counsellor london | Working in Organization

An organization is a group of people with a systematic structure that is managed to meet a certain need and to pursue collective goals on an on-going basis. The members of the organization have functions and specific relations for accomplishing the goals for which they assembled in that particular form of organization. Organizations are open systems in which roles, responsibilities and authority work together to carry out defined tasks. (www.businessdictionary.com). According to Kakabadse, Bank & Vinniecombe (2005), a few essential factors are crucial for the well functioning of an organizations: 1) A gifted manager, passionate towards his domain who also has humanist values and is capable of motivating his employees, of understanding and guiding them in a healthy fashion, while maintaining a sense of authority. 2) Motivation: even though the extrinsic motivation (financial, for social status, for professional recognition etc) is extremely important, the intrinsic motivation also counts very much. If we spend 8 hours every day doing something that we don’t enjoy at all, all the money in the world won’t be able to buy our happiness. Notions about needs, expectations and rewards constitute the basis of an efficient organizational strategy. 3) Teamwork – an organization is, by definition, a team sport. Collaboration, competition, group roles and group thinking are factors that lead to the success of an organization, but also to the individual development of the group’s members. 4) Diversity and individual differences – an heterogeneous group, in which diversity is being encouraged and differences are being cultivated, may seem at first as a bit more difficult to control. However, with good management, with an organizational culture that respects differences and with a strategy that is aware of them, the group can actually be more efficient than a homogenous one. Differences related to age, sex, religion and physical appearance must be understood and integrated within the group so that the people can actually work together as a team and respect those around as individuals. Working in an organization always implies: mastering certain effective interpersonal communication methods, establishing means of communicating with the group as an entity in of itself, having the capacity to face imminent conflicts and to resolve them constructively, the capacity of setting up and maintaining an organizational policy and also having an understanding of the mechanisms and traps of power. Any individual working in an organization should benefit from the support of a counselor. Usually, organizations have a counseling service for personal or organizational matters, so that an optimal efficient communications between the different structures of the organization can be facilitated. People working in such places spend at least half of their waking state at the work-place and need to identify it with a place where they enjoy spending their time. Any problem, from minor issues such as where a desk should be positioned to issues like relations with colleagues or people outside of the organization can affect the productivity of an individual and his/her contributions to the fulfillment of the organization’s goals. For this reason, a great deal of emphasis is placed in the organizational culture on organizational psychology and on the tasks of those who practice it (psychologists, counselors, trainers, coaches etc). The purposes or organizational psychology are: (1) raise performance, (2) improve processes and relationships, (3) enhance fairness and equity and (4) increase subjective well-being. (http://gsappweb.rutgers.edu/programs/org/definition.php) The interventions that psychologists can make in order to fulfill these objectives are based on various theories and psychological concepts, however they all follow, in principle, a progression of stages – diagnosis, design and implementation of intervention strategy, evaluation of results. What’s most important to remember – both for those who lead the organization as well as for those who are aspiring to be a part of it – is that organizational culture influences the individual’s life much more than exclusively professional. For this, a certain initial compatibility between the individual’s personality and organizational culture must be established (Lejeune & Vas, online). The process of adapting to an organization will always be different from one person to the other (depending on one’s own rhythm, resistance to change, motivation, expectations etc) and the staff qualified to ease this process of adaptation must not be missing from any type of organization. However, if you are facing difficulties related to the organization that you are involved with (you no longer feel good there, work relations have transformed, the organizational policy is not in tune with your beliefs, you feel the need for something new etc) and you don’t have a department of psychological and vocational counseling to help you, don’t be afraid to search for answers by yourself. Choose a counselor who is capable of listening to you and discover together with him/her what needs to be done. What happens at the work place can affect our lives completely, so it would be best to not hesitate to ask for help when we feel the need to do so.

