Frances Hayes - Counsellor/ Psychotherapist
PTSD
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can occur at any age after experiencing a traumatic event. For most people, symptoms appear not long after the event but in some cases, they don't show syptoms until months or years after the event. PTSD could be diagnosed when the post traumatic stress symptoms have not subsided after a month and when a person is suffering from:- Continued intrusive images, thoughts or "flashbacks" - a sense of reliving the event
- Symptoms of increased arousal such as sleep disturbances, irritability, anger, rage, or being "jumpy" and "on edge"
- Avoidance of things associated with the event. There may also be an ongoing feeling of numbness.
If you think that there is a chance you could have PTSD, it is important to seek help and support.
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Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it has become a disabling disorder.
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Depression
We all feel fed up, miserable or sad at times. These feelings don't usually last longer than a week or two, and they don't interfere too much with our lives. Sometimes there's a reason, sometimes not. We usually cope - we may talk to a friend but don't otherwise need any help.
However, in depression:- your feelings don't lift after a few days - they carry on for weeks or months
- are so bad that they interfere with your life.
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD has three main parts:- the thoughts that make you anxious (obsessions);
- the anxiety you feel;
- the things you do to reduce your anxiety (compulsions).
What you think (obsessions)
Thoughts - single words, short phrases or rhymes that are unpleasant, shocking or blasphemous. You try not to think about them, but they won't go away. You worry that you might be contaminated (by germs, dirt, HIV or cancer), or that someone might be harmed because you have been careless
Pictures in your mind - showing your family dead, or seeing yourself doing something violent or sexual which is completely out of character - stabbing or abusing someone, or being unfaithful. We know that people with obsessions do not become violent, or act on these thoughts.
Doubts - you wonder for hours whether you might have caused an accident or misfortune to someone. You may worry that you have knocked someone over in your car, or that you have left your doors and windows unlocked
Ruminations - you endlessly argue with yourself about whether to do one thing or another so you can't make the simplest decision.
Perfectionism - you are bothered, in a way that other people are not, if things are not in the exactly the right order, not balanced or not in the right place. For example, if books are not lined up precisely on a bookshelf.
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About Frances
I have worked in Listening Ear (Merseyside) for over eight years. Listening Ear was the first counselling organisation in Merseyside to gain BACP Accreditation. I see a number of private clients. In this time I have worked with clients with a wide range of issues such as, severe anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, childhood sexual, physical, and mental abuse, rape and sexual assault, work related stress, post natal depression, bereavement and traumatic bereavement, eating disorders and a number of personality disorders. I have used Person Centred Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with all these clients, with effective and measured results. I find Person centred therapy a natural way to work with my counselling style. I also use Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), which is the recommended treatment for PTSD by the NICE guidelines.
I have gained great experience through my work with clients.
I teach Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), I devise and deliver lesson plans to a basic, intermediate and advanced diploma level.
I am an associated member of Pathways Through Trauma. Pathways specialise in trauma intervention work. Pathways is a BACP associated organisation.
I began my Masters Degree in Chester University on October 2008, studying Psychological Trauma, which is client focused and CBT based.
I am the Co-ordinator for Butterflies Project which supports children and young people who have suffered loss through divorce, bereavement through illness, suicide and murder.
I have gained a Diploma is casework supervision which I very much enjoy. I have a number of private supervisee's and have gained valuable experience while working with them.
I am a member of the (BACP) and (BABCP).
Service Categories
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Counselling, Psychotherapy
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