Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy Summer 2015 by Astrid Stubbs

SUSSEX COUNSELLING & PSYCHOTHERAPY NEWS Summer 2015 www.sussex-counselling.co.uk

Young people Sexual abuse

Signs and symptoms

Why online works

OFFINGTON COUNSELLING SERVICE www.ocs-counselling.org.uk BACP Accredited Registered Charity No. 800992

Vacancies exist for accredited counsellors or those working towards BACP accreditation or equivalent. OCS is based in Worthing, West Sussex and has been part of the community for over 30 years. As a charity we offer affordable counselling on a sliding scale fee working with individuals, couples and young people aged 14-18. Contract work exists with various organisations. As such the work is both varied and interesting to counsellors wishing to grow in knowledge and experience. Supervision is weekly and is free for those counsellors with 2 or more clients. Counsellors are expected to take a mixed client base of voluntary and paid work. We offer placements for counsellors in training and have an active CPD programme. If interested please enquire to: Marilyn West, Head of Administration e-mail: info@ocs-counselling.org.uk or telephone 01903 212275.

Summer 2015 Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy (SCAP) News is the quarterly newsletter for counsellors and psychotherapists working in and around Sussex who are registered members of SCAP. Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy Newsletter is the official journal of Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy. Views expressed in the journal and signed by a writer are the views of the writer and not necessarily those of Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy. Publication in this journal does not imply endorsement of the writer’s views. Similarly publication of adverts does not constitute endorsement by Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy. Contributions are welcome with a £20 book voucher for original material. Please email items for news, diary, feature or review.

Deadline: 24 July for Autumn 2015 issue. Advertise in SCAP Newsletter Full page inside – £78 Half page – £48 Quarter page – £36 Contact: advertising@sussex-counselling.co.uk or visit www.sussex-counselling.co.uk to book online

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INSIDE

WELCOME...

4 Child on parent violence What university researchers uncovered

to Summer and our new issue. Soon it will be time for our AGM on June 6 in Brighton when we will discuss SCAP business and elect new officers. We are hoping to see as many of you as possible there to hear your views and invite you to participate and play a part in the vital and vibrant work of counselling and psychotherapy in Sussex. The AGM will also hear from a practitioner in counselling on what can be done for the crisis in young people’s mental health. Read more about the AGM on page 5 and see our poster on the back page. And don’t miss out, please renew your membership to Sussex Counselling before May 31st to get free entry in the paper directory, which will be published again this year. Elsewhere in this issue we consider online counselling and how it can work for young people as well as people of all ages. We’ve asked Jay Tregenza to talk about her work running an online counselling service for young people and what can be learned about using this technology. We also look at how online can benefit counsellors and therapists seeking training from their own homes. With features on sexual abuse and sexual dysfunction as well as news and diary listings I hope you find lots to interest you in this issue.

5 SCAP AGM Read all the details 6 Gay ‘cure’ outlawed Protection against the practice 7 Recently qualified? Lisa Martucci on the support group for newly-qualified counsellors 8 Click for help Jay Tregenza on online counselling for young people

Astrid Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy (SCAP) News 10 The Webinar way How online can help your training and CPD 11 Play and Laughter Shelley Holland on a timely workshop 12 Sexual abuse The signs and symptoms 14 Erectile dysfunction When his heart is not in sex 16 SCAP news 18 Diary 20 Reviews

Contact Us Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy Group PO Box 308, Brighton BN2 0WA Editor: Astrid Stubbs newsletter@ sussex-counselling.co.uk Advertising : advertising@sussex-counselling.co.uk Membership: membership@sussex-counselling.co.uk Chair: chair@sussex-counselling.co.uk General Enquiries: info@sussex-counselling.co.uk New Counsellors: newcounsellors@sussex-counselling.co.uk Paper Directory: paperdirectory@sussex-counselling.co.uk Secretary: secretary@sussex-counselling.co.uk Finance: finance@sussex-counselling.co.uk Website: website@sussex-counselling.co.uk Web: www.sussex-counselling.co.uk Twitter: @SussexCAP Facebook: www.facebook.com/ SussexCounsellingAndPsychotherapy Printed in the UK www.dpsltd.net

4 Child on parent violence research

Suicide alert training

Thousands of parents and carers are suffering physical and verbal attacks by their children, according to new research The assaults are close-kept family secrets and most adults are too embarrassed or ashamed to report them or to seek help. Many live in fear of their child. The University of Brighton in partnership with Brighton and Hove City Council and European partners was awarded £641,000 in 2013 to study this emerging problem, which involves both young teenage boys and girls using physical or psychological abuse to gain power, usually over their mothers. This is the most hidden, misunderstood and stigmatised form of family violence. It involves teenage and younger girls and boys who use physical, psychological, emotional and financial abuse and violence over time to the extent that parents and carers live in fear of their child.

Grassroots Suicide Prevention is working in partnership with Coastal West Sussex Mind to deliver a range of suicide alertness and mental health awareness training across the county. Grassroots will be delivering 10 SafeTALKs over the next three months across the seven boroughs of West Sussex. SafeTALK is a half-day (3.5 hours) training course that teaches practical steps to offer immediate help to someone suffering from thoughts of suicide. Training has been funded by Public Health at West Sussex County Council, and is suitable for all community members and professionals. To be eligible for a funded place you must currently be working or volunteering in West Sussex. For course dates visit http:// grassrootstrainingcic.blogs pot.co.uk/2015/03/fullyfunded-suicide-alertnesstraining.html or contact Grassroots Suicide Prevention at office@preventsuicide.org.uk or Tel: 01273 675764.

Dr Paula Wilcox, lead researcher and Reader in the University of Brighton’s School of Applied Social Science, said: “We believe thousands of parents in England and throughout the EU suffer CPV but the problem is rarely articulated in government policy and it remains a taboo subject that parents and carers find difficult to disclose. “From our research, mothers are the most likely to suffer violence and mostly from adolescent sons.” She said abusive behaviour can be changed. Practitioners can equip children and parents/carers with strategies and skills to recognise when a situation is escalating and to reduce the potential risk of harm. Hear about the innovative Break4change project that is helping parents in Brighton & Hove tackle violence from their children in an interview available at https:// audioboom.com/boos/ 1729334-tackling-child-toparent-violence-in-brighton.