Death In The Consulting Room-psychotherapy harley street

Fear of dying is something normal. On the other hand, death itself is an intrinsic element of existence and all of us have to make peace with the fact that, sooner or later, we will all have to face the great unknown. Whether we’re talking about the death of somebody close to us, the passing away of someone whom we greatly admire, of a pet or even when it comes to our own demise, accepting death oftentimes implies considerable efforts and a great emotional overcharge. Episodes of depression can sometimes be excruciatingly intense, sometimes accompanied by the feeling that the sadness of the loss will never go away. This is why the support of a counselor or psychotherapist can prove to provide real help, together with the support of the family and friends. Living through the mourning process adequately, passing through all of its stages and moving beyond it are things that require time, dedication, understanding and support. A therapist can offer these in a professional manner, so that the grieving person can be able to integrate the experience and continues his/her existence. The grieving process: Most often, people address the therapist in order to ease the mourning process. Being in mourning often completely transforms a person’s whole lifestyle, affecting his/her work rhythm, the ordinary pleasure that one would find in regular activities, one’s emotions, thinking patterns, behavior and even sensations being drastically altered. In the case of normal mourning processes (uncomplicated grief), people exhibit: somatic or bodily distress at times, a preoccupation with the image of the deceased, guilt towards the deceased or the circumstances under which he/she died, hostility and an inability to function at normal parameters, as one would have before the tragic event (Lindemann, 1944). A sixth symptom is also sometimes observed in some grieving people: the borrowing of behavioral traits from the deceased. Going through the mourning process is time and energy consuming because, “viewed from a constructivist perspective, grieving is a process of reconstructing a world of meaning that has been challenged by loss” (Neimeyer, Burke, Mackay & van Dyke Stringer, 2009). Stages of the grieving process: Kubler-Ross (1969) suggests that the stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. These stages are experienced both by people who are about to die and by their close ones. Sometimes, reactions such as shock, numbness or physical pain may appear. Worden (1999) believes that people who are going through the mourning process must pass through the following stages: acceptance of the loss – implies accepting the idea of loss both cognitively, as well as emotionally. If the initial shock is powerful and people often deny the situation, the funeral can be perceived in a way as the first step taken on the road of acceptance. acceptance of pain – it is absolutely normal and even recommended to allow pain to manifest itself. Repressing pain feelings can affect the whole latter course of the individual’s life, leading to unauthentic experiences (with other, in relation to one’s own life events, etc) changing the context – the individual learns to accept his/her environment once again, this time without the presence of the person who has passed away letting go of the past – the individual emotionally relocates the deceased and continues his/her life. Moving on beyond the moment helps them depart from the past in a healthy manner, allowing them to concentrate on the present, on the important people in their present and on their future life plans. Methods and types of psychotherapy for grief: The methods that are being applied in therapy and that have been proven to give results are meaning making in bereavement (understanding why it happened helps in accepting that it happened), therapeutic writing (goodbye letters), narrative retelling (describing the situation when the loved one died and reliving that situation in a safe context), metaphor and evocative visualization (Neimeyer, Burke, Mackay & van Dyke Stringer, 2009). In the same time, art-therapy seems very useful in overcoming the moment of loss. The images that are created, being products very close to the realm of the unconscious, can provide starting points for discussions that the conscious would have normally never brought forth in a conversation (Irwin, 1991). Group therapy is also very useful, having the advantage of hastening the grieving process and of promoting coping skills, allowing the individual to remember and commemorate the deceased, allowing for the creation of healing rituals, helping to organize and regain a sense of containment and promoting the exploration and expression of feelings in a safe, larger context (Simon, 1981). For a lot of people, the loss of a loved one may correspond with a total transformation of one’s own life. People begin to feel an overbearing importance in major questions regarding one’s life, as well as concerning more ample contexts, such as human existence in itself and the world and its natural course. In these cases, they can oftentimes make use of long term therapies, such as analytical or existential therapies. Every individual has the chance to find a way in which to keep the memory of the loved one alive and to continue his/her life. With the help of the right therapist, the loss of a loved one will still be an extremely painful experience, but it will have a much greater potential for self development.

NLP – Neuro-Linguistic Programming

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a behavioral model as well as a set of techniques and abilities, founded by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in 1976 with the purpose of creating new explicit models of human excellence. O’Connor & Seymour (1993) define NLP as “the art and science of personal efficacy”. The denomination of NLP implies three dimensions:

Neuro: any psychological process has a neurological substrate, our behavior being profoundly connected with the world around us specifically due to our perception of it (the processing of stimuli on a neurological level).
Linguistic: language is being used both internally, in order for us to understand and explain the psychological processes that we are experiencing as well as externally, to communicate the findings to those around.

