Jennifer Dew - Profile

I am a BACP Registered and Accredited Integrative CBT and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist and Counsellor with a Masters Degree in Addiction Psychology. I work with all aspects of mental health, and I am passionate about helping you to overcome anything that is affecting you. I am a highly qualified psychotherapist with a wealth of experience to provide you with the best possible care.

With life’s many pressures it is easy to forget that we can also need help ourselves. I am passionate about helping you to reach your full potential and overcome self-limiting beliefs, to gain better understanding of yourself with evidence based techniques, to help you.

What I work with

I work with many issues that affect our mental health and I care about you and work discreetly with the highest standards of privacy. I use a variety of different techniques and a full list of these can be found at the end of this introduction. I look beyond the surface issues which helps me to identify and treat the true underlying causes. One of my specialities is working with anxiety related issues affecting both ourselves and our relationships both personal and work. These can often be the underlying causes of stress and burnout, which leads to sleep disorders and sometimes unhealthy coping strategies. My other areas of work include working with depression and panic attacks, OCD, Trauma, PTSD and anger.

Sometimes these underlying difficulties can lead to pathological habits or unhealthy coping strategies such as a dependency on alcohol, drugs, gambling, compulsive spending, or Internet. A pathological habit can lead to an addiction often with catastrophic results if not identified. They are used as an emotional crutch to lean on to cope with the anxiety of living with life problems.

Unhealthy coping strategies

What to look out for

• Attempts to control or stop the habit or use without success
• Lying to family members or yourself to mask the extent of the problem
• Needing to use in increasing amounts to achieve the same levels of satisfaction
• Using to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression.
• Jeopardising or losing important relationships or work opportunities because of the habit
• Having suicidal thoughts or tendencies.
• Low mood or depression

Dependency can develop from a combination of psychological, genetic, physical and social causes. Such factors can contribute to the underlying causes include childhood abuse and trauma. Therefore, addressing these issues can be complex and troublesome if not explored with a professional.

My Approach

I recognise how hard it can be to take that first step and by building a safe and confidential space, my aim is to build trust together so we can discuss anything that is preventing you from moving forward or causing you to be unhappy. Neuroscience discoveries are helping us to understand how our brain functions which is helping us to learn how to be less ashamed and judgemental about ourselves.

I specialise in individual and couple sessions and can be flexible around what you need. On initial contact I can offer a brief telephone discussion so we can establish the best approach for you. At our first meeting I will take into account information on your background and unique circumstances as this way I can offer a wide range of psychological evidence based talking therapy approaches. I am known to offer dedicated attention and precision, honesty, transparency in a warm and empathetic environment.

Some of the therapeutic approaches are:

• Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness based therapy (MBT)
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
• Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT

I am a highly experienced Psychotherapist with over 25yrs practice including working in highly stressful environments in both the public and private sectors.

I have experience working in private mental health facilities and shadowing specialist clinics both in London and the United States.

I also have extensive experience working in a 24hr crisis counselling team for over 10yrs managing people worldwide involved in mental health crisis caused by traumatic events.

My experience involved working both in the UK and the United States with some Eminent Professors and Doctors in the forefront of the development of new techniques which incorporate the latest developments in neuroscience which is helping us to identify and treat mental health.

I am the Director of my own business in Harley St in Central London During this time over the last 15yrs I have built up an extensive network of highly experienced Consultant Psychiatrists, therapists and wellbeing practitioners to support me.

I have experience of working with Social Services and can offer short term sessions to support clients. I also can offer support to Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP’s), Charities and Private Insurers.
I also have experience of providing supervision and mentoring to students undertaking psychotherapy courses.