Emotional breakdown in young parents Emotional Breakdown in Young Parents is the subject of a workshop on June 27 in Brighton based on a documentary featuring TV celebrity Stacey Solomon. Conference leader Amanda Jones, Professional Lead and Consultant Perinatal Psychotherapist, was involved in a documentary shown on BBC3 in which X Factor finalist Stacey Solomon explored her own teenage pregnancy and the effect it had on her adolescent heart, body and mind. Venue: Brighthelm Centre, New Road, Brighton. Tickets: Tel: 01273 561511.

SCAP Social SCAPs last social was held at The Eagle Pub in Brighton. Thanks to all SCAP members who supported the event, which offered a good opportunity for having fun, networking and meeting new members.

SCAP NEWS Sussex Counselling annual meeting June 6 is our AGM and youth mental health forum The Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 6th June 2015 from 10am - 1pm at the Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG. All members are cordially invited to our 2015 Annual General Meeting. The business of the AGM will be to give an account to members of our activities this year. Reports on finance, seminars, website, newsletter and membership will be presented. There will be the opportunity for members to raise any questions and discuss issues about the future of SCAP. Elections to the committee will also take place. Several members are intending to remain on the

committee. However, some have been in post for several years and are stepping down to allow for an intake of fresh ideas and energy. We will be looking for a Chair, Deputy Chair and Seminar Co-ordinator although members co-opted earlier in the year may be confirmed in one of these posts. Those who have been involved on the committee will tell you that the friendship and sense of contribution gained from joining our ranks is much valued. Committee hours also count as CPD hours and it looks great on your CV! Following the AGM there will be an interesting talk on youth work by Sarah Kenyon from Heads Together in Redhill, see below.

How counsellors can respond to the crisis in young people's mental health Sarah Kenyon of Heads Together Counselling Manager, YMCA East Surrey, and the guest speaker at our AGM, says 850,000 children have mental health problems. Often demonised by society, thousands of children and young people are isolated, unhappy, have eating disorders and self harm; some even commit suicide. Many are likely to become victims of crime, grow up in

dysfunctional families, or left to cope with illness, drugs and/ or alcohol issues – not necessarily their own. With good mental health, children and young people do better in every way. Investing in services and support for young people not only reduces misery and loneliness, but saves millions in future costs to the criminal justice system, NHS, education and social care costs,” she adds.

Time to renew your membership Don't miss out - hurry to renew your membership to Sussex Counselling before May 31st to get free entry in the paper directory, which will be published again this year. Time is running out to renew your membership, which provides a host of benefits, including free entry to the paper directory. The directory can be distributed to GP surgeries, libraries and community centres, so is a useful tool to promote your practice. Pay your membership subscription to make sure you are eligible to go in the directory. You can do so online via our website at www.sussexcounselling.co.uk. Please note that if you joined SCAP since January 2015 you do not have to renew till April 2016. If you are in doubt about your membership status, or whether you have paid, please contact Biddy Harling on membership@sussexcounselling.co.uk.

Please don’t miss this unique opportunity to advertise your services to the public.

Parents’ shame at counselling Almost a third of parents would be embarrassed if their child wanted counselling in school, research by Place2Be has found. A survey of 864 parents published to mark the start of Child Mental Health Week found that 22 per cent would not encourage their child to have counselling, even if they asked for it, and 30 per cent would feel embarrassed if their child wanted it. Fathers were more uncomfortable about counselling than mothers (38% vs 23%). Parents who are separated were less likely to feel embarrassed than those who

were married or in a civil partnership – 25 per cent compared with 30 per cent. But an overwhelming majority of those whose children had counselling said they benefited: 84 per cent said their child’s problems improved; 73 per cent said their classroom learning improved; 73 per cent said their child had more friends and 64 per cent reported improvements in their home life. See more on this and other news stories from Therapy Today at: http:// www.therapytoday.net/ article/show/4690/the-latestnews-updated-18-march/ #sthash.QyyiOVNt.dpuf

Protection from ‘gay cures’ Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people seeking therapy will be better protected from harmful ‘gay cures’ following commitments made by NHS England, and leading medical and psychological professional groups. Gay conversion therapy (sometimes referred to as ‘gay cure’ or ‘reparative’ therapy) is the umbrella term for a type of talking therapy which attempts to change sexual orientation or reduce attraction to others of the same sex. The Counsellors and Psychotherapists Regulation Bill, which had its first reading last year, seeks to ban the practice and BACP has outlawed the practice. The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), with support from the Department of Health, has brought together 14 signatory organisations, to launch an agreement on actions to end the practice of conversion therapy in the UK, to bolster psychological professionals’ training and improve the emotional support available to LGB clients who seek therapeutic help. The agreement also details how professional therapy bodies will work to develop training and continuing professional development to ensure both new and current therapists are better equipped to handle appropriately requests for change from those unhappy about their feelings of sexual attraction.

Drink less campaigns should focus on why and how Campaigns to get young people to drink less should focus on the benefits of not drinking and how it can be achieved, a new study suggests. Pointing out the advantages and achievability of staying sober is more effective than traditional approaches that warn of the risks of heavy drinking, according to the University of Sussex researcher Dr Dominic Conroy. The study, published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, found that university students were more likely to reduce their overall drinking levels if they focused on the benefits of abstaining, such as more money and better health. They were also less likely to binge drink if they had imagined strategies for how non-drinking might be achieved – for example, being direct but polite when declining a drink, or choosing to spend time with supportive friends. Download the report at http:// onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1111/bjhp.12133/ abstract

NEWS & VIEWS

Recently-qualified counsellors’ support group meeting The next meeting for the recently-qualified counsellors’ support group will be on 6 June 2015 following the AGM of Sussex Counselling & Psychotherapy at Community Base in Brighton. The format for the day will be the AGM, which starts at 10am and is followed by a presentation from Sarah Kenyon of Heads Together, who will speak about the The Crisis in the Youth Mental Health System. The AGM schedule is due to end by 1pm when there will be an opportunity for informal coffee and/or lunch at a nearby venue open to anyone who would like to join us in contributing to the knowledge base and support of our new group. “From the previous meetings it is apparent that there is a need for a platform to share where one finds oneself after qualifying; the direction in which members move off from that point are

as varied as are our personalities,” says SCAP’s Lisa Martucci. “There are members on the verge of private practice, some just recently established in business and

For me the period since graduating last year has seen many changes others who have gained related employment with the NHS and other agencies. The common theme that unites is an openness and interest in sharing experiences and nurturing growth, praxis if you will, that in our profession may be the standard rather than the rule. For me the period since graduation last year has seen many changes; I am dedicating energy to gaining accreditation and have started, for my sins, further

study into the field of research and reflection on counselling and psychotherapy. I am now employed on a part-time basis as a Community Recovery Worker with Sussex Oakleaf and am also continuing my voluntary role with the YMCA Downslink Group's positive placement mentoring scheme. All of my work is challenging and rewarding in equal measure. The need to clear the decks and provide sufficient time and space for these activities has been the driving force behind the decision to stand down from the committee. It is my intention to remain a dedicated and enthusiastic facilitator of the support group and promote meetings that will coincide with the SCAP quarterly workshops.” If you are interested in meeting the group after the AGM contact Lisa at newcounsellors@sussexcounselling.co.uk.