Programming: stemming from cybernetic sciences and showing that, just like a computer, our brain can be programmed in such a manner to order our thoughts, emotions or the actions that we want to engage in.

By studying the behavior models of people that excel in certain fields, researchers have reached the conclusion that the strategies employed by these true performers in their particular field can also be learned and applied by regular people who want to improve their lives. Thus, they can program their brain to function optimally for their specific purpose, in other words to think positive and to become oriented on solutions rather than on problems and their causes, as they are being advised, for instance, by classical psychology.
Therefore, the purpose of Neuro Linguistic Programming is that of describing the fundamental interaction between mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how their reciprocal action is affecting the body and behaviors (programming) (Dilts & DeLozier, 2000).
History

The history of NLP already goes back 40 years, to its beginning in California and the fruitful collaboration between John Grinder and Richard Bandler at the University of Santa Cruz. Both having a keen interest in psychotherapy, they have studied the working methods and strategies of three major therapists from three different schools and orientations (Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir, Milton Eickson) and reached the conclusion that there are similarities between the working methods of the three, even though they were treating different problems in different ways. (Dilts & DeLozier, 2000). Following their research, they set up a new psychological discipline, titled NLP. Shortly, NLP grew in popularity, being successfully applied to domains not having much to do with psychotherapy such as sales, management, education, organizational psychology, negotiations etc.
NLP’s popularity soon grew outside of American borders, being rapidly adopted in Western Europe and becoming massively popular in the UK through the contributions of the anthropologist Bateson, who collaborated in his research with the two founders of NLP. Today, trainings in NLP continue to be hugely popular, even though more and more controversy is arising regarding the validity of the scientific research for this therapeutic method.

The principles of NLP
The map is not the same as the territory. We don’t know the world as it really is, we only have a subjective representation over it. What makes this representation subjective are the filters that separate us from the exterior world: sensations, perceptions, memories, values etc. By changing these filters that are affecting our experience with the world, we can change our general perception of the world, meaning the way we map out reality and, implicitly, our own personal reality.
There are no failures, only feedbacks – any response from the environment to our behavior can be used to regulate our behavior and we don’t have to be negative even when receiving unpleasant answers.

The purpose of communication is the received answer: The communication between two people supposes a battle of the filters that stand between their messages and there is a need for constant sustained effort from both of them to make sure that what’s being communicated by the emitter is what actually reaches the receiver.
If someone can successfully realize something, than so can I… as long as I trust my own resources and I establish goals that I chase systematically.
The mind and the body are parts of the same cybernetic system and the changes in one also determines changes in the other. The harmonizing of the communication of the two parts can lead to a general state of harmony in behavior.
The orientation towards the result, and not the problem – as long as I know where I want to go, how I get there is less important.
Three key techniques stand out in NLP: the clear establishing of objectives, sensory acuteness in order to develop methods of reaching the objectives and flexibility in order to juggle with the various methods, as well as with objectives, if they turn out to be unrealistic (not persisting in the error).

Uses of NLP

NLP can be used as a secondary method in certain therapies (behavioral, as well as humanistic), but also as a self standing therapy, called neuro-linguistic psychotherapy (Bridoux & Weaver, 2000). Researchers in the area of psychotherapy claim that NLP has maximum efficiency and is very fast acting in the treatment of severe problems, such as phobias, depression, learning problems, as well as psychosomatic illnesses (Einspruch & Forman, 1988). In the same time, NLP is used as a technique for improving performance and obtaining excellent results in several domains such as sports, coaching, team building, public speaking, business communication etc.

Social learning theory

Social learning theory has its roots in Albert Bandura’s experiments and studies and comes to explain the fact that learning is facilitated by social context and by the models presented in that specific social context. Ever since the 1960′s, Bandura discovered that individuals are being subjected to a quick learning process when exposed to a certain type of behavior.

