About
(See below for some reviews - new to Bark)
Hello,
I know from personal experience that life can be tough. I'm here to help make it a little, (and very often a lot) easier.
I can offer face to face sessions though find most people prefer on-line these days.
Therefore location and travelling is no problem.
If you’d like to know a little more or ask any questions, please get in touch so that we can arrange a Free and Strictly Confidential chat to discuss how I can help you.
I know choosing a therapist can be difficult so please scroll below for feedback from some recent clients to see if reading their story might help.
I work with a broad range of presenting issues including Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, weight loss, Confidence and Performance blocks, Phobias, Addiction, Historical Abuse, OCD, Sleep Problems, Sexual Problems and much more… The wonderful thing about all the tools Cognitive Hypnotherapy includes is that therapy is tailored to each individual client that I see and their individual way of experiencing the world. The first thing I aim to do is really understand you and your unique experience of what you wish to address.
Within my Practice, I use a variety of powerful and incredibly effective techniques including bespoke Hypnotherapy, (Wordweaving), AMDR, (Applied EMDR), EFT, (Emotional Freedom Technique, CBT, (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), Gestalt Therapy, NLP, (Neuro Linguistic Programming), and other.
In the words of some of my past clients:
I found my sessions with Una incredible. I made so much progress from the very start. Having been in a place of deep sadness I reached out to Una after my husband and I had completed some couples counselling on the back of discovering his historic affair. There was so much more to the pain I was feeling but couldn’t process but Una helped me connect with the hurt I had never let go of from childhood. She was compassionate and empathetic and held me emotionally in a space that felt safe to revisit my past and give myself the love I needed to move forwards.
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My experience working with Una
When I decided to start my therapy journey I had contacted a few therapist and during my first call with Una I had a good (gut) feeling that she could help me, and I was right about that! I came to Una looking for help regarding problems in my relationship with my partner and jealousy. During the sessions I was surprised to learn that what I thought was me trying to keep control was actually giving away control, which was a big trigger for me. When I first started the therapy, I really didn't believe that I would change and it took a few sessions and hard work to start seeing the progress but now I can see that I was able to change and have made amazing progress.
During the sessions I felt comfortable telling Una things that I was uncomfortable in general such as ways I had behaved. I was able to be completely honest without feeling like I was judged. She would make sure to work on the hard topics in a gentle way which I really appreciated. It has been difficult but also rewarding journey working with Una and she made the experience as comfortable as therapy can be.
She is a kind and caring person and I am happy that I have worked with her. Having someone who believed in me when I didn't really helped me get to the place I am now.
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After suffering with health anxiety, generalised anxiety and OCD since around 8 years old, I found myself at 22 still repeating the same cycles. Struggle, get better, fall back into old patterns and repeat. Many years and various different types of therapy later, I had lost faith with the possibility of overcoming self made obstacles and living the life I wanted. In an attempt to ‘gain control’ when I felt like I had no control of the things around me, I became quite good at self sabotaging.
Following one of my worst self sabotages yet, I desperately looked for the help I was yet to receive and then I found Una. Una instantly created a safe place with no judgement and planted a real seed of hope for me.
We worked on a variety of different things but the biggest difference Una made to me was my quality of life. I was suffering with severe OCD, every single daily task felt like a days work and nothing was just simple anymore. Although at times I was very guarded and sceptical, Una was extremely patient and worked hard to find the things that worked for me!
With constant guidance, encouragement and support from Una, for the first time in my life I was able to tackle one of my biggest struggles. I live a completely different life now, no longer ruled by OCD or time consuming routines. I live in a way that at one time felt impossible and I could never have imagined, I now live how I want to live.
Una has given me not only hope, but life long tools that I can apply to all different situations and problems I am faced with. I can’t thank Una enough and I am so grateful that she does the work she does. As I find myself often saying to the people around me, everybody needs an Una.
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My 13year old son had been suffering from severe headaches for a number of months, which was having a significant impact on his education and ability to do everyday things. He had turned from a happy, social, do anything child to a bed bound pained child who did not have the energy to participate in everyday life. Visits to the Doctors, hospitals and whatever else we could come up with did not have any impact, not even the various medications prescribed. After reading a book on pain management I concluded we needed to try to get his brain to take control and "turn down" the pain dial, so searched the web for hypnotherapists.
I made contact with Una and immediately felt at ease as I talked through the issues, (I felt listened to and that my opinions mattered). She talked through how she would approach helping my son in a language that was very easy to understand and I could connect with. Making a connection is something that Una does very well, she spent the time to research how best to communicate with my son and I found him talking to Una as a good friend instead of an awkward therapy session.