Counselling should be a legal right says think tank Parity of esteem between physical and mental health should be legally enforced, thinktank 2020Health has said. In a new report, Whole in One – achieving equality of status, access and resources for people with depression,

2020health says that selfreported depression is the single most important cause of workplace absenteeism in the UK and that mental ill health costs the UK business economy some £30 billion a year. It argues people should have a legal right to NICE-

recommended treatments for depression and anxiety, as they do for treatments for physical illness. Details: www.therapytoday.net/ article/show/4690/the-latestnews-updated-18-march/ #sthash.QyyiOVNt.dpuf

Online counselling clicks with young people Jay Tregenza on why counselling online could work for people of all ages With a surname like ‘Tregenza’ you might’ve gathered I spent part of my life in the wilds of Cornwall. I think it was here as a struggling teenager that my interest in online counselling began, though I didn’t realise it at the time. Quite simply if you didn’t have transport and couldn’t reach the distant town to see a counsellor, you did not receive support. Fast forward to 2013, when the opportunity to set up Emotion, a new online counselling service for young people age 13-25 years, arose in Brighton and Hove. I now look back on that experience of living in a poorly-resourced rural community as the driving force which has helped me overcome my doubts about working online and embrace the challenges and benefits it offers clients and counsellors. If you are thinking of becoming an online counsellor the BACP’s publication Guidelines for online counselling and psychotherapy makes for a good starting point. All the potential dilemmas counsellors may face are highlighted. The guidance recommends practitioners get some specific online counselling training, in addition to their counselling qualifications.

An invaluable resource to find some good training is the ACTO (Association for Counsellors and Therapists Online) website www.actouk.org. There have been many highs and lows at E-motion but we are winning; we get great client feedback. Of course you may not want to be an online counsellor but as an expanding area of practice, even if you don’t want to offer this service to clients directly, having some knowledge of what is out there and how it works, may benefit your clients. Consider the Tasha Foundation’s (www.tashafoundation.org.uk) offer of an extended out-of-hours service; few counsellors would be willing to offer that kind of availability whereas an online service can be available in a different way to a face-to-face service. Clients can write from the privacy of their home, at any time. The ‘have I got a problem?’ service does not offer what a face-to-face service can, but

for some clients it will be a valued out-of-hours service. As well as being a complete intervention in itself, online counselling can also provide a useful link towards face-toface work or it can be something that people use after face-to-face to gain more independence. Considering all this, surely it’s wise to know what services you can refer people on to use or to understand what their knowledge and experience of online counselling has been? As a counsellor working with young people who conduct a lot of their emotional life and relationships online, you may be thinking this subject is just relevant to that age group? Yet this is a growing area of practice with adults too, as evidenced by the current expansion of the NHS’s hugely successful Big White Wall adult online counselling service www.bigwhitewall.com. So I leave you to consider – in what way might online therapy impact on your practice now or in the future?

As well as being a complete intervention in itself, online counselling can also provide a useful link towards face-to-face work or it can be something that people use after face-to-face to gain more independence

ONLINE COUNSELLING

What to expect from training in online counselling – Jay’s tips You will learn about how to manage your anxieties about online work. My fears included: * How can I build a relationship with someone I can’t see? * How will they know I am ‘present’ and the meaning behind what I say? * What if I can’t work the technology or it fails? * How will I manage ‘the black hole’ effect if a client suddenly ‘disappears’? * How do I keep a record of the sessions? * Am I contributing to end of face-to-face counselling?

Jay says you will also learn more about the benefits of working in this way: * You have more ‘reach’ – those who are too fearful to come to face-to-face counselling, people with access issues (working shifts/with caring responsibilities/disability/no transport), those more comfortable working online. * There seems to be more take up of online resources if you invite clients to try them from within an online world. * Clients often feel more in control and anonymous and will disclose issues not previously discussed. “For me the benefits on offer won over my fears and kept me focussed,” says Jay. She adds: “As with most things the safety and success of the delivery rests on having thought these things through as much as possible, listening to advice and reviewing your practice by responding to the feedback from your clients. Central to running the service has been the development of a good online assessment system. ” Jay Tregenza is joint project leader at E-motion www.emotionbh.org.uk the free online counselling service for young people in Brighton and Hove. This is a joint partnership project between YMCA and the YPC. To get the service clients email frankie@e-motionbh.org.uk. All counsellors working on the project are fully qualified, experienced and all have received additional online counselling training.

Why I chose online counselling - a client’s story “I chose online counselling as my shift work patterns changed every week making it impossible to see a f2f counsellor at a regular weekly time. I was feeling low and had problems with my selfesteem which made it difficult for me to say no to people around me and I generally felt that things were getting on top of me. It really helped to be able to write to my online counsellor any time I felt like it and I felt much supported by her emails and the encouragement she gave me. Online counselling definitely does help you to understand yourself better and it was nice to write to someone who was really friendly and didn’t judge me for what I said. I’m okay now but would definitely do it again.” Find out more at E-motion www.emotionbh.org.uk ACTO (Association for Counsellors and Therapists Online) website www.acto-uk.org.

ONLINE COUNSELLING

Webinars are the way forward for learning Jan Irwin on improving her professional development from her own home I recently participated in a webinar on Solution-Focused Therapy. Webinars are online seminars. Some are free and others ask for payment. BACP offer some and you may find others through Linked-In forums or a Google search. This one was provided by an EAP I work for. Usually lasting an hour, webinars are interactive: you can ‘chat’ online with the speaker, adding your responses to questions they ask, and putting new questions to them, and

offering feedback at the end, along with others attending the webinar. There were about 250 attendees at my webinar. Solution Focused Brief Therapy was founded by Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg. They use an acronym, MECSTAT, to describe the seven key aspects of the therapy. Several have become common practice within brief therapy. They are: Miracle question, Exception questions, Coping questions, Scaling questions,Time out

Accolades and Task. They are worth looking at in detail online! You may find it formulaic but they emphasise that it is a client-centred approach. As I work integratively I tend to use them singly, as and when appropriate, for a particular piece of client work, but clearly they can be used more systematically. I enjoyed the webinar: it is always interesting to hear how others approach their therapeutic work, and it contributed an hour (without leaving home) to my CPD!

