My main theoretical approach is Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), which is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the important role of thinking in how we feel and what we do.
I have also shown great interest in Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) these past years, where the objective is not the elimination of difficult feelings, but helping people being present with what life brings and moving towards a more valued behaviour.
Mindfulness is also used as a therapeutic tool in my work, that can be very useful when it comes to becoming aware of all incoming thoughts and feelings without judgment, and ACCEPTING them instead of REACTING to them.
When it comes to children aged 6years and above, via play, drawings, and the use of other props, they can work through emotional, psychosocial and behavioural difficulties or any other family issue they are facing.

CBT

“Change your thoughts and you ll change your world…”

Cognitive behavioural therapy is based on the idea that our thoughts , emotions and behaviours, they all influence each other. We feel what we think, and this in return affects how we respond to situations. Hence, things are not upsetting, it’s the way we think about them that upsets us. So by learning in which ways our thinking is distorted, we can try and change it, and manage our distress better. CBT focuses on the development of coping strategies that aim to solve current problems, and on how to change unhelpful behaviours. The therapist challenges the thoughts that are present, and helps the client develop  more  balanced beliefs based on reality.

CBT is a collaborative effort between the therapist and the client.
Cognitive-behavourial therapists seek to learn what their clients want out of life (their goals), and then help their clients achieve those goals. The therapist's role is to listen, teach, and encourage, while the client's role is to express concerns, learn, and implement that learning. We do not tell our clients what their goals "should" be, or what they "should" tolerate. We are directive in the sense that we show our clients how to think and behave in ways to obtain what they want. Therefore, CBT therapists do not tell their clients what to do -- rather, they teach their clients how to do it.

CBT is based on an educational model
CBT has nothing to do with "just talking". People can "just talk" with anyone. On the other hand, CBT is based on the assumption that most emotional and behavioural reactions are learned. Therefore, the goal of therapy is to help clients unlearn their unwanted reactions and to learn a new way of reacting. Therefore, a central aspect of Rational thinking is that it is based on fact. Often, we upset ourselves about things when, in fact, the situation isn't like we think it is. If we knew that, we would not waste our time upsetting ourselves. Therefore, by looking at our thoughts as being hypotheses or guesses that can be questioned and tested, we may find that our hypotheses are incorrect (because we have new information), and then we can change our thinking to be in line with how the situation really is. The educational emphasis of CBT has an additional benefit: it leads to long term results. When people understand how and why they are doing well, they know what to do to continue doing well.

CBT is Briefer and Time-Limited
The average number of sessions clients receive range between 16 to 25 (if not less), in contrast to psychoanalysis, which can take years. What enables CBT to be briefer is its highly instructive nature and the fact that it makes use of homework assignments. The ending of the formal therapy is a decision made by the therapist and client. Therefore, CBT is not an open-ended, never-ending process.

CBT uses the Socratic Method
Cognitive-behavoural therapists want to gain a very good understanding of their clients' concerns. That's why they often ask questions. They also encourage their clients to ask questions of themselves, like, "How do I really know that those people are laughing at me?", "Could they be laughing about something else?"

Homework is a central feature of CBT
Goal achievement could take a very long time if a person were only to think about the techniques and topics taught for one hour per week. That's why CBT therapists assign reading assignments and encourage their clients to practice the techniques learned.

ACT

“You are not your thoughts or emotions; they are just visitors, so allow them to come and go as they please”

Acceptance and Commitment therapy is another form of therapy that is based on psychological interventions that use acceptance and mindfulness strategies, as well as commitment and behaviour-change strategies, in order to increase psychological flexibility. It invites people to open up to unwanted emotions, encourages them not to avoid the situations where these are triggered, and teaches them not to react to them but to develop a different attitude towards them. ACT also looks into  “values”; all those that are important to each person that makes life more meaningful and fulfilled, and looks into the steps in order to move towards these.

MINDFULNESS

“To be beautiful means to be yourself; you don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

Mindfulness is a psychological process of bringing the focus of our attention to the here-and-now, to the present moment, to things as they are with no judgment. It’s a useful technique that helps us notice our inner experience and reactions to situations and events, with curiosity and an open mind, without reacting in auto pilot or avoiding whats painful and difficult. Thoughts are just thoughts, they re not facts and they are not “ME”. So we learn to accept all the unwanted thoughts and emotions without having to analyse them and in turn affect us, and we then let them go.

PLAY THERAPY

How does it work?
A relationship develops between the child and the therapist. The therapist enters the child's world, following the child's lead, developing a safe place and a relationship of trust. Play Therapy sessions are usually held in a playroom that has a range of carefully selected toys and materials. In the playroom, the child can express feelings, thoughts, experiences and behaviours through play. Toys are used like words and become the child's natural language. The child selects the toys and activities to play with and the therapist may join in the play on the child's direction or invitation. Children often have difficulty trying to say in words what they feel or how experiences have affected them. Through the toys and art materials, children can show their inner feelings through what they choose and how they choose.

Possible difficulties children face

    - Adjusting to family changes such as separation and divorce
    - Making friends
    - Excessive anger, fear, sadness, worry & shyness
    - Aggression & acting out
    - School difficulties
    - ADD & ADHD
    - Abuse & neglect
    - Social adjustment issues
    - Sleeping and eating difficulties
    - Self concept & self esteem
    - Trauma
    - Grief & loss


Parents are also seen in private consultations in order to assess their parenting style; if needed they are offered suggestions and encouraged to try out alternative ways to communicate with their kids.