Having the option to have the meetings online was perfect for my IT loving child. Initial nerves were soon overcome as he was engaged in conversation about subjects he loved to talk about. Other than hearing him chatter away happily I do not know what went on but got the sense that he was taking everything seriously and had a sense of purpose and positivity.
Una would follow up with me to convey the progress being made and develop ideas on how to make further connections with my son and how I could support the process. My sons sessions were confidential and this confidence was not broken, but Una also understood the need, as a parent, to be involved and support the process. As we developed ideas it was great to see my son engage and make changes to his lifestyle - even to this day after being headache free for 3 months he is still doing an activity suggested by Una.
I now have my happy, do anything child back but also know that should we experience any further challenges, as my teenage son develops into a man, he has someone to help and coach him to be mentally strong so he can be the best he can be.
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Una changed my life and that is an understatement.
I remember the first time we spoke on the phone; I was at rock bottom (again) suffering massively with gambling addiction and hating everything about life. I had tried Gambling anonymous but never felt as if it was treating the cause. After my first conversation with Una she had managed to make me feel incredibly motivated and at ease that everything would be ok. It was the first time in years I had felt a sense of purpose.
Its hard to put into words the affect the sessions I had with Una had on me, I went from gambling every penny I had and hating my life, myself and feeling like a useless sack of bones. To not gambling and not even contemplating gambling for 5months now, and becoming the person I want to be, I feel like Una gave me back my freedom to live the life I want to live without having the gambling addiction looming over me.
The tools Una gave me didn’t just help stop my gambling, but they re-programmed my entire outlook on life and how I react to stressful and overwhelming situations. I can only describe it as magic. I am now able to do the things in life I wanted to do. I see a future.
Without Una I don’t know where I would be.
Una truly changed my life and I can’t thank her enough.
5 months gamble free and only getting stronger.
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Having very recently been signed off work by a doctor due to suffering from stress and anxiety, I decided, at the age of 55, to use this valuable time off to try and address these thoughts and feelings I was experiencing through hypnotherapy, which I felt worked for me many years ago.
I must confess, I was a little sceptical, as I wasn’t completely sure if the previous lady I visited, had hypnotised me, albeit I felt it did help me overcome a commitment phobia I had at the time.
I found Una on-line and was immediately put at ease by her pleasant tone over the phone, her immediate understanding of my situation, and her willingness to help and discuss my predicament completely FOC prior to any professional engagement.
I was initially concerned with the thought of conducting sessions over Zoom, however, through a combination of the preparatory work I was given, which helped identify situations and circumstances in my past, that I hadn’t, until now, given much consideration too, and Una’s innate ability to make you feel very relaxed, I was feeling much calmer within an hour, knowing I had her support and a further two sessions to go.
In short, I extended my initial three sessions, which Una felt would be sufficient to address my work-related issues, by a further three sessions, to help address something in my life I hadn’t originally thought to discuss, but once the genie was out of the bottle, it felt right.
During this period, with my newfound confidence, I not only gave notice to my current employer, but also attended a couple of interviews on-line and secured a new role at a new company.
I listen to the recordings from our sessions as often as I can, and truly believe that they have and will continue to help me overcome stressful situations that will undoubtedly arise both in my new role and in my family life.
I also have the comfort of knowing that in the event I need assistance in the future, I have someone in Una I can not only reach out too, but more importantly, understands me very well and knows how to help.
I would highly recommend reaching out to Una if you’re in need of assistance or simply a reset, because not all illnesses are physical.
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My experience working with Una
When I decided to start my therapy journey I had contacted a few therapist and during my first call with Una I had a good (gut) feeling that she could help me, and I was right about that! I came to Una looking for help regarding problems in my relationship with my partner and jealousy. During the sessions I was surprised to learn that what I thought was me trying to keep control was actually giving away control, which was a big trigger for me. When I first started the therapy, I really didn't believe that I would change and it took a few sessions and hard work to start seeing the progress but now I can see that I was able to change and have made amazing progress.
During the sessions I felt comfortable telling Una things that I was uncomfortable in general such as ways I had behaved. I was able to be completely honest without feeling like I was judged. She would make sure to work on the hard topics in a gentle way which I really appreciated. It has been difficult but also rewarding journey working with Una and she made the experience as comfortable as therapy can be.
She is a kind and caring person and I am happy that I have worked with her. Having someone who believed in me when I didn't really helped me get to the place I am now.
