DR ANDREA COHEN

DClinPsy PhD

Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Systemic Family & Couples Psychotherapist
Registered Systemic Supervisor

Professional Registrations: Health and Care Professions Council, United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, Association for Family & Systemic Psychotherapy

What I Can Offer You:

Couples Therapy, Family Therapy and Individual Therapy using Systemic Psychotherapy, integrated with other approaches and tailored to meet your needs.

EMDR for people who want to overcome performance anxiety (including blushing) or enhance their performance at work, in educational settings, on the sports field or on stage.

Systemic consultation and coaching for people facing workplace challenges.

Systemic clinical supervision and reflective practice.

More About Andrea

My Training:

Alongside Clinical Psychology and Systemic Psychotherapy qualifications, I also have training and expertise in various evidence-based therapies including EMDR, Internal Family Systems Therapy and attachment-based approaches, which can be integrated with Systemic Psychotherapy or used as stand-alone therapies, depending on your needs and preferences. I also have a Diploma in Systemic Leadership, Consultation and Coaching.

You can visit the following websites to find out more about Systemic Psychotherapy, (including how systemic ideas can be used in workplace contexts), EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy:
https://www.aft.org.uk/page/whatisfamilytherapy
https://emdrassociation.org.uk/discover-emdr/the-basics

https://ifs-institute.com

My Experience:

I have nearly 30 years experience working in the NHS, and more recently in independent practice. I have worked extensively with individuals, couples and families experiencing complex mental health difficulties, adult autism and ADHD, and with people adjusting to life transitions or facing challenges and uncertainty in their personal lives or at work.

I currently work in independent practice as well as pro bono for Systemic Action for Refugees & Asylum Seekers and the British Red Cross.

‘Melody’ by Victor Matafi

The Sculpture Park, Farnham, Surrey, UK

My Specialities

1. Systemic Psychotherapy

I specialise in providing Systemic Psychotherapy to couples, families, and individuals drawing on experience of leading Family Therapy Clinics and carrying out individual psychotherapy in the NHS for many years.

Systemic Psychotherapy is based on the idea that everything is connected, and that the various systems and contexts in which we live (for example, our families and wider society) are important in understanding how problems and challenges emerge for us as individuals and in our relationships.

Systemic Psychotherapy is also based on the idea that we all have strengths and skills that can be harnessed to bring about the changes we want in our lives.

Research shows that Systemic Psychotherapy is useful for people of all ages experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, interpersonal issues and life challenges.

It can help you to:

Improve communication, co-operation and decision-making
Overcome mental health difficulties
Express and explore difficult thoughts and emotions safely
Enhance intimacy, closeness and connection
Improve mutual understanding and support
Strengthen relationships and psychological well-being within relationships
Reduce blame and conflict
Change unhelpful or unwanted patterns of behaviour
Navigate and adjust to life changes and transitions at any stage of life
Improve coping skills for managing stress, ill health, disability and adversity

2. EMDR for performance anxiety

I have used EMDR for many years to help people with complex PTSD and associated problems. Having seen the EMDR evidence-base expanding to include other anxiety-related problems, I am now focusing on offering EMDR for people who want to overcome performance anxiety (including blushing) or enhance their performance at work, in educational settings, on the sports field or on stage.

3. Systemic Consultation and Coaching for workplace challenges

I have many years of experience in leadership and management roles in the NHS, and have specialist training in the use of systemic ideas to help you manage workplace and organizational issues such as change management, workplace conflicts and career dilemmas.

4. Clinical Supervision and Reflective Practice

I have training and expertise in providing clinical supervision and reflective practice to psychologists, systemic practitioners/psychotherapists and other professionals and can offer supervision if you would value a systemic lens on your clinical practice.

My Approach

I enjoy working collaboratively and flexibly, and have an open, transparent and non-judgmental approach.

I pay careful attention to creating a compassionate, trusting and safe therapeutic environment where you can have a voice, explore issues at your own pace and empower yourself to make changes.

I welcome people with diverse backgrounds and life experiences.

'Close Knit Family' Sculpture by Innocent Nyashenga

'Close Knit Family’ by Innocent Nyashenga

The Sculpture Park, Farnham, Surrey, UK

How We Will Work Together

We will initially work together to develop a shared psychological and systemic understanding of the issues you want to address in therapy, and your goals for change. We will look at how your family history and attachments may be impacting on current relationship patterns and dynamics, if this feels helpful to you.

We will also take into consideration your beliefs, culture, and life experiences, and your family and wider social context. I will also encourage you to identify and draw on your strengths, skills and successes, as these can often be overlooked when we are feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

We will then discuss therapeutic options and tailor therapy to meet your goals for change. I invite feedback throughout therapy to ensure that your needs and expectations are being met.

Therapy may be short- or long-term, and it may be focused on a ‘here-and-now’, problem-solving approach, and/or explore issues from the past that are impacting on the present, depending on your goals and preferences.

Session frequency can be negotiated to suit your needs, but I don't recommend attending less frequently than monthly. Many families and couples attend every two to four weeks, whereas individuals usually attend weekly.

You can get in touch with Andrea at brighthelmpsychology@mercury.me.uk

My practice opening times:

I offer appointments Monday to Friday online using Zoom, with options for early morning sessions. My last appointment of the day is at 5:30pm.