Using a Bobo doll, he managed to demonstrate that children immediately adopt an aggressive behavior when they witness such a behavior in a social context. Thus, a child observing an adult while he/she abuses the doll will repeat the same kind of abuse as soon as the adult clears the room (Bandura, 1969).
Main concepts in social learning theory (Ormrod, 1999):
1) Observation: People learn certain behaviors by observing them manifested by members of their social group and seeing what types of outcomes these behaviors bring.

2) Imitation: In order to develop a certain behavior merely being exposed to it is not sufficient – one needs the intention to realize it in one’s own life, of reproducing it.

3) Cognition: Even though imitating a behavior is important when actually performing it, it’s important to know that the individual has the cognitive capacity of modifying that particular behavior in such a way that it caters to the individual’s particular needs and purposes. In other words, Bandura credits the cognitive nature of the individual who adopts behaviors and is capable of judging them beforehand or modifying them once he/she has adopted them.

4) Reinforcement: In order for a behavior to be considered appropriated it is necessary for the individual to be able to manifest it in contexts that he/she deems as compatible with the specific behavior. Thus, the reinforcement and punishment mechanisms cannot be minimized when it comes to social learning. The reinforcement can be realized by the individual who stands as the model for a certain behavior (an adolescent may start smoking because the “leader” of the group smokes), a third person, not the model itself; the behavior itself (smoking produces a certain pleasure for the sensation seeker or raises self esteem for a submissive teenager, for instance).

5) Modeling: In order for an individual to learn a behavior he/she needs a model to raise his/her awareness on the matter and to elevate his/her interest to learn the specific behavior that the model displays. Even though oftentimes it has been speculated that people learn from human models by way of direct experience, Bandura’s own studies, as well as later studies, have shown that individuals can learn from more abstract or fictional models, such as models being depicted in the media (movies, music, radio, TV, video games etc) (Mae Sincero, 2011).

What types of behavior can be learned by means of social learning?
Even though the majority of Bandura’s studies have treated the way in which people learn violence and aggression through exposure to environmental factors and to models that promote such behaviors, it seems that the learning of a much broader spectrum of behaviors can be explained through social learning:

dieting: media models that support diets and present their thinness as the beauty ideal and standard can influence body image in some viewers. As a logical progression, these viewers will turn to diets, excessive physical exercise etc. in order reach that specific body image (Grabe, 2008)
violence learned through video games (Bushman & Anderson, 2002)
sexism and male chauvinism (Council on Communication and the Media, 2009)
drug use (Robinson, Chen & Killen, 1998)
and also the pleasure for reading and moral behaviors (Ormrod, 1999).
The effects of social learning:
the development of new behaviors
the development of self-efficacy
self-regulation – reaching certain goals through a lesser energetic effort (without soliciting attention and motivation too much, it somehow happens “on its own”)
an easier alternative to learning through operant conditioning
self-improving

Harley Street Psychotherapists Provide Effective Treatment For Depression.

Central London, UK – April 12, 2011 – Want to beat your severe anxiety and depression? Every single person experiences negative, irrational thoughts to some degree. But what varies from person to person is - the frequency and the intensity of these thoughts. Highly negative and irrational thoughts can cause depression and destroy your life. Harley Street Psychotherapists bring Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a fairly simple process that can transform the way you think and bring you out of your depression.

“My therapist was an angel. He told me that I was suffering from anxiety and depression and that it was very treatable. I thought that he was insane. It just could not be that simple or logical. I had been depressed and suicidal forever. Things had gotten so bad that sometimes I lost touch with reality. When he told me that I could get better, it was only a matter of changing my thought processes,” said a client of Harley Street Psychotherapists.

Harley Street Psychotherapists utilize dynamic psychotherapy techniques to treat many problems like lose weight permanently, give up smoking forever, reduce high stress levels, stop panic attacks and anxiety, deal with depression, alleviate lifestyle stress, build greater confidence, handle relationship problems, cope with work difficulties, nerves before exams, tests, overcome difficulties generally, treat physical stress-linked symptoms, agoraphobia, insomnia, burnout, depression and more..