How Anne found her way across the border to a new online country The Internet and Me: A Tale of Two Countries is the title of a free online talk by Anne Stokes which takes place on June 8. Anne says she chose this title to help people think about working across borders, but also taking the metaphor of ‘countries’ to look at where online work was when she started 14 years ago and where it is now. What’s the same? What’s different? Where might the future lead us? Anne is a senior accredited BACP counsellor and trainer, and also has a large supervision practice. She is a Director of Online Training Ltd, founding the Online Counsellling Conference OCTIA with her co-director,

Gill Jones. She divides her time between her home in the UK and her home in France, working with clients, supervisees and students online. Anne has written many articles and contributed chapters to several books (see our review page for details of her title Online Counselling: A Handbook for Practitioners.) This series of talks shows how students integrate working online with their face-to-face practice. Find out what part the internet plays in counselling from those who are in independent practice to those working in busy online counselling services.

Anne will be interviewed via Skype, streamed to a live video page. You will be able to see and hear the conversation and use the chat room to offer your own comments and questions. London: 7:00pm – 8:00pm If you are not able to attend this event during the live stream you can watch the recording in the online subscription library. More information and to book at onlinetrainingforcounsellors .co.uk. To see a video interview with Anne visit http://octia.org.uk/annestokes/

PLAY AND LAUGHTER

Why play is serious for good mental health A workshop on play and laughter gives Shelley Holland reason to smile Tony Buckley, Chair of the Sensorimotor Association, and former Clinical Director for London Transport’s staff counselling service on The Art and Science of Play: Using Play, Humour and Laughter in Therapy. We have always played, even when we were cave dwellers. Play prepares us for life by helping us develop the relational and survival skills necessary for a successful life. An example of this is when kittens chase and pounce on string that their humans dangle in front of them.Really they are learning to catch mice. When people have been traumatised or are depressed, their play system shuts down. They forget how to play. Play is hard-wired into our brains according to neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp. In his book The Archaeology of Mind (Norton, 2012) Panksepp seeks to discover the origins of emotion and outlines seven main hardwired emotional systems in the brain. These are: Seeking, Rage, Fear, Lust, Care, Panic, and Play. Panksepp has given a TED talk on The Science of Emotions which explains the 7 emotional systems. (You can watch Panksepp’s TED talk on You Tube).

Real Play is defined as an activity that is spontaneous, intrinsically pleasurable, free of anxiety or other overpowering emotion. Typically play involves ‘alternating dominance’ where one mammal is dominant over the other and then the roles are reversed. We can observe this behaviour in baby animals who play with one another by rolling around, first one on top then the other. In humans we can observe that if one person remains always dominant in play this ceases to be pleasurable and free of anxiety for the submissive person. Play turns into bullying. Real play involves laughter and roughand-tumble type activities as characterised by natural childplay. It doesn’t include organised activities like playing a football game as these are too structured and competitive, causing stress and anxiety. Why is play and laughter important? Jaak Panksepp sums this up by saying that; “depression and play are opposite sides of the same coin”. Laughter (the result of playfulness) can help to regulate feelings, enable both feelings of hyper arousal (anxiety, for example) or hypo arousal (depression, for example) to be safely and

positively moderated. In short, play helps us develop the capacity to be happy. Panksepp can be seen discussing the play system and his discovery that rats laugh when tickled in a brief video called The Primal Power of Play, which you can find on You Tube. The lesson for therapists is that playfulness and laughter are emotionally regulating and if encouraged and nurtured

Depression and play are opposite sides of the same coin. In short play helps us develop the capacity to be happy can enable clients to become more resilient. It doesn’t mean that therapists need to do a short-course in stand-up comedy, but if you understand the importance of play, laughter and humour you can use and share laughter to positive effect within the therapeutic relationship. Shelley Holland is a counsellor in private practice in Brighton and Hove.

Signs and consequences of sexual abuse Joanna Beazley Richards in the first of a two-part article on sexual abuse A child is sexually abused when they are forced or persuaded to take part in sexual activities. This doesn't have to be physical contact, and it can happen online. Sometimes the child won't understand that what's happening to them is abuse. They may not even understand that it’s wrong. (NSPCC 2015) Child sexual abuse is an umbrella term describing criminal and civil offences in which an adult engages in sexual activity with a minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification. Child sexual abuse is astonishingly common. In Canada in 1984, Badgley, Allen and McCormick found that 34 per cent of 1833 respondents had been sexually abused as children. In 1995, Zellman and Faller found that in the US, one in three or four women and one in six to ten men had been sexually abused. This year a study was published in Sweden, which states that one in four girls is sexually abused. Most international surveys indicate that girls are more likely to be victims; often around half the number for boys. Perpetrators are more often men than women. Sexual abuse doesn’t occur in a vacuum: it is most often accompanied by other forms of stress and trauma, generally within a family.

Unlike adults, small children don’t have the option to report, move away or otherwise protect themselves; they depend on their care givers for their very survival. When sexual abuse or any trauma emanates from within the family, children experience crises of loyalty and organise their behaviour to survive. Child victims of sexual abuse face secondary trauma in the crisis of discovery. Their attempts to reconcile their private experiences with the realities of the outer world are assaulted by the disbelief, blame and rejection they experience from adults. The normal coping behaviour of the child contradicts the entrenched beliefs and expectations typically held by adults, stigmatising the child with charges of lying, manipulating or imagining from parents, courts and clinicians. Such abandonment by the very adults most crucial to the child’s protection and recovery drives the child deeper into self-blame, selfhate, alienation and revictimisation. Because they cannot articulate what they observe and experience, abused children will organise their behaviour to survive within their families. They do this by keeping the secret, and deal with helplessness with compliance or defiance, and

accommodate any way they can to being trapped in abusive or neglectful situations. When betrayal and damage is done by a loved one who says that what he or she is doing is good and is for the child’s benefit, the seeds of lifelong mistrust and fear are planted. Thus, the survivor of repetitive childhood sexual abuse expects to be harmed in any helping relationship and may interact with professionals as though they have already harmed her or him. Their whole experience of identity and of the world is based upon expectations of harm and abuse. (Sigurdardottir et al 2012).

