Solutions Counselling

Depression should not be confused with low mood. Each and every one of us from time to time may well suffer from low mood. This is perfectly natural and normally a reaction to life events or situations. However, if low mood persists it can lead to mild depression. There are many forms of depression. Clinical depression, also known as major depression or major depressive disorder, is the most severe form and is not the same as depression caused by loss or death which are reactive, or a medical condition such as thyroid disorder. Between these there are other types such as seasonally affective disorder ( SAD), bi-polar disorder, situational depression and pre menstrual dysphoric disorder.
Depression is a treatable illness. In fact it is one of the most treatable of all mental illnesses.
Severe or persistent depression may need both medication and therapy in order to make a recovery. At Solutions we like to work in conjunction with both your GP and consultant should you have one. It is perfectly normal for everybody to suffer from low mood and depression at times of loss, bereavement etc. However we offer a wide range of therapies to enable you to become the ‘best you’ whatever the circumstances of your depression.
Often simple techniques can make a major difference and the understanding of how and why we store events can make life changing breakthroughs.

The last 20 years has seen a huge surge in eating disorders. We are regularly seeing younger clients with either anorexia or bulimia. People appear to be far more conscious of self image and feel pressurised to conform to a certain type. Here at Solutions we run programmes to enable people to adopt healthy eating/weight loss programmes. Diets seldom work long term. Our objective is to help people understand and eliminate unhealthy eating practices , thereby obtaining their ideal weight in a manner which they are able to effortlessly maintain. Eating disorders while having basic similarities are unique to each and every individual and as such our programmes are tailored specifically to that individual’s needs.
We pride ourselves in assisting those that have been unable to find help elsewhere. We believe that the effects of both eating disorders and weight problems need to be taken very seriously as left unchecked they can result in extremely serious health / psychological problems

Bereavement is a term used to describe what people feel after the loss of a loved one. Grief is the time spent adjusting to this loss. It is important to remember that everyone deals with bereavement differently and that your own unique way of dealing with grief is normal.
While bereavement is the result of the loss of a loved one, grief can be the result of any loss. All loss = grief = pain. It can be helpful to know that there are stages and responses to loss. The following experiences are general responses to loss but they fall in no particular order and can leapfrog or re-occur during the period of loss.
Shock – this closes down the system to prevent greater damage. It is experienced as numbness and confusion.
Denial – is not wanting to accept the truth - disbelief
Anger – There may be rage at being made to feel the pain of loss resulting in blame and then shame for owning the feelings.
Guilt – this can be a response to shame and can eventually lead to depression. Typical thoughts may be ‘I could have…’, ‘ I wish I had..’ . It highlights unresolved issues
Depression – fear – confusion – setbacks (e.g. anniversaries)
Healing - acceptance of the loss - setbacks become less intense and less frequent - person has adapted and learned to live with the loss
Loss is experienced by everyone in the course of their lives to a greater or lesser extent. Some categories of loss during our development are:
Separation – of baby from mother, of child from mother, home, school
Failure- poor exam results, no entry into chosen lifestyle , expectations
Rejection – of adolescent by a sweetheart, being loved by another
Growing up- parents let go, unsureness, burden of responsibility
Unfulfillment- of an ideal or an ambition, not being able to be (eg parent)
Divorce – anger/resentment, poor communication, not being heard
Redundancy – the loss of a ‘Right to Work’
Unemployment – loss of being wanted/needed Status- loss of position, power, money
Good Health – loss of control over our well being, loss of youth
Libido – loss of performance we ‘should’ achieve or ’ought’ to experience
Identity – lack of self worth/value
Bereavement – a loss of what was.
Loss = Grief= Pain = Feelings
It is perfectly natural to have these feelings but we are often unaware of the cause or the process that we go through. Because of how debilitating and pervasive these affects can be it is often very hard to understand or make sense of what we are going through. Grief is often a necessary path of healing and coming to terms with loss. However it is all too easy to become stuck in one particular stage or in a circular loop that just keeps repeating.
Often we have no one to talk to or feel unable to explain the confusion and the hurt. Here at Solutions we offer a range of techniques to enable you to come to terms with your loss, and re-gain positive feelings about yourself and the future.
Everybody is different therefore so is every solution. We therefore individualise the way forward that best suits your individual requirements.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder comprises two main areas. The first is the performing of certain routines repeatedly (rituals). These can range from the relatively minor, i.e. touching wood or crossing your fingers, to life changing activities that can affect in a negative way one’s complete behaviour for example repeatedly washing or checking.
The other side to OCD is the inability to control certain thoughts. The thoughts normally follow a pattern and the sufferer is unable to control the content or the repeat.
In both cases the OCD can take up hours of every day. While realising that these behaviours are illogical the sufferer is often unable to do anything about them resulting in stress, anxiety and depression.
At Solutions we offer a range of therapies to enable a better understanding and coping mechanism for OCD.
Similar in some ways to OCD are other types of behaviour such as perfectionism and meticulous behaviour, while others feel unable to control their thoughts. Here again we offer assistance through introducing people to the ideas and methods by which they can think deliberately and choose alternative behaviours.

