020 8643-4925

Approach to Therapy

Contact Michael Cohen

Please call 020 8643 4925 or 07720 297598
or email: info@hypnosisandhealing.co.uk for further information.

mind

Michael is a professional, friendly, therapist with over 38 years of experience. He aims to help you understand how your difficulties develop, how they are being maintained in the ‘here and now’, and how you can break out of any re-occurring patterns or cycles that you find yourself in.

During your first session, you will have the chance to talk about why you have come and about your anxieties, thoughts and feelings. Together we can decide on the best way of helping you overcome your difficulties. You will also have the opportunity to ask any questions which you may have. Together we will set specific attainable goals. During the therapy, you will unlearn old ways of thinking and behaving that block you in the hear and now, you can also acquire new skills in problem-solving, relating to others, and attain a greater range of emotional experience

I have skills in a wide variety of approaches to therapy. Primarily, I use a practical action-oriented approach to coping with and overcoming problems and enhancing personal growth. The four main approaches I use are Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Counselling.

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy (CBH)

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapy combines Clinical Hypnotherapy with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The hypnotic state makes people more responsive to positive suggestions and it allows them to use their imagination to bring about positive solutions. Hypnosis is a safe and highly effective therapy and enables us to work with CBT techniques at a deeper and more profound level. Hypnosis allows us to directly influence emotions and behaviour and deal successfully with the irrational fears and negative thinking patterns that prevent you from getting the best out of life.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help you to change how you think about yourself, others and the world around you. These changes can help you to feel better about yourself, others and your situation. CBT focuses on  “here and now” problems and difficulties. Although people may be strongly influenced by events in their early lives, CBT doesn’t spend a long time rehashing the past; the focus is mainly on the present. Research has demonstrated that our emotional problems are determined not by events, but largely by the self-defeating beliefs we have about these events. For example, if you get anxious about speaking in public, your anxiety may stem from a belief such as, ‘I must give a perfect speech and I am worthless if I don’t’.”

CBT works by teaching you to recognize and change those beliefs that result in emotional problems such as anxiety, guilt, anger and depression enabling you to make greater use of your potential and help you to achieve your long-term goals. Cognitive-behavioural therapists believe that clients change because they learn how to think differently and they act on that learning. Therapists also seek to learn what their clients want out of life (their goals) and then help their clients achieve those goals. My role is to listen, teach and encourage. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is considered among the most rapid in terms of results obtained. CBT has been shown to help with many different types of problems. These include: Anxiety, Depression, Panic, Phobias (including Agoraphobia and Social Phobia), Stress, Bulimia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. CBT may also help if you have difficulties with anger, a low opinion of yourself or physical health problems, like pain or fatigue.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy often referred to as ACT is an action-oriented approach to psychotherapy that stems from Traditional Behaviour Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

It is one of the so-called “third wave” of behavioural psychotherapy approaches. The “third wave” approaches can be thought of as updated versions of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), usually with more of a focus on mindfulness and present-moment processing. ACT is characterized by compassionate exploration and acceptance of what can and cannot be controlled, and a commitment to action and change that allows the individual to live a values-based life in spite of emotional challenges.

I will help you to learn to stop avoiding, denying and struggling with your inner emotions and, instead, accept that these deeper feelings are appropriate responses to certain situations that should not prevent you from moving forward in your life. With this understanding, you can begin to accept issues and hardships and commit to making necessary changes in behaviour, regardless of what is going on in your life, and how you feel about it. Working with me you will learn to listen to your own self-talk or the way you talk to yourself specifically about upsetting events, problematic relationships, physical limitations, or other issues. You can then decide if an issue requires immediate action and change, or if it can—or must—be accepted for what it is while you learn to make behavioural changes that can affect the situation. You may look at what hasn’t worked for you in the past so that I can help you stop repeating thought patterns and behaviours that are causing you more problems in the long run. Once you have faced and accepted your current issues, you make a commitment to stop fighting your past and your emotions and, instead, start practising more confident and optimistic behaviour, based on your personal values and goals.

Counselling

I am an experienced counsellor. Counselling can be of help with many different issues. There may be past issues that are affecting you in the present or there may be things in the present that you want to try and change. Perhaps you are experiencing significant events in your life such as getting married and starting a family or leaving home for the first time.

My counselling service may be able to help with all of the above and issues such as those listed below:

  • Abuse
  • Anger Management
  • Assertivness
  • Self Confidence
  • Self Esteem
  • Depression
  • Eating disorders.
  • As well as many other issues

For more information or to make an appointment please contact me.