Remote Based Counselling For A Wide Range Of Conditions
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a wide term for a variety of disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Depression
Depression may develop in response to a significant life event such as death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job, or the breakdown of a relationship.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a wide term that covers many different disorders such as panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder and phobias.
Trauma
Trauma is a term that is used to describe an event or series of event that have had a deeply distressing or disturbing influence on your life.
Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a wide term for a variety of disorders such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They refer to disorders where there is an impairment in the growth and development of the brain and central nervous system. This impairment can affect a number of different functions such as memory, learning ability and behaviour.
Depending on the disorder Alison will adopt an approach using either CBT or creative arts therapy to stimulate emotional growth and self-confidence, improve communication skills and range of expression, as well as introduce ways to manage difficult or challenging behaviour.
Depression
Recent studies show that depression is on the increase in South East Asia, with up to 9% of the population experiencing a major depressive episode. Depression may develop in response to a significant life event such as death of a loved one, illness, loss of a job, or the breakdown of a relationship. It can also be a more long term “chronic” condition that effects people intermittently throughout their life.
Symptoms of depression are very individual but may include fatigue, changes in appetite and/or sleep patterns, low mood, lack of motivation, sense of hopelessness.
During depression counselling, Alison will invite you to discuss the symptoms or emotions you are experiencing and will work with you to help relieve these, and lessen the effect they have on your everyday life. Depression treatment at Alison’s Hong Kong office can be approached in a number of ways including arts therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and CBT. Alison will work with you to determine the best course of action for you and will respect your wish to pursue either a long term or short term treatment option.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a wide term that covers many different disorders such as panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder and phobias.
The symptoms of each of these vary according to the specifics of the condition, but broadly speaking they produce a sense of impending dread and debilitating worry. There may also be present a need to avoid certain places or situations for fear of increasing anxiety, along with a feeling of never being “at ease”.
Anxiety is most commonly worked with using a CBT approach and this has been seen to be particularly effect for treating phobias, however there are many other treatment options for those who wish to pursue a different path. Anxiety can be worked with on a long term or a short term basis depending on the cause and severity of the symptoms. Combined depression and anxiety counselling is also available as these two conditions often accompany one another.
Trauma
Trauma is a term that is used to describe an event or series of event that have had a deeply distressing or disturbing influence on your life. Trauma takes on many guises and as everyone is individual, each person will experience trauma differently. Types of traumatic instances include (but are not limited to):
- bereavement
- divorce
- childhood abuse and/or neglect
- war
- sexual assault
- witnessing or experiencing a traumatic incident such as a car accident or house fire
- being a victim of crime
- domestic violence
- bullying (workplace or school)
Sometimes experiences of trauma may develop in to a condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms can include but are not limited to: flashbacks (re-experiencing the event), memory and/or concentration problems, insomnia, dissociation (feeling not really “here”/ “drifting off”), avoiding certain people or situations for fear of remembering the event, problems in inter-personal relationships and mood swings.
Alison is a specialist in dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, particularly in the case of childhood abuse or sexual assault, and has conducted research in the effectiveness of arts therapies for treating these conditions. Working with you at a pace that feels safe and comfortable for you, Alison will help you to address some of the symptoms you are experiencing and help you to move forward.
Alison respects your right to share as little or as much of the event/s as you feel comfortable, and there will never be any pressure for you to disclose information you don’t wish to share. There are a number of different counselling techniques available for working with trauma and PTSD, such as narrative therapy or drama therapy (a technique involving a creative metaphor such as a story through which to work with the trauma), CBT, and “talking therapy” such as a psychotherapy. Alison will work with you to decide the one that is right for you. Depending on the trauma and the severity of your symptoms you can choose either a short term or long term treatment approach, however in the case of childhood trauma such as physical or sexual abuse (sometimes referred to be clinicians as CPTSD- Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), a long term treatment path may be the most beneficial.