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My name is Daren. I'm known, locally, as Senge.
I have been working over 25 years as a psychotherapist, 15 years as a mindfulness teacher and 12 years as a CBT therapist. I'm dedicated to continuing to cultivate personal self learning via mindfulness which I began practising in 1989. You are here because you are looking for a therapist to talk with whom you can feel safe to talk about things, with whom you feel a sense of warmth. This is important. Further to this, much of the way I work entails facilitating your awareness of 'how difficulties manifest' in your particular life situation at the moment, we might explore this in terms of 'body sense' - or felt awareness-; also in terms of how you automatically think and react to difficulties and also what you choose to do. This 'raised awareness' through exploration leads, naturally, to possibilities of change.
Originally given teachings and training in 2 distinct Eastern traditions and lineages I have also undertaken 3 different degree level trainings in 3 distinct psychological therapies:
Psychotherapy (UKCP registered), primarily existential-phenomenological therapy
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT & MBSR)
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (BABCP accredited)
All these therapeutic approaches have a special emphasis upon embodiment and presence.
I have a special interest in ACT - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and DBT. These are contextual behavioural approaches that include mindfulness alongside behaviour change methods.
How do you choose a therapist? I would say that a recommendation goes a long way but it is also important to find someone who is experienced and qualified.
I am currently updating my website.
There is usually a high demand for my work: please text or email me as there is, usually, more demand than I can fulfill.
I , usually, only have some slots available in daytime hours.
My approach is personable and entails dialogue. You will find that I talk with you and offer insights and ways of exploring your issues: I don't just sit and listen but invite deeper exploration of your issues and concerns! Psychotherapy has many different modalities but, as my approach is philosophically informed, it entails us exploring your lived experience first and foremost. I draw upon my mindfulness orientation - over 30 years of daily mindfulness practise- to facilitate understanding of embodied emotions and feelings as well as working with your everyday understanding of what is happening in your specific lived experience. This is called existential-phenomenology and, gradually; through dialogue, we start to uncover and discover what is going on for you at a deeper level of understanding. This then creates opportunties for change.
I have been practising as a UKCP registered psychotherapist for over 20 years. It takes 5 years of training to become UKCP registered psychotherapist and I had to undertake many years of personal therapy as part of this training. No other professional body requires this level of personal therapy growth and personal engagement.
As a long term professional psychotherapist I am also registered with UKCP as a clinical supervisor and integrate mindfulness and behavioural elements into your clinical supervision.
I am very busy and - as I am registered with 3 different professional bodies- there is a high demand for my work.
If you would like psychotherapy then please email me on: psychotherapy@mindful-therapy.uk
FEES ARE £75 per 50 minute session
I have been practising as a CBT therapist since 2010. Prior to becoming qualified as a CBT therapist, I had 20 years experience of daily mindfulness practise, 10 years experience as a UKCP registered existential psychotherapist and also 5 years experience as a provider of MBCT (a psychologically informed version of MBSR: 8 week mindfulness courses). This meant that it was natural for me to integrate philosophical and embodied mindfulness elements into the CBT protocol treatments. You will find that this means your CBT provision with me becomes very personalised: I draw upon what is known as 'ACT therapy' within the CBT lexicon; also 'Compassionate mind Therapy'.
Unfortunately it is possible that you might have had an NHS provision of CBT that does not work at this depth. This is due to the high staff turnover in the NHS and the dominance of 'single therapy trainings' in the NHS. It is common that clients tell me that CBT provided by me is very different from what they receieved in the NHS. I believe in publicly funded psychotherapy but- due to the limited resources (reduced session numbers) and stresses upon staff - I felt I had to leave the NHS in 2017 after 15 years of providing NHS psychological therapy.
If you wish to undertake an assessment with me of your needs then please contact me on: cbt@mindful-therapy.uk
FEES ARE £85 per 60 minute session
I will ask you to use your own 'blank' A5 notebook and, gradually, as we meet for weekly sessions, this becomes your own personalised therapy manual. I will help you to 'break down' your difficulties into 'thoughts', feelings', 'body sensations' and 'triggering situations' to facilitate your self understanding of what is happening during your difficuties and to facilitate change.
Many therapists say they do CBT but they are not registered on the BABCP CBT register. They are not qualified!
I am very busy but please email me on cbt@mindful-therapy.uk and I will get back to you
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) or MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). I have been practising mindfulness, daily under the guidance of a tradition since 1990. I also qualified in a mindful based psychology degree at Bangor university Centre for Mindfulness Practise and Research (CMRP) and in 2009 I became qualified to teach 8 week MBCT therapy groups. Many people say they 'meditate' but, when we practise daily under the guidance of a teacher and with a group then significant change usually occurs. This approach welds Bhuddist and Eastern approaches to mindfulness with contemporary cognitive science. It may sometimes feel like you never seem to have time or that your life and it's demands can feel overwhelming but being part of a group that is practising daily and meeting weekly realy facilitates the motivation to build a regular practise. Perhaps you want to learn to cope better with the stress and difficulties of life? Mindfulness practise, once learned, stays with you for life. This, MBCT, is a UK version and slight variant of the well known Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course developed by Jon Kabat-Zin. I have over 30 years of personal mindfulness practise experience- under guidance- and, therefore, bring this long history and varied contexts to my teaching. This course is evidenced to reduce relapse into depression, reduce anxiety, help with coping with chronic pain and stress. It will improve well being.C£260-£300 for complete 8 week course including materials; cd's workbooks etc. Do you buy fake items or like the real thing?Don't accept copies: it's for you! Please contact my secretary on mindfuldashtherapy.uk@gmail.com