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Psychotherapy, CBT and EMDR therapy and counselling in Worthing West Sussex
Colin Watkins is a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor specialising in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR. Accredited and registered by the BABCP and EMDR Association.

"I have extensive experience working with people with a wide range of difficulties; some have a clear diagnosis, others do not, but all experience ongoing difficulties affecting their daily lives, which can be helped enormously with therapy"

So far, you have survived 100%

of your worst days

REMEMBER

ABOUT

ABOUT ME

ABOUT ME

I am a psychotherapist qualified in, and fully accredited for, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR. I can be found on the register of the relevant governing bodies, the BABCP and the EMDR Association.

HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER

Therapy is a collaborative process, which relies on us building a good therapeutic relationship, so that together we can work to find solutions that suit you and tackle your difficulties. It is not about being told what you should do.

SPECIALTIES
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Complex Trauma

  • Specific Phobias

  • Health Anxiety

  • Social Anxiety

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder

  • Morbid Jealousy

  • Generalised Anxiety

  • Grief and Loss

  • Prolonged Grief

  • Depression

QUALIFICATIONS
  • Diploma in Mental Health Nursing 2001 University of Brighton

  • Degree in Specialist Community (Mental Health) Nursing 2004 University of Brighton

  • Post-Grad Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy 2010 University of Brighton

  • EMDR Training (Parts 1,2 and 3) 2011, EMDR Association (UK and Ireland)

EXPERIENCE

I have worked for the NHS in Mental Health since 2001. My background is in Mental Health Nursing and I have worked full-time as a Psychotherapist since 2011. I have been an accredited practitioner with the BABCP since October 2010 and the EMDR Association since July 2016.

I have experience of working with people who come with a wide range of difficulties; some with clear diagnosis such as PTSD, complex trauma, specific phobias, Health Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Morbid Jealousy, Generalised Anxiety, grief and loss, prolonged grief and depression. Others may not have a clear diagnosis, but have ongoing difficulties on a day to day basis.

  • What you can expect from our first session
    At our first session we will talk about the things that are troubling you and why you felt the need to come to therapy. I may ask you some questions about your background and history that may be relevent to how you are feeling now, in order to put things into context. We will establish some goals for what you would like to head towards in coming to see me and explore what we will do to try to achieve those targets.
  • What is EMDR?
    EMDR stands for 'Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing' and is a therapy that was first developed to treat trauma. It is recommended as a treatment for PTSD by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). EMDR is a process in which distressing memories lose their intensity so that they become less overwhelming and upsetting and seem more like an “ordinary” memory. Any event that someone is exposed to (or witnesses) that provokes strong negative emotions or feelings of hopelessness has the potential to become a traumatic or distressing memory. Examples of these might be physically violent or abusive incidents or they could be emotionally distressing, such as being ridiculed, criticised or emotionally abused. Even if the event may not be considered “traumatic” in a classic sense, it can still be associated with a high level of distress - which the brain treats in exactly the same way. Emotions and physical reactions at the time of the traumatic event are associated with chemicals produced by the nervous system and the brain can sometimes react by storing the traumatic experience into memory in a different way to how it would an everyday event which is not distressing. The effect of EMDR therapy is believed to have a similar effect to that which we naturally experience during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) part of our sleep. This is the part of our sleep cycle when your eyes move rapidly from side to side. EMDR helps to reduce the distress caused by any type of traumatic memory, whether associated with what you saw, heard, smelt, tasted, felt or thought. Further information about EMDR can be found at: http://emdrassociation.org.uk/what-is-emdr/background-and-basics/
  • What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
    Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is a “talking therapy” concerned with how you think about yourself, about the world and other people, and how what you do affects your thoughts and feelings. It helps by breaking down your problems into five specific areas: Situations (that trigger your distress) Thoughts Emotions Physical feelings Behaviours (our actions in response to the distress) These areas are all interlinked. What we think about a situation will affect how we feel, both emotionally and physically, and how we ultimately act upon those feelings. For example, if we think a situation is dangerous it might make us feel fearful or anxious, it might give us physical symptoms, perhaps a racing heartbeat, feeling sweaty or tense, or having a churning feeling in the stomach. We may then feel an overwhelming desire to escape or avoid the situation altogether. CBT differs from other types of therapies; it focuses on identifying your specific problems, setting goals and looking at what prevents you from moving towards those goals. It is a collaborative therapy, reliant on building a good therapeutic relationship, so that together we can work to find solutions that suit you and tackle your difficulties. It is not about being told what you should do. CBT can help you to change the way you think ('Cognitive') and what you do ('Behaviour'). These changes can help you to feel better. Initially, it focuses on current problems and difficulties and, if it feels appropriate, can look at identifying the causes of your distress or symptoms in the past. Further information about CBT can be found at: http://www.babcp.com/files/Public/what-is-cbt-web.pdf
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THERAPY ANSWERED
CONTACT

CONTACT ME

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If you have any questions, or would like more information before making an appointment, please feel free to contact me.

If you telephone and I am unable to answer directly, please leave a message with a contact number, and I will call you back as soon as possible.

PHONE

ADDRESS

Colin Watkins Therapy

Worthing Natural Balance and Wellbeing Centre

70 Salvington Rd,

Worthing, BN13 2HN.

Thank you for your message. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

E-MAIL

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