pelvic Flow and Freedom

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