Lorraine Davies-Smith

About

A flexible and comprehensive psychological therapy service, provided by a fully qualified, registered and experienced Psychotherapist, suitable for Individuals, Couples, or Families.

Below are the types of therapy approaches that I am qualified and experienced in and the types of difficulties they are shown to be effective with. However it is not like a menu at a restaurant, where if you order a particular dish you do not get access to the other dishes. It is more of a mix and match approach of drawing on as many of the approaches as is necessary in order to provide a flexible therapeutic process that it can be tailored to fit with the difficulties the person; couple or family wish to address. I have also listed my qualification and professional registrations.

SYSTEMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
This is commonly thought of as the gold standard approach for working with couples and families. However it is also very effective as an approach for working with individuals who wish to attend therapy unaccompanied.
When I use the words couple and family I am not referring exclusively to heterosexual or biologically related relationships. Family is used to describe any group of people who care about each other and call themselves a family.
Systemic Psychotherapy takes a non- pathologising; non-judgemental stance to the difficulties people find themselves negotiating, respecting the importance of each person’s beliefs, culture; gender; age; sexuality and life experience.
I have training and experience of working with the full range of couple and family constellations, i.e., gay; lesbian; transgender; adoption; step-families.

Systemic Psychotherapy has been found to be useful across a wide range of situations
Where current behaviour patterns and emotional responses are linked to past history and experience.
When current life situations are untenable, i.e., abusive relationships; difficulties at work or socially; when experiencing relationship or family or parenting difficulties; where communication has broken down or is difficult.
When major life changes such as bereavement; divorce; relationship breakdown; becoming a parent; redundancy; retirement; children leaving home; amongst others, are not being negotiated successfully.


COUPLES THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION
A newly developed approach specifically developed for working with couples where one partner is depressed. The therapy synthesises aspects of Systemic Psychotherapy; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT); Attachment theory and Communication training.


COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY CBT)
CBT is based on the concept that your thoughts, (cognitions) and actions (behaviours) and feelings are interconnected, and that negative thoughts produce feelings that can trap you in a vicious cycle of repetitive behaviour. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy seeks to track how one’s thinking influences one’s feelings and behaviours and works with the client to change thoughts and behaviour.
In 2006 Nursing Times, commissioned me to write an article; Davies-Smith L. (2006) An introduction to providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Nursing Times Vol.102 (26) p28-30.


EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR)
Develop by Francine Shapiro, most commonly used to treat the after effects of traumatic incidents that one may have experienced, for instance car crashes; being mugged; traumatic birth experiences.


HYPNOTHERAPY
Is commonly used to help people break unwanted habits, such as smoking or nail biting. It is also a very useful aid for stress reduction and help with the management of anxiety. It can aid pain relief and pain control. Hypnotherapy can be used in conjunction with psychotherapy.


NARRATIVE EXPOSURE THERAPY (NET)
This therapy developed in response to survivors of war who had witnessed or experienced multiple traumas, commonly leading to the development of symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The theory that underpins NET is based upon neuropsychological models of trauma and memory. NET synthesises Testimony Therapy (as developed by Lira and Weinstein in Chile) in combination with cognitive behavioural exposure techniques. Via this process, fragmentary memories are transformed into a coherent narrative, with the emotional charge reduced to bearable levels.

MENTALIZATION
Mentalization is the ability to understand the mental state, of oneself or others, which leads to ‘behaviour’.
When you mentalize, you are trying to understand the motive behind the actions of others by understanding their mental states.
By trying to understand the other person’s mental state and its origin, you can better understand why people think or behave a certain way and be more attuned to your own emotions, thoughts, and needs.
Mentalization-Based Therapy will focus on your past and present relationships, working via the attachment system.
Enhancement of Mentalization ability improves communication, empathy, and understanding in interpersonal relationships.

NEURO-LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP)
Neuro-linguistic programming is an approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, United States in the 1970s. Their original theories and techniques were derived via their study of the well-known psychotherapist Virginia Satir, the hypnotherapist Milton Erickson, the anthropologist Gregory Bateson, and others whom they considered ‘charismatic superstars’ in their fields. They identified psychological, linguistic, and behavioural characteristics, that they said, contributed to the effectiveness of these individuals. My view is this is a useful intervention to have as part of a therapy / coaching package, but that it is not a stand-alone treatment model.

QUALIFICATIONS & PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS
• BSc (Hons) Psychology - 2.1
• MSc Systemic Family & Couple Therapy - Merit
• Advanced Post Graduate Diploma in the Supervision of Systemic Psychotherapy - Distinction
• Couples Therapy for Depression – Accredited Practitioner.
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Parts 1, 2 and 3.
• Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
• Diploma in Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)
• Diploma in Analytical Hypnotherapy
• CBT Basic - Intermediate -Advanced modules Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre
• Group Relations Foundations
• Certificate in Administrative Management

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice*
• British Psychological Society – Graduate member
• Institute for Family Therapy
• National Council for Hypnotherapy
• United Kingdom for Psychotherapy – College of Family Couple & Systemic Therapy

*I was an Association of Family Therapy Board Member 2006 – 2013. During that time, I was the AFT Board representative on a number of national working parties, including
i) Skills for Health (2008-2009) development of National Occupational Standards for Psychological Therapies
ii) New Ways of Working (2009) Work Stream 1 Conveners, Peter Fonagy and Graham Turpin, “Bringing together the evidence base for psychological therapies: which treatments, what skills and whose competencies are needed for the future IAPT national training and service delivery plan?”
iii) Attending All Party Parliamentary Group Meetings concerned with Mental Health and Child Welfare issues
I was also a member of AFTs Strategic Development Group, reporting to the AFT Board regarding responding to legislation and government policy initiatives.

TEACHING / LECTURING & TRAINING OTHERS
• I have lectured at a number of London Universities, including University of East London, City University, Kings College London Institute of Psychiatry, University of Hertfordshire
• For 5 years I was the Systemic module organiser for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire
• I have run day workshops at the Institute of Family Therapy
• Supervisor and trainer for the MSc & qualifying training in Systemic Psychotherapy at the Tavistock Clinic London
• Supervisor and Trainer for IFT

PUBLICATIONS
• Expert reviewer (2002 – 2010) Nursing Times for articles submitted for publication that incorporated mental health practices
• Davies-Smith L. (2006) An introduction to providing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Nursing Times Vol.102 (26) p28-30.
• Davies-Smith, L.; Whelan, A. and Gibson, R. (2010) West Barnet Family Work Service: An Adult Mental Health: Training and Clinical Provision Project. Context 108.

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