Therapies – Moira Anderson

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. CBT works by helping you make sense of overwhelming problems by breaking them down into smaller parts. Your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, often trapping you in a negative spiral. CBT helps you stop these negative cycles. It aims to break down factors that are making you feel bad, anxious or scared so that they are more manageable. It can show you how to change these negative patterns to improve the way you feel. . Together with the therapist you will explore what your problems are and develop a plan for tackling them. You will learn a set of principles that you can apply whenever you need to. You may find them useful long after you have left therapy. CBT has been shown to be particularly useful in tackling problems such as, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders and drug misuse

Play Therapy

This type of therapy is used with sexually abused children as an effective way to “connect” and “heal” the child who has undergone significant trauma. With growing numbers of child sexual abuse being brought to our attention we feel that Play/Creative Therapy can be embraced as viable therapy.

Sexually abused children suffer from low self esteem , feelings of powerlessness, victimization and guilt thus experiencing defensive techniques such as numbing, splitting, repression and disassociation. Play/Creative Therapy allows the child to feel “connected” and be “healed” Here at the MAF we presently have therapists with a background in “therapeutic play” who work with individuals from 3 to 16 years old.

Play/Creative Therapy provides the individual to communicate that which many times cannot be articulated ….we use the “child’s language of play…” We use a range of therapies including, Creative therapies (art, clay, music, movement and drama) Sand play, Therapeutic stories and Creative visualisation. During “Special Time” we fully support individuals to help heal the scars of sexual abuse.

Psychodynamic Counselling

Psychodynamic Counselling is one of the major traditions within contemporary psychotherapy. Its aim is to help us achieve insight and understanding around the reasons for our problems, and to translate this insight into a mature capacity to cope with current and future difficulties.

Using 5 key principles we can assist all of our clients to regain control and learn how to avoid repeating destructive patterns.

Person Centered Counselling

Person Centered Counselling offers you a place to talk safely and helps you deal with any issues you have in a more effective way. It also allows you to talk about anything which you feel is affecting you. Your therapy will be completely confidential except where someone may be at serious risk, and will take place in a private safe space to explore your feelings.

The Counselling strives to be non judgemental therefore you can feel free to talk about anything without fear and you will be helped to find the best way forward for you. Person Centered Counselling explores different ways to make effective changes in your life, whilst enabling the counsellor to understand the world from your point of view.

Art Therapy

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its primary mode of expression and communication. Within this context, art is not used as a diagnostic tool but as a medium to address emotional issues which may be confusing and distressing.

Artwork can act as a container which is more in touch with the unconscious and this acts as a bridge between the client and the therapist.

Although influenced by psychoanalysis, art therapists have been inspired by theories such as attachment-based psychotherapy and have developed a broad range of client-centred approaches such as psycho-educational, mindfulness and mentalization-based treatments, compassion-focussed and cognitive, and socially engaged practice.

Youth Counselling

MAF offers support and a safe space to people aged 12 – 18yrs who have been affected by sexual abuse. The Youth Counselling service was set up due to an increase in referrals from survivors and partner, statutory and voluntary organisations. A specialised Counsellor in the area of abuse will provide one to one therapeutic counselling for children and young people age 12-18. An integrative counselling approach will be adopted which will suit the client and his/her recovery. We provide a high level of confidentiality to our young clients. MAF operates within the Children’s Scotland Act 1995 relating to child protection and disclosure of abuse.

If you are aged between 12-18 and would like to see a counsellor, you can refer yourself to our service by calling MAF. Our counselling service is free. The length of counselling will be dependant on what you, the client requires for your process of recovery. If you are from another partner organisation you can contact MAF with a referral for your client

Our confidentiality agreement means that we won’t tell anybody else what you talk about in sessions. For your own protection, we might sometimes have to tell somebody if you tell us you or anyone else is being harmed in anyway; we will try to talk this over with you first.

Benefits and Improvements of Youth Counselling are, Increased Self Confidence, Improved Sleep Pattern, Coping strategies for traumatic flashbacks, Lower dependency on anti depressant medication, Control of suicide ideation, Promotion of Healthy Eating, Positive Relationships,Mechanisms to cope with anxiety and panic disorders.

Thought Field Therapy

Thought Field Therapy is a new technique for the rapid elimination of all forms of emotional distress. It works rather like acupressure by utilising the body’s energy systems.

It was discovered by Dr Roger Callahan, a very experienced American Psychologist, discovered TFT fortuitously when treating a patient with a very severe phobia. Frustrated by his lack of success with conventional techniques at which he was skilled, he applied a kinesiology method normally used to treat physical problems. Both he and his patient were astonished to find that her symptoms were abolished within 60 seconds; 20 years later the patient is still symptom free. Since then Dr Callahan has developed his techniques so that many complex psychological problems can be resolved quickly and permanently.

Complementary Therapies

We offer a range of complementary therapies including but not exclusively; Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Reiki and Indian Head Massage. All the therapies help to reduce stress and anxiety and promote positive health and wellbeing.

Aromatherapy Massage: is a gentle form of massage using essential oils which are derived from various parts of plants and have therapeutic properties. It helps to induce relaxation, increase energy levels and reduce the negative effects of stress while promoting positive health and wellbeing.

Reflexology: is a non-intrusive therapy, which works on the principles that there are “reflex” points in the feet, hands and ears which correspond to the various parts of the body. The therapist will apply pressure using specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques. You may feel areas of transient discomfort during the treatment, but generally the experience should be relaxing.

Reiki: meaning “Universal Life Energy” is a natural form of healing therapy, using non-invasive gentle touch. It aims to increase energy levels and promote relaxation and wellbeing.

Indian Head Massage: is a non-invasive therapy, carried out to the upper back, across the shoulders, upper arms, neck, scalp and face with the client remaining fully clothed. It helps to restore a state of balance by relieving stress through the body’s natural healing process.

Thermal Auricular Therapy: A hollow tube (similar to a straw) made of natural cloth and wax is inserted into the ear, once a comfortable fit has been established, the candle is burnt down to a safe level then removed, it is always performed on both ears. The therapy also helps to equalise the pressure in the head and ears. A deeply relaxing, calming and soothing treatment which may give symptom relief of many problems and conditions associated with the ear, nose and throat areas. It is also calming and relaxing in cases of Anxiety and Stress.