********
I had reached a crossroads with my riding as a result of the fear which had crept in. Finally, I had reached a point where I felt I had to find a solution or give up riding. A friend recommended therapy as a way to help me work through my issues. I researched therapists near me and, although the friend suggested I might need to speak to more than one, Una was immediately someone I felt comfortable with and that she would be empathetic and sensitive to my problem.
I have now been working with Una for some months and can say that I have made such progress that I can see a future where I am riding without fear. Una tailors the sessions to what the individual needs and uses different methods to address the problems. There is always support and a listening ear available. I did find that there were things in my early life, which had a bearing on my current situation, but I hadn’t recognised the impact they were having. Una helped me revisit and resolve the issues and has provided me with the tools to support me in life and, in fact, to view life differently.
I can highly recommend Una. Without her I would have given up riding my beloved horse. For me he is my friend and riding is my passion, so it means everything to have had Una help me in this journey.
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As a nervous student coming up to his A-Levels, I didn't have many things left to try to help me stay calm for my exams. My parents helped me find different solutions to combat this, and this is how we came across Cognitive Therapy.
Right from our initial meeting, Una helped me feel comfortable, and helped me work through my anxieties.
Come time for my A-Levels I felt better prepared mentally than ever before for an exam."
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For the past 4 years I’ve been struggling with anxiety and grief and no amount of counselling was getting me through it.
I had a really rough pregnancy and was told my baby would never survive birth but thankfully she did, then tragedy struck again when my husband passed away just 4 weeks after our baby was born and of course covid and lockdown had to happen at the same time.
I’ve tried everything to get myself out of a state where I thought I couldn’t go on another day when hypnotherapy was suggested to me, I done a google search and came across Una.
My first meeting with Una was so calming and so welcoming I was instantly at ease with her.
Una helped me rethink everything and retrain my thought process to not focus on all of negativity and trauma that had happen but to realise that even what you perceive to be your worst day there is always something to be grateful for.
I have come so far with Una’s help and I can honestly say without her I would of had a breakdown but I can say with a new found confidence that I am finally looking forward to living my life to the fullest for myself and my child.
Una is fantastic and I’m trying to think of new reasons to go back for more sessions with her but unfortunately she fixed me.
A bit about me:
Before training as a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I worked in Senior Management. Part of my role was looking after the Pastoral Care of the team worldwide. Helping people overcome problems has been my driver since I can remember.
I lived in Spain until the age of 11 and speak Spanish fluently. I also have a very good personal and professional understanding and deep respect for different cultures.
I have lived my entire life with the mantra that every problem has a solution and a wall is just an obstacle. To this day I would say that on the whole, this mantra holds true.
And I would say the same about therapy. A human being, and crucially our brains, are constantly adapting, learning and evolving. With enough will and the right support, change, even to the longest held anxiety, trauma, negative beliefs or habits, is always possible regardless of what we have been through or are going through. Just like with software, we can reprogram our brains and we can train ourselves to become free from old unwelcome conclusions, fears, behaviours and constraints.
Through our work, I help clients deal with the emotional aspects interfering with their lives, be it professionally, personally, societally, or even with themselves.
Only once we stop being hijacked by our emotions and the anxiety and overwhelm that produces, can we relax, be free, be happy, feel lighter & brighter, effectively communicate, grow, succeed and achieve the outcomes and the peace and the freedom we so desire. No one should feel like they do not have a voice!
People generally do not expect a therapist to be practical, however my approach is absolutely free from judgement, down to earth, realistic and practical. Crucially every step is adapted to the individual in front of me. Some of what we do can sound a bit woo woo at times, and believe me, there was even a time I thought that myself, however there is logic to all I do during my sessions, even when it may sometimes sound like “just” a conversation.
Therapy Sessions
I work mainly on-line with clients so location is not an impediment, or can work face to face in Aston Clinton, Bucks.
Please contact me if you would like to have a chat. We can then arrange a free and strictly confidential telephone consultation so that we see if I am the right person to help you. If I am not, then I assure you I will do my best to help you find someone who is.
Training, qualifications & experience
DipCHyp - Diploma in Cognitive Hypnotherapy
NLP Prac - Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner
MNLP - Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Awarded by The Quest Institute, the founding organisation of Cognitive Hypnotherapy.
HPD - National Council for Hypnotherapy Practitioner Diploma
Verified by the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the HPD is accredited by the NCFE. This is the only independently accredited professional qualification for Hypnotherapy available in the UK.
AMDR - AMDR is a new approach to trauma based on a Synthesis of EMDR and Cognitive Hypnotherapy. All of AMDR is founded on solid neuroscience-based research, and is a careful trauma repair process designed to heal trauma mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Trained by the founders of AMDR, Gill Wood and Joshua Isaac Smith.
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