Sexual abuse doesn’t occur in a vacuum; it is most often accompanied by other forms of stress and trauma, generally within a family When childhood sexual trauma is not resolved, this fundamental sense of fear and helplessness carries over into adulthood, setting the stage for further trauma. Women who have been sexually abused as children are 35 times more likely to experience sexual assault as an adult.

SEXUAL ABUSE The consequences of childhood sexual abuse Alan Schore found that the Orbital Frontal Gyrus (OFG) is underdeveloped in abused children. The front part of the OFG is responsible for the moderation of internal status; the outside part is responsible for the person’s interaction with others, and the inner part is about our relationship with ourselves. The person whose OFG is underdeveloped may be disinhibited and act out, and be unable to respond to threats, they may have compulsive behaviours, use drugs or alcohol, have poor social interaction, and poor empathic ability (Klingsburg et al). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), can strike at any time following child sexual abuse. The likelihood of victim developing it depends on several variables; a) the age and developmental level at which the abuse occurred, b) the child’s pre-existing personality, c) the onset, frequency, and duration of the abuse, d) the severity of the sexual abuse, e) the relationship of child and the perpetrator, f) the family’s response g) the institutional response (eg police, social

workers, lawyers, h) the availability and quality of the therapeutic intervention. (Putnam 2009). Abused and neglected children have lower IQ’s than non-abused ones. Children who have been sexually traumatised have emotional and state memories indelibly burned into their brainstem and midbrain. Sexually traumatised children chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies. The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and in an attempt to control these processes, they often become expert at ignoring their gut feelings and in numbing awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from themselves. The child who is abused shuts down on emotional awareness and related verbal expression. Child sexual assault is a risk factor for a wide range of emotional and behavioural problems, and is a serious public health problem and risk factor for psychosocial impairment and health risk behaviour.

Identifying the signs and symptoms In identifying sexual abuse, the verbal report of the child remains the most common significant piece of evidence. Physical symptoms such as venereal disease are extremely reliable, but also rare. Certain other symptoms include inappropriate sexual behaviour, somatic complaints with sexual content, and running away from home are all specific enough to sexual abuse to be highly suggestive. Other frequently cited symptoms such as

depression, poor school performance, aggressive behaviour, and/or regressive behaviour, for example, are far too general and are found with too many other childhood traumas to be useful. False child reports of sexual abuse are rare and occur in perhaps no more than 2% of the cases. False reports in general, which include charges fabricated by adults as well as false reports by children, may total up to 8% of all cases.

Joanna Beazley Richards, the founder and Managing Director of Wealden Psychology Institute, is a chartered psychologist, registered clinical psychologist and a UKCP registered psychotherapist. A complete version of this article is available on our website at www.sussexcounselling.co.uk The second part of Joanna’s article will feature in our Autumn issue and will focus on therapy and supporting victims of abuse.

When he has no heart for sex Emma Waring reports on her workshop on cardiovascular disease and erectile dysfunction held at the Link Centre For many people sexuality and sexual functioning is an essential part of life. The importance placed on our ability to practice sexual expression may change depending on other factors such as age, relationships, and health, but it will often remain an integral part of an individual’s identity. Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects more than 152 million men worldwide and is predicted to rise to 300 million by the year 2025. (Aytac et al 1999). It is well-documented that ED appears to be more common with increasing age and this tends to be due to the increased incidence of diseases, which can cause ED. The risk of ED at any given age is estimated to range from 40% in 40 year old men increasing to a 60% in those over 70 years ranging from mild to severe (Feldman et al 1994). Erectile dysfunction is defined as ‘the persistent inability for a man to attain or sustain an erection for satisfactory sexual activity’ (Feldman 1994). Historically the aetiology of ED was regarded as predominately psychogenic, but as our knowledge of the physiology of the penis and pathophysiology of ED has developed, it is now

recognised to be mainly an organic condition. (Jackson et al 2002 & Bortolotti et al 1997). Regardless of the aetiology, ED can have hugely negative affects for a patient and his partner if he has one affecting self esteem, confidence, personal, social, work and family relationships (Rosen et al 1997). Looking at the physiology behind an erection, the strong link between ED and cardiovascular health becomes clear. Vascular disease is the most common cause of ED, with endothelial dysfunction being the common denominator.

establishing a clear link between the two pathologies. With ED and vascular disease sharing the same risk factors, it is logical that ED could, in an asymptomatic man, identify early vascular disease and act as a marker of silent, undetected CVD. This was demonstrated in a study of 50 asymptomatic men who presented at a Urology ED clinic. Exercise treadmill testing was abnormal in 28 of the 50 men and subsequent coronary angiography identified 20 men with previously undetected cardiac disease. Six men had severe coronary artery disease, seven had

Although many cardiac patients will have an underlying organic cause for their ED, the sexual problem is very likely to have caused them significant psychological or emotional distress, which may be compounding the problem The process of an erection involves the dilation of penile blood vessels and increased blood flow, therefore factors that affect the arterial vasculature will also affect erectile function. Endothelial dysfunction is common to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and ED,

moderate two vessel disease, and seven had single vessel disease (Pritzker 1999). An interesting theory called the ‘artery size’ hypothesis explains the link between ED and CVD. Despite atherosclerosis being a systemic disorder that affects the whole vascular

HEART DISEASE AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Dealing with the distress of ED

system, clinical symptoms will rarely appear s i m u l t a n e o u s l y. T h e explanation for this is that a greater than 50% lumen obstruction of the penile artery, which is only 1-2mm in size will usually cause symptoms i.e. ED. However, the same lumen obstruction would be less likely to cause significant obstruction to blood flow or symptoms in the coronary, carotid or femoral artery at that time because they are significantly larger in size, 3-4mm, 5-7mm, and 6-8mm respectively (Montorsi 2003) Prior to commencing treatment for ED all cardiac patient’s must be adequately assessed to determine their cardiac risk. Cardiac guidelines have made this process simple and categorise patients into low, intermediate or high groups. (British Consensus Statement Jackson et al 2002 and the Princeton Consensus Statement, Kostis et al 2005).