“With time, patience, and practice it gets easier and easier. One day you will wake up and find yourself automatically changing your NI thoughts into positive, rational ones. You will have taken back control of your mind. It really is that simple. Most people have no idea what an impact the human mind has. We cannot conceive that negative thought processes are capable of ruining our lives, our spirits, and our bodies — but they are,” says Dr. Philippe Jacquet (MA, UKCP, HPC, BAAT), founder of Harley Street Psychotherapists.

Get Back Your Peace of Mind

Psychotherapy has been recognised for a great many years as being the single most effective way to treat depression. Based on the principle of identifying and understanding underlying causes and triggers, it focuses on developing greater self-awareness and on discovering more effective ways to deal with problems and difficult situations, as well as on developing healthier and more productive relationships. Armed with these tools, the sufferer is then able to identify unproductive or harmful thought processes or behaviours at an early stage and deal with them before they are able to spiral out of control.

Harley Street Psychotherapists Can Help You

True expertise does not just come from training and the award of qualifications, but additionally from years of practical experience in the fields of psychotherapy and counselling. Whilst understanding the theory is, of course, essential, it is the considerable experience which our renowned professional therapists have to offer which enables them to assess and treat our patients accurately and effectively and help them to achieve long-term improvements to their lives.

Harley Street Psychotherapists have worked on a number of successful cases in Central London and London. If you or any of your family/friends are suffering from depression, contact Harley Street Psychotherapists to start the treatment today.


About Harley Street Psychotherapists: A team of highly trained and qualified psychotherapists conducting individual and group therapy sessions in Central London. Offer diverse experience in in-patient and out-patient settings within psychiatric, mental health and rehabilitative units, as well as specialist expertise in the treatment of addictions, eating disorders and dual diagnosis. Use proven patient care, facilities and staff management skills to run successful private practices in Harley Street.

For more information, visit: http://www.harleystreet-psychotherapist.co.uk/

Harley Street Psychotherapists Bring Lasting Benefits through Psychotherapy

Central London, UK – April 11, 2011 – Can psychotherapy save your life? There are a lot of conflicting opinions on the validity of psychotherapy techniques as a formal treatment of a problem. However, scientific studies appear to have fallen firmly in the camp of psychotherapy not only being a legitimate form of treatment but also a highly effective one.

Harley Street Psychotherapists utilize dynamic psychotherapy techniques to treat many problems like lose weight permanently, give up smoking forever, reduce high stress levels, stop panic attacks and anxiety, deal with depression, alleviate lifestyle stress, build greater confidence, handle relationship problems, cope with work difficulties, nerves before exams, tests, overcome difficulties generally, treat physical stress-linked symptoms, agoraphobia, insomnia, burnout, depression and more..

“All types of psychotherapy are very much dependent upon communication, but at certain times in their lives, many people find themselves overwhelmed by emotions which they find too painful to explore through verbal communication alone. In such cases as these, our trained and qualified therapists use different forms of psychotherapy to assist in the communication and healing process,” says Dr. Philippe Jacquet (MA, UKCP, HPC, BAAT), founder of Harley Street Psychotherapists.

Psychotherapy Can Change Your Life

Psychotherapy is a powerful and effective method of discarding things you don't want in your life and identifying the things you want to achieve. That's why the simplest changes, once explained, can make a massive difference and turn your life around.

Harley Street Psychotherapists provide quality caring service to clients, especially to those who find it extremely difficult to go out and see a counsellor or therapist face to face due to various reasons ranging from depression, fatigue syndrome, feeling of guilt, social anxiety, anxiety around confidentiality, nervousness, etc.

Emotional or psychological distress, the thoughts, feelings and behaviours which develop as a result of distress and the unhealthy coping mechanisms which are often adopted by sufferers can lead to a variety of conditions for which psychotherapy is a highly effective treatment. Harley Street Psychotherapists collaborate with the patients to ensure that they understand their distress and provide a long term solution to their problem.

Harley Street Psychotherapists: Many Satisfied Clients & Proven Results

Harley Street Psychotherapists have been serving the clients from across the world. They have worked on a number of successful cases in Central London and London and have significantly impacted lives of many people worldwide. Their team comprises some of the most highly-trained and qualified counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK and Europe. Each one is greatly respected in his or her field and offers the highest professional reputation.

