Guiding Minds Therapy

30/04/2025

Back working in King’s Ely 👑 Prep this week.

A very busy first day back- support staff team meeting, creative therapy sessions for the younger ones 🎨 and CBT sessions for the seniors 🧠

Such a great place to work ✨🥰✨- the health centre team make me feel incredibly welcome and I can work between two, lovely rooms.

I hope everyone is having a chance to enjoy the lovely weather this week ✨ ☀️ ✨

25/04/2025

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❤️❤️❤️

14/04/2025

Morning all! ✨🤗✨

ChatGPT generated this little boxed character for me- the realistic versions didn’t work for me, so I went for a cartoon vibe. I had to have a go!

This sums up my work life. Lots of reading to keep up to date with research and current approaches 🧐 📖 , I’m always taking notes so that I can reflect on all my sessions 📝 and with three children, a morning coffee (and decent brekky) definitely helps to give me a boost in the morning; so I can keep mentally sharp. ☕️ 🧠

Listening to music and singing in the car 🎶 on the way to and after sessions if the way I decompress and my little slice of self care 🎧

My arms are wide open, as I am approachable and open and I aim to help clients to feel safe to share. I work with everyone from little ones aged 4 to those in their golden years. I welcome and support individuals from all cultural backgrounds. My practice is neurodiversity-affirming, autism-friendly, and LGBTQ+ inclusive
👧🏼🧑🏾🧓🏻 🏳️‍🌈 ⚧️ 🏳️‍⚧️
😃 👂🏼

I have my mama mode button, as I’m a proud, playful parent- I have a teen boy, a pre teen boy and a 2 year old daughter. All of my mama experience helps me with my child, teen and parent work. I also offer a gentle, caring, and calm approach, especially for those navigating past trauma or relationship challenges
✨🫶🏻✨

21/03/2025

On overview of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)- how it works and what it can treat. ✨🧠✨

Guiding Minds Therapy offers BABCP accredited CBT to older children, teenagers and adults.

21/03/2025

✨The Importance of Reflective Practice ✨

As an independant therapist, I am always striving to be the best I can be for my clients, which is why I attend clinical supervision multiple times every month. This gives me the opportunity to reflect regularly, and the client has the benefit of two professionals working on their case 👥. It also helps me to maintain my own wellbeing and keeps me energised 😌 :

‘’Clinical supervision is an essential activity for all therapists, helping us to reflect upon our work, consider different perspectives and practice as safely and effectively as we can. I have been Claire’s clinical supervisor since October 2012 during which time she always demonstrated a very high degree of diligence, commitment and compassion for her clients. She accurately assesses and understands client’s problems then skilfully delivers therapeutic interventions. I can assure you that you will receive thoroughly professional therapy.
Noel Sawyer
BABCP accredited CB Therapist, Supervisor and Trainer.’’

As I have four, separate therapy roles- I receive supervision monthly from a BABCP accredited, Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist 🧠 📖 for private child and adult work. I have regular guidance and CBT supervision for my digital CBT, NHS role. 💻 📱

I also have monthly supervision with a BACP accredited Integrative Therapist, for the part time counselling role I hold in a independant school 🏫 and regular supervision for my creative work with a PTUK accredited Play Therapist. ✨ 🎨 ✨

I’ve been a therapist for 16 years (and a mental health professional for longer than this) but am always learning, and updating my skills. 🌱 👂🏼 ✍️

If you would like to work with me please do get in touch. I NOW have some weekly and fortnightly spaces available.

Claire ✨😊✨

https://guidingmindstherapy.com/contact-us/

08/03/2025

A little gap this morning, so I wanted to write a post about an area close to my heart…, ✍️
‘’The Science of AuDHD Workshop: Understanding how ADHD and Autism intersect. ‘’👥🧠 📚

I attended this recent training and the speaker Dr Tom Nicholson was so inspiring and engaging. I would highly recommend his training to anyone interested in this topic. He has AuDHD himself and was let down by the education system. His story was very moving and shows how one teacher who ‘gets it’ can make a huge difference to a childs life.
https://www.drtomnicholson.com

Whilst my main area of expertise is in treating anxiety disorders over the past few years I have started to develop a specialist interest in neurodiversity. This is part due to the large increase I have seen in adults and children needing a specialist who understands/works with neurodivergent people and part due to having a close family member recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

I thought I’d share a few learning points from the recent workshop 🤓:

🧠 Until 2013 it was believed that autism and ADHD could not co occur (DSM). This is why the NHS still has two separate pathways and specialists are working hard to create one neurodiversity pathway instead. ADHD and autism and not two distinct conditions and in 50-70% of cases, research now shows that there is an overlap.
🧠The reason it appears more people are being diagnosed currently is not because there is an increase in ASD and ADHD but it’s because the NHS only offered adults a formal diagnosis on the NHS for these conditions from 2008- so there is a huge backlog or adults finally receiving diagnoses and starting to understand themselves.
🧠Asperger’s syndrome is no longer used as a diagnostic term, this now comes under ASD.
🧠ADD no longer exists and is now described as ADHD inattentive type
🧠The term Dyspraxia is now referred to as developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD).
🧠Neurodivergent individuals are 5X more likely to die of su***de which is why specialist support is so needed.
🧠If we can work with an autistic persons specialist interests rather than try to fit them in to a generic education system, they can achieve incredible things. It can boost wellbeing by helping them create groups around their interests if they do not exist already.
🧠When AuDHDers take medicine for ADHD this can sometimes make autistic, social difficulties harder, as the impulsivity and hyperactivity they use to spark conversations and connections may be dampened down.