An holistic view is essential when taking a history from patient/couples. Although many cardiac patients’ will have an underlying organic cause for their ED, the sexual problem is very likely to have caused them significant psychological or emotional distress, which may be compounding the problem. It is always important to ensure the specialist assessing the sexual problem adopts a sensitive and empathic approach as talking about sexual difficulties can be both distressing and embarrassing. When assessing a patient/couple it is important to gain a clear understanding of the problem, when this started, were there any possible triggers for this, and whether the problem is situational or absolute. This information will give important clues as to whether the sexual problem is likely to have an underlying organic or psychogenic aetiology or whether it is a combination of factors. When assessing ED it is always useful to have the patient’s partner present if they have one. There are a number of very effective treatments available for treating ED; the mainstay of which are phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as Viagra (Sildenafil) or Cialis (Tadalafil). They have a good efficacy profile, are easy to administer, and have minimal side effects or contraindications. For clearly psychogenic ED or where there are other psychological factors to consider such as relationship problems, a combination of pharmacological treatment and psychosexual therapy may be required.

If a man is suffering with ED it’s vital he goes to his GP because they test for underlying cardiac risk factors as well as address the sexual problem.

Emma Waring obtained a post graduate diploma in psychosexual therapy at the University of Central Lancashire and worked as a sex and relationship therapist at Guy’s hospital. She joined London Bridge Hospital as a psychosexual nurse therapist and has set up a psychosexual therapy service for patients/couples experiencing sexual difficulties and/or relationship problems.

WORTHING OSTEOPATHIC & WELLBEING CLINIC 140, South Street, Tarring, Worthing BN14 7NB Tel: 01903 366260 info@wow-clinic.co.uk www.wow-clinic.co.uk Talking Therapies Room for Hire £8 per hour. Receptionist, Waiting Room, Kitchen facilities for tea/coffee The Clinic opened in February 2015 and offers a variety of treatments in a newly-decorated and tranquil environment. It has

onsite car parking, is a short walk from West Worthing Station as well as being on the 7 & 10 bus routes.

New seminar organiser sought as Pat Smale steps down Pat Smale, who is an integrative counsellor and supervisor working in private practice in Ditchling, says: “It is with some regret that I have decided to step down from the role as Seminar Co-ordinator for Sussex Counselling and Psychotherapy. The past two years have been very enjoyable and have enabled me to meet a lot of members as well as a variety of interesting speakers. However I think it is now time to hand over to another

co-ordinator at the AGM in June. I would urge members who have not yet managed to attend an event to do so as they are a great way to make contact with and socialise with other counselling and psychotherapy colleagues. The speakers offer a wide range of subjects and SCAP is always keen to hear what future subjects may appeal to members. The events are low cost and have tended to be held on a

half day only in order to keep the cost at a reasonable level. Refreshments are also provided and CPD certificates are available for each event. I hope to see some of you again at future events.” If you are interested in the post of Seminar Coordinator and would like to stand please come along to the AGM on June 6 or contact us at seminars@sussexcounselling.co.uk

SCAP NEWS How SCAP membership can support your business Inside this issue of the magazine you’ll find our new double-sided publicity card to hand out to counsellors and potential clients. The card is a handy guide to Sussex Counselling and a useful resource. If you’d like more copies of the card, please let Biddy Harling know at membership@sussexcounselling.co.uk. Time is running out to renew your membership to Sussex Counselling, which provides a host of benefits, including a paper directory to be published again this year. Entry to the directory, which can be distributed to GP surgeries, libraries and

community centres, is free to all paid-up members, but there will be a closing date at the end of May. Please don’t miss this unique opportunity to advertise your services to the public – pay your membership subscription to make sure you are eligible to go in the directory. You can do so online via our website at www.sussexcounselling.co.uk. Please note that if you joined SCAP since January 2015 you do not have to renew till April 2016. If you are in doubt about your membership status, or whether you have paid, please contact Biddy Harling on

membership@sussexcounselling.co.uk. As well as free entry to the online directory and paper directory, membership of Sussex Counselling offers you the benefit of discounts to our range of seminars and workshops, support from qualified practitioners as well as free copies of this quarterly newsletter and a chance to widen your potential to reach possible clients and other practitioners via our dedicated Twitter account at @SussexCAP. Or see our Facebook account at www.facebook.com/ SussexCounsellingAndPsyc hotherapy

SIGNPOSTS BURGESS HILL NEWLY-QUALIFIED COUNSELLOR VACANCY An exciting opportunity for a newly-qualified counsellor to gain counselling experience working with people with learning disabilities. Signposts is a drop-in centre for people with learning disabilities in MidSussex (Burgess Hill). We are looking for a counsellor to work regularly, ideally on Monday afternoons, offering 30-minute counselling sessions to our users. This paid-for post would be ideal for any counsellor recently-qualified and working towards accreditation. Essential: Qualified Counsellor to Diploma level. A member of the BACP, have own insurance and supervisor. Desirable: Knowledge or experience of working with vulnerable adults. Details: Will Geffin, Manager, Signposts (Mid Sussex) Ltd. Telephone: 01444 616 232. Mobile: 07535 403 249. E-mail: will.geffin@signpostsmidsussex.org.uk

www.signpostsmidsussex.org.uk

18 FRIDAY MAY 29 GlobalTransformation – Social Change From the Counselling Room with Mick Cooper. 10:30 am 11:30 am. Online Details at www.onlinevents.co.uk/ events/ SUNDAY MAY 31 CBT – The Choice Agenda: Is IAPT Getting the Balance Right for Clients Between CBT and Counselling? – Catherine Jackson & Mike Trier. Details http:// tinyurl.com/k3gcezr MONDAY JUNE 1 Paula Hall – Understanding and Recognising Sex and Porn Addiction. Details Brighton Therapy Partnership www.brightontherapypartn ership.org.uk THURSDAY JUNE 4 Partners CPD book group Details: Email claire@csec.fsnet.co.uk SATURDAY JUNE 6 Working with Domestic Violence with Jessica Taylor 10am-5pm. The Wilbury Clinic. Details: www.thewilburyclinic.co.uk SUNDAY JUNE 7 Working with Groups A workshop to consider the practicalities of setting up a counselling or psychotherapy group. www.thelinkcentre.co.uk/ 130.html