Pain is caused by the production of chemicals called prostaglandins which act on nerve endings, so that a signal is passed along a series of nerve cells to the brain. The interpretation of these sensations can be affected by the psychological state of the individual, so that pain is worsened by anxiety and fear. Pain is normally generated as a result of injury, infection, disease etc.
Many pains are described as intractable, which means that they are obstinate and resistant to treatment. In most cases, however, the tissue source of the pain is vague or absent. There are many pains that give us no information – or false information – about the source of irritation or injury. Three of these are Phantom Limb Pain, Referred Pains and Psychosomatic Pains.
Pharmacological intervention is generally via analgesics. There are two principal types of analgesic, narcotics and non-narcotics. Narcotics are related to morphine and are the most powerful analgesic drugs. Non-narcotics are less powerful and they include aspirin, paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
Pain is often linked closely to tension and fear. Many patients experience a decrease in pain after beginning to use relaxation/mental imagery processes regularly. We believe that this is due to two reasons. First; relaxation reduces muscle tension which in turn reduces pain. And second: mental imagery helps the patient to develop a positive expectation which reduces fear and tension, further educing pain.
In short, it is possible to modify or in some cases even eliminate pain with the use of relaxation, positive imagery and the use of hypnosis. All of these generally have a positive outcome with benefits also to a general state of well being and a more optimistic and confident approach.

Also known as Self injury, is defined as the intentional direct injuring of one’s own body but without suicidal intention. This can take a range of forms: cutting, piercing, burning, scratching, banging and hitting one’s own body. It can also include the continual picking of wounds, hair pulling, and/or the ingestion of toxic substances or objects . Some self harming behaviours may be potentially life threatening. The desire to self harm is complex and can range from issues of control, peer pressure, or a sense of belonging, to other disorders such as depression, anxiety, trauma , emotional and sexual abuse.
At Solutions we aim to individualise every course of therapy to best suit the individual and the presenting behaviour. Trust, confidence and empathy are paramount to a successful outcome. We embark for this outcome as a joint venture with the client, in order to obtain the desired freedom and self confidence necessary in every positive outcome.

Stress is the result of our primitive flight, fight or freeze mechanism. While appropriate for primitive man, in today’s environment, where we have limited means of physically releasing the adrenaline and other hormones that accompany stress, it is not so helpful. Small amounts of stress can be positive and beneficial. Stress plays a huge part in our motivation, our performance and adaptation to our environment, However if unchecked it can lead to physical problems such as an increased risk of ulcers, heart attack and strokes and mental illness such as depression.
All stress is created internally by our individual perceptions and negative emotions relating to our environment and our situation. This normally happens when we do not believe we have the resources to cope with whatever obstacles we are facing. At Solutions we offer a range on techniques in order to expand your coping mechanisms for stress and your understanding of the causes and the physiology involved. Anxiety on the other hand is characterised by feelings of anxiety and fear.
Anxiety and fear are both a reaction to current and future events. If severe not only will it lead to an increased heart rate and shakiness but panic attacks and in severe cases this may become specific as opposed to generalised, leading to a possible phobic reaction. Without treatment anxiety disorders tend to remain. We offer a range of treatments including advice on lifestyle changes, counselling and therapy.

Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event such as an accident, rape or a natural disaster. Immediately after the event shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flash backs, strained relationships and even physical symptoms. While these feelings may be normal at the time, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives.
Trauma can be sustained through one major event or through a series of small events compounding to form a similar pattern of behaviour.
Abuse can come in many forms and is classed as improper usage or treatment ranging from sexual, physical, verbal, patient, child or psychological. The effects of abuse can be absolutely devastating and are too numerous to list on this page. While similar in many respects to trauma, abuse and its effects are often more subtle and less obvious. However the effects can be even more devastating to the point where it is often hard for the victim to understand that they have been abused at all.
Avoidance is included on this page because the origins of avoidance type behaviour are often found in victims of either trauma or abuse. However this is not always the case. Avoidance coping behaviours refer to people who choose their behaviour in order to avoid or escape particular thoughts or feelings. It can involve either ‘doing’ (as with OCD) or ‘not doing’ as when someone attempts to avoid an unwanted experience. While it is done with the belief that it is a coping mechanism, it will always lead to more anxiety.
At Solutions we seek to provide you with a better understanding of any of the above problems in order that we can work with you to identify the problem, your desired outcome and the most appropriate individualised therapies for you to obtain your desired goals

At Solutions we offer a wide range of services aimed at improving relationships. These can be parent-child, sibling - sibling, partner-partner, husband-wife or colleague-colleague.
I never ceased to be astonished at how many couples go through relationship counselling that appears to cause more friction and ultimately ends up advising on a mutually acceptable way to separate, as opposed to helping couples rekindle a faltering relationship. We have some fairly unique therapies for individuals and couples who genuinely want to remain together.
In addition to this we increasingly see clients who are broken hearted along with all that that implies. They are experiencing loss, grief, rejection, helplessness, even trauma. While it obviously is natural to grieve the loss of a loved one it is important to understand that this is a process which can be helped and , as with death, the natural response is a process to work through not a debilitating cycle or downward spiral to be endured. Romantic break up can even lead to post traumatic stress disorder if the appropriate help and understanding is not on hand. We pride ourselves on our very positive approach and personalised therapies for dealing with a broken heart.
As a result of dysfunctional relationships with their origins in abuse, former broken heart or their parental model we can, as adults, go on to have a wide range of attachment disorders normally compounding one on another. The first step in correcting is to recognise the pattern e.g. an abusing or drunken partner, or failing usually through fear, to commit to a relationship etc. As with any inappropriate behaviour, these can be effectively addressed and a more healthy approach generated in its place.