I’d love to hear from you if you are also interested in this area and have some training/CPD recommendations 😊- I’m always on the look out for ways to expand my knowledge.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year to you all! ✨😊✨I hope you have a happy and healthy 2025 and you manage to find moments of contentment and joy ✨✨

It’s been a busy year at Guiding Minds Therapy and already all my spaces are full for the year ahead. If you would like to wait for a space please send an enquiry with a note about your availability, to join the wait list: https://guidingmindstherapy.com/contact-us/

My working hours will be as follows for the year ahead:

Mondays: 3pm-8pm private practice
Tuesdays: 9-12 and 3.30-4.30 in Kings Ely School, one private client 6.30pm.
Wednesday: 9-12 in Kings Ely School
Thursdays: 9am-8pm private practice
Fridays: 9-12pm private practice term time
Saturdays: 8.30am-7.30pm private practice.
Sundays: 7am-10am NHS/ieso, 10am-1.30pm private practice.

Thanks to everyone who chooses to use my services and for the continued support from family, friends and colleagues ✨🤗✨

I’ve added some recent feedback below from a lovely adult client I recently worked with~ CBT and a positive patient-therapist relationship can really help during times of need. 🤝🧠

23/12/2024

Wishing you all a very peaceful Christmas ✨🎄✨ ~ I hope you all manage to have a break and enjoy some special time with loved ones.

Guiding Minds Therapy is taking a 5 day break over the festive period. I’ll be back in the office on Saturday the 28th 😊~ I will have a couple of weekend spaces opening up in the new year.

If you are concerned about your own, or someone else's, wellbeing and require support, this can be accessed from.

The Samaritans – call for free 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org (it may take several days to receive a response by email)
SHOUT: free, 24/7 mental health text support in the UK - text 'HEAR' to 85258

If you need non-urgent mental health advice and are a parent concerned about your child, call the Young Minds Parent Helpline 0808 802 5544.

Parents Helpline holiday hours
Please find below our holiday opening hours:
* 9 - 23 December: open 9:30am-2pm
* 24 December: open 9:30am-1pm
* 25 December - 1 January: closed
* 2 January: open as normal (Mon- Fri- 9.30am-4pm).

If your child is struggling with suicidal thoughts contact PAPYRUS on 08000684141, or for text support- 88247 : https://www.papyrus-uk.org

For immediate help call NHS 111, and select the mental health option.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or you require emergency services please call 999 or 112, or attend your local A&E department.

22/11/2024

The Ely Guiding Minds Office is 3 years old today- 🥳 how time flies!

It’s always hard to up and move and start again but I’m so grateful that all has worked out with the business
✨ 🙏🏻 ✨

I’m celebrating today building a new client base in a new location, with a new baby in the mix. I’ve enjoyed working with adults and children across Cambridgeshire, continuing to support Essex clients online, keeping a typed CBT role going with the nhs and it’s been lovely to link up with Kings Ely school this year too. It’s certainly been busy but so worth it.

Thanks to family, friends and colleagues for your continued support. 😊

Guiding Minds Therapy is moving to the beautiful city of Ely, 30 minutes from Cambridge at the end of 2021. ✨

I will be offering face to face appointments at The Cambridgeshire Business Park and Video CBT sessions to adults and adolescents based in the UK and beyond. ✨💻 📱 🌍

Further details to follow
Exciting times ahead ✨

18/10/2024

Great tip- intrinsically motivated children will turn in to confident adults, who will be less likely to worry about making mistakes and disappointing others ✨✨

Love this one!

[Edited to add - maybe we should be doing both!]

18/09/2024

Changing your thoughts, can change your life…

Words from my book The Freedom of Forward ✨

17/09/2024

Guiding Minds Therapy is happy to be back this term supporting Kings Ely Prep, day & boarding students on Tuesdays 8am-6pm ✨😊🏫 🧠 🎨✨

I now have my own room and a white board which I love using in my sessions and the option of a cosy, play room for younger pupils too. I’m grateful to have received funding for a further term.

I am still offering private sessions to children, teens and adults on:
Mondays 12pm-8pm,
Thursdays 8.45am- 7pm,
Saturdays 8.30am-7pm,
Sundays 8am- 12pm
and also helping NHS online patients via IESO digital health in between.

I am almost at full capacity and only have a couple of adult, therapy spaces remaining. Please do get in touch to enquire. 📧 📞

Have a good afternoon all ✨😊✨