Insights from Harley Street psychologist
Dr Vanessa Ruspoli
How Therapy Works Most of us, at some point in our lives, feel too overwhelmed to deal with our problems. In fact, more than a quarter of UK adults will experience depression, anxiety or another mental disorder in any given year. These problems can become debilitating, and end up affecting our daily lives.
Therapy for Mental Health Psychologists can successfully treat a range of mental health issues with therapy, using a variety of approaches. Therapy involves getting thoughts and feelings -‐ and things around you – into a balanced and integrated place. Therapy is also about giving clients a supportive environment in which to work through their issues. Your behaviors, and perceptions about internal and external life experiences will be transformed, through therapy, in a beneficial way. •
Dr Vanessa Ruspoli | Harley Street Psychology | www.dr-‐ruspoli.com | (+44) 7747-‐ 777361
Using Psychology to Cope • If you have a challenging mental health condition, psychology can help you cope. Conditions that can be helped by a psychologist include trauma, anger management, addiction, financial problems, lack of motivation, low self-‐esteem, divorce and relationship problems, eating disorders, depression and anxiety, general well-‐being, bereavement or loss. You can also use psychology to help treat and overcome phobias.
Counselling Psychologists • When it comes to therapy, a counselling psychologist’s approach involves various steps in order to treat the problems you may be experiencing. The first step is to understand and identify the ideas, behaviours and emotions that contribute to your condition, state of mind or quality of life in order to assess the ways in which they can help you.
Dr Vanessa Ruspoli | Harley Street Psychology | www.dr-‐ruspoli.com | (+44) 7747-‐ 777361
The Next Step • Once your psychologist has identified the best way to proceed, they then can take effective steps towards supporting you with modifying negative or limiting ideas, behaviours and emotions. The modification of these thoughts and feelings allows you to handle life experiences without becoming overly mentally stressed.
The Scientific Method • Psychologists draw on scientifically based methods. They will support you as you develop your problem solving skills. They will also teach you some great techniques you can use when you’re in challenging situations. This helps to reprogram your mind to not run away from or avoid situations you may have been fearful of facing.
Dr Vanessa Ruspoli | Harley Street Psychology | www.dr-‐ruspoli.com | (+44) 7747-‐ 777361
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is one of the most common form of therapy used to tackle mental health conditions. This type of therapy will address dysfunctional emotions and behaviours through a goal-‐oriented, systematic process. The type of approach used will vary according to your particular problem or issue. You will be asked to challenge your negative and thought patterns as part of the treatment.
Gaining Perspective • A counselling psychologist may ask you to recall and identify troubling life events you have been through in the past. These events and their associated perceptions may be negatively influencing or colouring your interpretation of events in the present. Therapy also teaches you coping mechanisms to deal with triggering situations.
Gradual Exposure • In CBT, gradual or graduated exposure to the source of your anxiety is supported and encouraged in order to help you regain a sense of control. Gradually facing activities that you once avoided helps you to try out new ways of behaving and reacting to everyday events.
Learning Techniques • CBT can teach you relaxation, mindfulness and distraction techniques, to use when you are in a stressful situation. This will help to reduce your anxiety and stress. These and other strategies will contribute towards regaining the pleasure and the joy you once had from life.
Dr Vanessa Ruspoli • Dr Vanessa Ruspoli is a chartered counselling psychologist. She offers a range of therapies for different conditions, such as self-‐esteem, depression and fear of public speaking. She has worked with CBT for a number of years, and is based in the prestigious and historic Harley Street in Central London. Dr Vanessa Ruspoli | Harley Street Psychology | www.dr-‐ruspoli.com | (+44) 7747-‐ 777361