Get The Right Treatment to Cure Your Problems

Choosing the right psychotherapist or counsellor is crucial in determining the effectiveness of treatment for emotional and psychological problems. Not only is the skill and experience of the practitioner vitally important, but because the issues which psychotherapeutic treatment addresses are often highly sensitive and personally distressing, his patience, understanding and integrity are also key to developing the trust which is required for progress to be made. So, make sure you pick the right counsellor for your treatment today!


About Harley Street Psychotherapists: A team of highly trained and qualified psychotherapists conducting individual and group therapy sessions in Central London. Offer diverse experience in in-patient and out-patient settings within psychiatric, mental health and rehabilitative units, as well as specialist expertise in the treatment of addictions, eating disorders and dual diagnosis. Use proven patient care, facilities and staff management skills to run successful private practices in Harley Street.

For more information, visit: http://www.harleystreet-psychotherapist.co.uk/

Sleep Disorders – Types And Treatment

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the normal sleeping patterns in humans or animals, which can, if manifested for a prolonged period of time, seriously affect one’s health and well functioning in a waking state.
Sleep disorders are usually accompanied by psychological dysfunctions (depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders etc.), but they may also come as a stand-alone dysfunction. In order to determine what type of sleep disorder a person has, polisomnography is used as a tool for diagnosing the patient by monitoring his physiological symptoms during sleep (eye moments, muscle activity, brain activity and heart rate).

Types:'

According to DSM-IV, there are three major types of sleep disorders:
1) primary sleep disorders, including:
hypersomnia – a person manifests excessive amounts of sleepiness during daytime. There is a difference between this and simple fatigue, in that patients often have great difficulty in handling their normal tasks from their work place, tasks which usually require minimal focus. There are various causes for this, from brain lesions to obesity and hypothyroidism.
Insomnia – the inability of an individual to fall asleep, despite the amount of accumulated fatigue and prolonged efforts (Roth, 2007). Insomnia may be transitory, acute or chronic.
Narcolepsy – excessive and prolonged sleep that can culminate with falling asleep spontaneously in the middle of daily activities
breathing related sleep disorders – sleep apnea, snoring.
circadian rhythm sleep disorder – Delayed sleep phase syndrome, advanced sleep phase syndrome, non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome.

2) Parasomnias, including:
nightmare disorders – n increased frequency in nightmares, which leads to a disturbance in the sleeping pattern and fatigue
sleep terror disorder – usually encountered with children (2 to 6 years); the child wakes up in a state of unmotivated terror, which is apparently not caused by nightmares, usually during the first 4 hours of sleep
sleepwalking disorder

3) Other types (sleep problems caused by certain medical conditions):
bruxism – teeth grinding during sleep-time
restless leg syndrome – an imperious need of moving one’s leg during sleep.
Somniphobia – the fear of falling asleep
Nocturia – the need to wake up very often in order to use the bathroom without having a bladder disorder.
Sleep paralysis – the sensation of not being able to move for prolonged periods of time before falling asleep or immediately after waking up, despite a great desire to do so.
Treatment:
According to Poceta & Milter (1998), there are two kinds of treatment: one that relies on medication, is prescribed by a doctor, whose indications must be strictly and rigorously followed, as well an alternative one (based an teas, aromatherapy, relaxation techniques, breathing techniques, meditation, psychotherapy, biofeedback, etc.)

The most common used psychotherapies in treating sleep disorders are cognitive behavioral therapy, adlerian therapy, gestalt therapy and rational-emotive therapy. The approach can be oriented on treating or elimination the causes (for instance, quitting alcohol or certain drugs can lead to the restoration of a normal sleeping pattern) or on results (especially with behaviorist therapy that promotes assuming a certain routine that can allow the psyche to learn new behavioral patterns and, implicitly, new sleeping behaviors).

References:
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (Revised 4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author
Poceta, J. S. & Mitler, M. M. (1998). Sleep disorders: Diagnosis and treatment. Totowa, New Jersey/US: Humana Press.