How We Help
Human Givens
Healthier Mind Practice works from THE HUMAN GIVENS APPROACH, which is a set of organising ideas that provides a holistic, scientific framework for understanding the way that individuals and society work. This framework encompasses the latest scientific understandings from neurobiology and psychology, as well as original new insights.
The human givens approach – which was developed 20 years ago – derives from the understanding that, when essential emotional needs are met and our innate mental resources are used correctly, a human being will be emotionally and mentally healthy.
It is when emotional needs are not adequately met, or are met in unhealthy ways, or when innate resources are damaged for any reason, or are unintentionally misused, that undesirable mental states develop.
It is a practical, forward-focused approach, which concentrates on teaching skills and understandings that people can use in the future to move on in their lives, rather than concentrating on, and being stuck in, what went wrong in the past.
Thus – instead of being reliant on one ‘model’ of therapy – the human givens approach is fluid and flexible, making use of whatever techniques and approaches will best suit the particular client being worked with. All within the guiding framework of helping clients meet missing emotional needs and use innate mental resources in the healthiest ways possible.
We have been offering online therapy to clients for many years. With the emergence of Covid 19 and the changes that this has made to so many aspects of life, online therapy, via Zoom has become ‘quite normal’.
All our work is currently being undertaken online. Clients are reporting excellent outcomes from working in this way.
It is essential when undertaking online therapy that you work with an experienced practitioner who knows how to use this online platform effectively in order that therapy can be conducted as safely and effectively as it would be face-to-face. With this in mind, you can book with confidence knowing that the above requirements are being met – but if you have any further questions, please do get in touch and we will do our best to give you the reassurance or information that you need.
Stress and Anxiety are closely related and are a normal part of life. Many anxiety problems arise because of chronic levels of stress. Anxiety can be unpleasant and can affect us all in different ways, and at different times. We can be anxious because we have to give a presentation but it passes once the perceived threat has gone. Problems occur when the anxiety doesn’t pass.
Anxiety can cause severe physical symptoms, such as chest pains that can feel like we are having a heart attack, it can make us imagine that things are worse than they really are, and it can impact on all areas of our lives. Often someone will think they are going mad, or that some psychological imbalance is at the heart of the issue.
Anxiety is normal and exists due to an internal alarm system designed to protect us from perceived or real threats. It is known as the “fight or flight” response.
Some people know what is causing their anxiety. It can be caused by stress, a traumatic incident, or someone experiencing a significant life event, like moving house or getting divorced. However, some people don’t know or are not aware, of what is causing it.
Depression can be driven by anxiety, anger and guilt; and maybe a mixture of all three.
Some of the symptoms of depression are:
- – Depressed mood
- – Loss of pleasure or interest in usual activities
- – Disturbance of appetite
- – Sleep disturbance
- – Feeling agitated or – lethargic
- – Loss of energy
- – Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- – Difficulties in thinking
- – Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
If you are concerned about the mental health of someone else, there may be other signs:
- – Downcast
- – Complaining of back pain, migraine, sleepless nights
- – Negativity
- – Irritability
- – Memory loss
Read more about Depression:
Trauma is any event that has aroused a negative emotional response within you that you believe is life threatening or highly distressing.
These can be anything from bullying, an accident, right through to being involved in combat or violent conflict.
Clients continue to be ‘there’ and don’t know how to be ‘here’ – fully alive and in the present. The body continues to defend against a threat that belongs in the past.
Some of the symptoms of an emotional trauma can be:
- – Nightmares and flashbacks
- – Poor sleep
- – Hypervigilance
- – Anxiety
- – Depression
- – Anger
- – Misinterpreting situations causing difficulties in relationships
The technique we use for treating PTSD is The Rewind Technique. This technique has evolved from a technique promoted by Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). The technique is fast effective and safe.
You can read more about it here:
https://www.hgi.org.uk/useful-information/treatment-dealing-ptsd-trauma-phobias/rewind-technique
Tricia and is a registered military trauma therapist and provides free sessions for military personnel via PTSD Resolution (www.ptsdresolution.org)
Lack of confidence and Low Self-Esteem, are both causes and symptoms of depression, anxiety and anger problems.
The term self-esteem is used to describe a person’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value. In other words, how much you appreciate and like yourself. It’s about what you believe about yourself, your appearance, your performance and behaviour
Self-esteem can play a significant role in your success throughout your life. Low self-esteem may hold you back from succeeding in life because you don’t believe yourself to be capable of success.
By contrast, having a healthy self-esteem or a feeling of confidence can help you achieve because you go through life with a positive, attitude and believe you can.
Often people are advised to tell themselves to be confident in social situations and they will be confident; but what happens if they continue to be shy and embarrassed? Will they believe what they are saying to themselves or will they believe their experience?
At Healthier Mind Practice, we teach conversational skills, relaxation and guided visualisation techniques and thinking skills so that you start to experience feeling more comfortable socially.