SATURDAY JUNE 6 SCAP AGM 10am Followed by workshop with Sarah Kenyon on Rising to the Challenge: how counsellors can respond to the crisis in young people’s mental health followed at 1pm

by the NEW COUNSELLOR SUPORT GROUP VENUE: COMMUNITY BASE, BRIGHTON www.sussexcounselling.co.uk MONDAY JUNE 8 The Internet And Me: A Tale of Two Countries. Free online talk by Anne Stokes 7-8pm onlinetrainingforcounsellor s.co.uk MONDAY JUNE 15 Scanning the Adolescent Brain: A New Horizon? What Can We Learn? 5.30-7.30pm Jury’s Inn, Brighton £12. John Coleman will discuss the technology of scanning, and review whether this has opened up a new horizon in terms of knowledge about adolescent development.

www.emotionaldevelopmen t.co.uk/events/currentevents TUESDAY JUNE 16 Mindful Eating Workshop with Jan Eaton. Centre for Emotional Development, Brighton. 9.45am-12 noon. £30. www.emotionaldevelopmen t.co.uk/events TUESDAY JUNE 16 Stress management: a Gestalt approach. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk SUNDAY 21 JUNE Direct Pointing Day with Ilona Ciunaite10.30am-4pm The Wilbury Clinic www.thewilburyclinic.co.uk SATURDAY JUNE 27 Emotional Breakdown in Young Parents. Brighthelm Centre, Brighton Tel: 01273 561511, e-mail info@emotionaldevelopmen t.co.uk TUESDAY JUNE 30 Telephone counselling. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk SATURDAY JUNE 20 Making the unbearable bearable with Maya Jarrett. Brighton. www.brightontherapypartn ership.org.uk SATURDAY JUNE 20 Attuned parental presence in early childhood and its implications for child development. With Shlomit Eliashar. Brighton

DIARY Counselling Training Centre. http://bctrainingcentre.com/

www.brightontherapypartn ership.org.uk

SATURDAY JUNE 27 Emotional breakdown in young parents. Centre for Emotional Development, Brighton. www.emotionaldevelopment .co.uk

SATURDAY JULY 11 Music and movement therapy. With Caroline Anderson. 9.45am-3.30pm. Brighton. www.emotionaldevelopment .co.uk

SATURDAY JULY 4 The impossible profession:making a sustainable living as a therapist with Michael Soth. www.brightontherapypartn ership.org.uk SUNDAY JULY 5 Feeding Your Demons (for therapists). An introduction to the 5 step process. Please note this workshop does not qualify you to use the FYD method with clients but rather offers an experience of a radical paradigm for working with difficult emotions. www.feedingyourdemons.co. uk.10-5pm.The Wilbury Clinic. www.thewilburyclinic.co.uk MONDAY JULY 6 Twilight lecture Exploring suicide from a family perspective. Jury’s Inn, Brighton. www.emotionaldevelopment .co.uk SATURDAY JULY 11 Professor Julia Buckroyd – Narcissism: Narcissists and Their Children – Made Not Born. Details Brighton Therapy Partnership

TUESDAY JULY 14 Assertiveness: A gestalt approach. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk SATURDAY JULY 18 The therapeutic power of the image. Link Centre www.thelinkcentre.co.uk SATURDAY 1 AND SUNDAY 2 AUGUST Introduction to mindfulness and stress reduction. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk

SATURDAY AUGUST 22 Life scripts. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk MONDAY AUGUST 24 Animal assisted therapy. Wealden Institute. www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk SATURDAY 29 AND SUNDAY 30 AUGUST AND SATURDAY 5 AND SUNDAY 6 SEPTEMBER Multi-level counselling skills course. Four day intensive. Link Centre. www.thelinkcentre.co.uk AUGUST TO OCTOBER Mindfulness-based stress reduction. www.thelinkcentre.co.uk SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26 Living well with dementia? A person-centred perspective. Brighton. www.brightonbapca.co.uk

Brighton Therapy Partnership Summer CPD Programme Out Now! Sex & Porn Addiction – Autism – The Unbearable– Making a Sustainable Living – Narcissism & Their Children W: brightontherapypartnership.org.uk T: 07521 651395

A long history on the black sheep of medicine psychiatry Shrinks: The untold story of psychiatryJeffrey A Lierberman with Ogi Agas A world-renowned psychiatrist reveals the fascinating story of psychiatry’s origins, demise and redemption. Psychiatry has come a long way since the days of chaining ‘lunatics’ in cold cells and parading them as freakish marvels before a gaping public. But, as Jeffrey Lieberman reveals in his eye-opening book, the path to legitimacy for ‘the black sheep of medicine’ has been anything but smooth. In Shrinks, Dr Lieberman traces the field from its birth as a mystic pseudo-science through its adolescence as a cult of ‘shrinks’ to its lateblooming maturity since the Second World War as a science-driven profession that saves lives. With case studies and portraits of the luminaries of the field, from Sigmund Freud to Eric Kandel, Shrinks is a gripping and illuminating read. It is also an urgent call-toarms to dispel the stigma surrounding mental illness and to start treating it as a disease rather than a state of mind.

The challenges of online counselling Online counselling - a handbook for practitioners - Ann Stokes and Gill Jones Online counselling is becoming increasingly popular, but working with clients through the internet presents new challenges for practitioners. Is it really safe and confidential? How can clients build rapport with their therapist without faceto-face contact? Can feelings really be expressed through text? This book gives invaluable advice on the technical and therapeutic aspects of online work from two seasoned experts. Clear, supportive and very practice-friendly, Online Counselling explores the ways counsellors can use the internet to augment their practice. Readers are taken through a wide range of situations, from setting up contracts and creating a secure working environment to understanding and using emoticons. Drawing on their considerable experience as online counsellors and supervisors, the authors explain how to create an online working alliance with clients through emails, instant messaging and live chat-room sessions.

When the body keeps a score The Body Keeps the Score - Dr Bessel van der Kolk Trauma does not just happen to other people - it happens to us, our friends and family and our neighbours. While humans are able to rebound from relentless wars, family violence and man-made disasters, experiences like these inevitably leave traces: on our minds, our emotions and even on our biology and immune systems. This matters not just to those who are directly affected, but to the people around them: the wives of men with PTSD tend to become depressed, abused children often go on to have violent relationships, soldiers are prone to terrorising their families. In The Body Keeps the Score, Dr Bessel van der Kolk shares 30 years’ experience in dealing with the traumatised to offer a new paradigm for treating traumatic stress and restoring the capacity for pleasure, intimacy and joy. We now understand how traumatic experiences literally rearrange the brain’s wiring and how, under the right circumstances, the areas of the brain dedicated to feelings of meaning, engagement, control and trust can be activated again. That understanding has allowed us to develop tools to help traumatised people regulate their emotions and engage fully in life, ranging from neuro-feedback to trauma processing, mindfulness and meditation to play and yoga.

