Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy , Counselling and Supervision

Phone: 0161 862 9456

Navigation

▶ The Science of Heartbreak – YouTube

By

Why is a broken heart so painful?

Another fantastic short YouTube video from Asap-SCIENCE about the science behind a ‘broken heart’. So is a broken heart an abstract concept then?

Studies on the brain have shown that the same area of the brain called the Anterior Cingulate Cortex is stimulated when we feel physical pain and emotional pain. So why would these very different experiences elicit the same response in the brain? The narrator goes on to explain that it’s all about survival. It was important for our ancestors to feel physical pain to protect them from danger. As humans developed and the importance of relationships for the  survival of the human race became more and more significant so the feelings of  being socially alone were also experienced as pain.

The video ends with ideas of how you can alleviate the pain of a broken heart. Take a look and let me know what think!

 

▶ The Science of Heartbreak – YouTube.

Psychotherapist Internal Reflection- re clients

By

commander cialis More Help Thinking about your client

 

Go inside….

  • Put yourself into your office
  • Think of a particular client
  • What do you think about that client?
  • What do you value about them?
  • What are their unique characteristics?
  • In what ways if any do you express to them what you value about them?
  • As you think about that client how do they organise their experience?
  • Is that experience organised by particular body tension?
  • Is that experience organised by expression of some particular affect or the importance of that affect?
  • How do they organise that experience cognitively? In other words what kind of script beliefs did they have to help them organise their experience and although they may do some strange things and have some strange ways of seeing the work in what context was that pretty normal?
  • And if you had of lived in their context how would you have survived?
  • So what is it you do that makes contact with this person?
  • What do you do that reaches out and touches their heart and soul? And what is the quality of relationship that you are bringing to their life.
  • And how does the quality of relationship that your bringing differ from the other relationships in their life.
  • And what is that sparkle in them, that sense that keeps them alive, that brought them to therapy with you? What keeps them going rather than giving up in despair?
  • And what is it that you do in therapy that probably no other therapist would do it the way that you do it?
  • What is it that you bring and who you are that makes a very treasured experience for that client?

 

Private communication from Richard Erskine 2013

 

 

Anxiety Basics. Six things you need to know.

By

 

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear. We have all experienced it at some time or other in our lives.  It’s not  uncommon to feel worried about an impending job interview or exam, but if your feelings of anxiety overwhelm you then they can effect your day to day life significantly.

Anxiety UK say that ‘Anxiety can make a person imagine that things in their life are worse than they really are, and prevent them from confronting their fears. Often they will think they are going mad, or that some psychological imbalance is at the heart of their woes’.

Anxiety and Stress

Last weeks article was all about  stress and the response our bodies have when we are faced with a stressful situation.  In our early days as humans we developed an inbuilt response called  ‘fight or flight’ which protects us from all the dangers that surrounded us. When faced with a danger  our heart rate and breathing  get faster and our senses are heightened by the production of adrenaline and corticosteroids in our bodies. In present times, our environment has changed and so have the dangers. Most of us do not now face the fear of being eaten by a wild animal (thank goodness!)  but we  do still have the same stress response  to stressors such as relationship problems, work pressures and finances.  The  feelings that many associate with anxiety is this ‘fight or flight’ mechanism kicking in. However  instead of being used to avoid immediate danger, it is activated  inappropriately during everyday situations.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Do you feel anxious most days and struggle to relax? Anxiety can cause both mental (pyschological)  and physical symptoms which can be different from person to person.

Some psychological symptoms to look out for include irritability, impatience,  difficulties in concentration so that you are easily distracted, restlessness and a general feeling of dread.

There are many physical symptoms associated with anxiety. These include insomnia, tiredness, dizziness, shortness of breath and palpitations, stomach ache and diarrohea, muscle aches and pain and the list goes on.

You are not alone!

Anxiety  affects about 1 in 20 adults in Britain. Slightly more women are affected than men, and the condition is most common in people in their twenties (nhs).   The charity Mind say that if your anxiety is severe you may have difficulty holding down a job or maintaining relationships. The impact of anxiety on your life and those around you can be huge.

Where to get  help?

If you think you are suffering from anxiety, seeking help and a diagnosis is the best thing you can do. Talking to a GP or a qualified psychotherapist will enable you to discuss your symptoms and gain the correct therapy so  that you can take control of your anxiety. Psychotherapy is the  most widely recommended treatment for anxiety. Psychotherapy can help you to uncover the reasons behind your anxiety and then by working with your therapist you can begin to work on strategies to reduce your anxiety levels.

How to help yourself?

There are lots of things you can do to enable you to manage your anxiety. Mind suggest a range of things from relaxation and breathing techniques, assertiveness training, to leading  a healthy lifestyle. Talking about your anxiety to a family member or friend  can also help.

Remember here at the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy we have experienced  counsellors and therapists who can help you to deal with your anxiety. Our emphasis is on friendliness and providing a safe and warm environment. Why not  phone the Institute on: 0161-862-9456 to book your initial assessment or contact us via email.

 

 

Counselling Courses In the UK

By

              

 At the time of writing ,in September 2013-the Counselling field has never been healthier, Counselling has become more popular and mainstream, and in response to this, more and more, Counselling courses have been introduced to deal with the demand for Counsellors by the general public.

As well as this, various regulating bodies have emerged to accredit these flourishing Courses.

One of the first regulating bodies to emerge in the world of Counselling  was the, then called, British association of Counselling .

It was formed in 1989 and attempted to regulate the newly emerging Counselling courses to some level of competency.Other regulating bodies followed , but the BAC, soon to be re-launched in 1996, as the British association of Counselling and Psychotherapy proved to be the major regulating body in the world of Counselling.

This position remains today and most employers of Counsellors in the United Kingdom look for BAC recognised Counsellors.

This position is being challenged in the market place by new regulating bodies such as ABC, AQA, and the National Association of Counselling.However The BACP has established itself as the forerunner in quality assurance ,and will not give up that place in the Counselling world that easy.

At the Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy we have been running Counselling courses for many years now.

The most important and popular course has been the Counselling Concepts course which is accredited by a AQA , we are thinking about putting a Diploma in Counselling on at the Institute, and if we do Rory Lee Oakes will head that department.

Rory  Lee Oakes has been running many Counselling courses and Training  for many years ,and he runs the successful U TUBE  channel called Counselling Re-sources.Indeed  on the Internet and on UTUBE  we have seen the rise and development of many new counselling courses.

Perhaps one of the biggest developments in recent years in the area of Counselling courses ,and in fact Counselling training, has been the increase in Online Counselling.

Indeed as we come to the year 2013 ,perhaps the biggest evolution is of online counselling courses and training -it is one of the most exciting ventures in this new world.

Bob Cooke 2013

 

 

Manchester Institute for Psychotherapy Training Courses

By

Bob Cooke TSTA talks with Rory Lee-Oakes,on this video, about the various training courses at The Manchester Institute For Psychotherapy. Rory has been a learner on several of our courses over the years,and therfore is in a good postion to talk about the courses from a learners viewpoint. Rory is also a Tutor of Counselling and for many years has taught students the practice of Counselling