Rachel Bates, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Rachel Bates

English, Tamil
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Rachel Bates, UKCP Accredited Psychotherapist

Rachel Bates

English, Tamil
Shortlist Share

My Approach

As an integrative psychotherapist, my approach to psychotherapy with clients who seek my intervention, is individualistic, in that I firstly endeavour to encounter the person. Often this 'person' is buried beneath many layers of adversity and/or trauma. This means that I attune the most appropriate modality or a combination of modalities to help the individual find and accept their 'self', their 'authentic self'.

I draw from a range of modalities, namely, Existential, Humanistic, Phenomenological & Relational Therapy, Psychodynamic, CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy), Internal Family system (IFS); Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). I have recently been enamoured by the field of Neuro psychotherapy, a scientific way of understanding human behaviour and mental health through the study of the human brain and the nervous system. Neuro psychotherapy does not directly target the brain but focuses on the life experiences encountered by the person. It aims to understand how the brain processes life experiences which are meaningful, but embedded within the brain structures of each human being.

Neuro Psychotherapy helps us make sense of the basic need every human being has, to be understood, accepted and validated, as the human brain is wired for love. It is love that stimulates neurons and helps connect with other neurons in the brain. Thus my approach is one of unconditional regard and love through a secure attachment that helps people explore themselves and re-establish the view of their sense of self and their world.

About Me

I am a UKCP registered Integrative Psychotherapist, offering my services at a quiet serene location in Billingshurst.

As an integrative psychotherapist I specialise in the treatment of complex mental illness that may be attributed to childhood sexual abuse, physical/emotional/mental abuse experienced during childhood or early adulthood, unattended grief and/or complicated trauma. Additionally, I offer my expertise in the field of stillbirth/miscarriage, in other words pregnancy and baby loss.

I work with

  • Couples
  • Groups
  • Individuals
  • Private healthcare referrals

Special Interests

Like all UKCP registered psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors I can work with a wide range of issues, but here are some areas in which I have a special interest or additional experience.

Whether we have lost someone we loved or a job we enjoyed or have had to move away from a home we grew up in, the pain of loss is sometimes unbearable and we do not know how to process this pain. Oftentimes, we overlook grief as its part of life and we do not have the time to stop and pay attention to it. Unattended grief can potentially lead one to be stuck in maladaptive stress response, compounding the effects of trauma.
Relational difficulties in an intimate relationship is one of the most difficult situations as it can cause people to feel stuck, unable to move forward, resulting with extreme frustration and anger. This can sometimes be rooted in the individual's attachment style and hence addressing a poor attachment pattern is often the best way to resolve couple issues.
Child Sexual abuse, sadly seems to be a common cause of mental illness, in adult survivors. Owing to the secrecy and the chronic shame, it can leave one with, sexual abuse is often neglected. When sexual abuse is addressed, individuals discover that they can finally re-connect with their inner being. They begin to accept the fact that it was their body but the act belonged to the perpetrator and this empowers them to discard their shame. They are then able to tap into their core potential, offering themselves, a reason, a purpose, a meaning for their life.
Just because we have fleeting thoughts of 'I wish I were not really here', it does not mean that we want to die or that we are actively thinking about finding a way to exit life. Whilst it is important to assess the risk of harm to self, what is really crucial, is to help identify one's core purpose in life, which can quickly shift one's attention to life and living, as opposed to wondering what's the point in life. It is important to remember that even children can sometimes be at risk of harm to self and it is vital this is identified and assessed early.
Every single human being experiences trauma in one form or another, to some degree or another. Essentially, we all know what it is to be traumatised, only, for some of us, trauma is a way of life. Once trauma is confronted and addressed, it can reward us with what is now known as post traumatic growth.

Types of Therapies Offered

  • Existential Psychotherapist

What I can help with

  • Abuse
  • Addiction
  • Age-related Issues
  • Anger Management
  • Anxiety
  • Bereavement
  • Bullying
  • Cancer
  • Couple Issues
  • Cultural Issues
  • Depression
  • Disability
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Violence
  • Employment Difficulties
  • Health-related Issues
  • Infertility
  • Mental Health Issues
  • Online Counselling
  • Parents
  • Physical Abuse
  • Post-Traumatic Stress
  • Relationships
  • Separation
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Spirituality
  • Stress
  • Suicide
  • Terminal Illness
  • Trauma

Types of sessions

  • Face to Face - Long Term
  • Face to Face - Short Term
  • Online Therapy
  • Telephone Therapy

UKCP College

  • Universities Training College (UTC)
Rachel Bates

Rachel Bates

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