REVIEWS

From trauma to recovery Trauma and Recovery: From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror Judith Lewis Herman This classic text reveals the systematic ‘degrading’ of the trauma suffered by women who are victims of rape, incest and domestic violence, as compared to the ‘heroic’ trauma of male war veterans. According to the author. ‘The implications of this insight are horrifying; the subordinate condition of women is maintained and enforced by the hidden violence of men. There is war between the sexes. Rape victims, battered women, and sexually abused children are its causalities. Hysteria is the combat neurosis of the sex war.’ Herman, psychiatrist and award-winning author, calls on 20 years of research and clinical work in this landmark study. She repeatedly challenges orthodoxies as she calls for a new diagnostic category for those suffering from ‘hidden’ traumas, and proposes revolutionary treatment which focuses on re-establishing the capacity for intimate relationships rather than the rehearsing of past trauma. Required reading for anyone who cares about the relationship between the sexes.

Partnerships lead to art in mind Art in Mind is an innovative and collaborative project between four Coastal and West Sussex Mind Centres, the University of Chichester’s Fine Art department and the Otter Gallery. Started in autumn 2014 with lead project artist Helen Peters guiding some 20 local mental health members from mixed age ranges, pictured below, participants have taken part in hands-on workshops at the gallery and at their centres to get to know the gallery’s Modern British art collection. Adopting the role of ‘curator’, participants have chosen what they like, learning about the materials and processes involved and about the history behind the pieces and being inspired by their chosen originals to create new art work across

different unusual forms of media. Art in Mind is an exhibition resulting from this topical project, showcasing between 20 and 30 pieces from the permanent collection alongside the participants’ fresh artistic responses. Sound and film documentation, public gallery tours, talks and workshops contribute to this increasingly relevant issue, raising awareness of the proven health benefits that hands-on engagement with authentic artefacts and artistic techniques can bring, not only to mental health sufferers but to the wider community. Art in Mind runs at the Otter Gallery, Chichester from June 15 to September 27. Details. www.chi.ac.uk/ otter-gallery.

Wealden Psychology Institute Established in Crowborough, East Sussex since 1986

www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk For 28 years Wealden Institute has been a centre of excellence for specialized and advanced learning for counsellors, psychotherapist and supervisors, offering courses from beginner to post graduate level, accredited by the BACP and recognized by the UKCP, UKATA, EATA and ITAA. The Institute has many years’ experience in providing the highest levels of practice through our Trauma Clinic, Supervision Service, Forensic Psychology Division and Animal Facilitated Therapy at our organic farm in High Hurstwood. We offer popular and acclaimed training in each of these fields through the highly respected Wealden College of Counselling and Psychotherapy. • • • • • • Counselling and Psychotherapy for children and adults, individuals and couples At a range of prices to suit all needs. Wealden Trauma Clinic Our clinic offers TA, EMDR, Mindfulness and Animal Facilitated Therapy for child and adult survivors of abuse, violence and trauma. Supervision of Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Clinical Psychologists and Supervisors Face to face or by Skype or telephone, for trainees and qualified practitioners. Foundation Certificate in Transactional Analysis Counselling & Psychotherapy. Ten weekend modules or 20 fortnightly Monday modules. Advanced Transactional Analysis Counselling & Psychotherapy (leading to UKCP registration). Ten weekend modules per year over three years. Diploma in Humanistic Integrative Counselling 40 days per year for two years – BACP Accredited course Fully recognised EMDR training For accredited Counsellors, Psychotherapists and Psychologists. Specialist training courses for counsellors and psychotherapists in Trauma Therapy, CBT, Coaching, Working with LGBT Clients, Working with Children and Adolescents, Working with Families, Forensic Counselling and Psychotherapy, Supervision, to name a few. Look at our Short Course Programme for details. We have a full programme of one and two day short courses and workshops – see our website for details. If you would like to get further information or arrange to come in for a chat, please contact the head office in Crowborough. You will receive a warm welcome.

• • • • • • Wealden Psychology Institute, 2 Quarry View, Whitehill Road, Crowborough, TN6 1JT

www.wealdeninstitute.co.uk Email: info@wealdeninstitute.co.uk Telephone: 01892 655 195

We asked a few of our students what they like about training at The Link Centre...

“As a student at the Link Centre, I have felt welcome, respected, valued and supported." “The learning environment is rich, safe and dynamic . . explore, learn, ask questions, challenge and be challenged.” At The Link Centre we take pride in offering quality training, resulting in professional, ethical and competent practitioners. If you are interested in further developing your skills and experience, join us for some of our CPD Workshops and introductory courses.

Working with Groups

Counselling Skills (30 hours)

Sunday 7th June Consider the practicalities of setting up a psychotherapy or counselling group and how this differs from individual work. For training and qualified practitioners. Course Tutor: Karen Miniken MSc (TA Psych), CTA (P)

29th/30th August and 5th/6th September A Multi-Level course (beginners, intermediate or advanced) for those wanting to learn counselling skills for the first time or improving and developing existing skills. Course Tutors: Leilani Mitchell, Mark Head and Lisa Bedford Cooper

The Therapeutic Power of the Image Saturday 18th July For training and qualified practitioners, across all modalities, who are interested in exploring the language of image as a resource in their client work. Course Tutor: Suki Abbott UKCP Reg. Integrative Arts Psychotherapist and Creative Supervisor

Foundation Certificate in TA and Counselling/Psychotherapy Training Apply now for part-time courses starting in October 2015 open evening on Weds 3rd June to find out more.

01892 652 487 www.thelinkcentre.co.uk email: leilani@thelinkcentre.co.uk The Link Centre training rooms are at Newick, Sussex.

Working Therapeutically Outdoors 17th/18th October An introductory workshop to the world of therapy in natural spaces. For training and qualified practitioners, across all modalities. Course Tutor: Hayley Marshall MSc (TA Psych), PTSTA

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction 8 week course - August to October Course Tutor: Mark Head Bsc (Hons) MSc (Psych), CTA (P) UKCP Reg Psychotherapist, TSTA (P)