23/07/2024
Great write up of the service on the Invest East Ayrshire page! They do great work in promoting local business and the events at the Ingram Centre.
First up in our new series of ‘Meet the Business’ is Progress Psychotherapy.
Progress Psychotherapy is based on the values of clinical excellence and accessibility. Utilising Cognitive behavioural therapy treatment models as well as Schema therapy, Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, Dialectical behavioural therapy and Compassion-focused therapy, to give evidence based and effective treatments. At Progress Psychotherapy, they believe that everyone should be able to access mental health services which is why they try to run at the minimal possible cost to allow people of any income to begin the life-changing journey that therapy can offer.
A recent development is adding to the trauma service with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). This method is rapidly proving itself to be the most effective and fastest treatment method for trauma therapy, however there is very little availability in the local area (especially privately). As a result of the support received from EAC, Robert Fulton, who runs Progress Psychotherapy, has been able to undertake EMDR training and achieve the first level of certification, with plans to complete all other levels this year. This has already seen successful treatment of 10 people and the hope is to support many more as the service develops.
“In 2021, I began renting an office in the IEC when there was a significant push to make remote therapy the default after the pandemic. However, many of my clients, especially those more vulnerable, felt that this wasn’t realistic for them. The office enables our clients to engage with mental health concerns in a way that feels safer and is more directly supported by me. Being based in Kilmarnock reduces both the financial and psychological barriers that come from travel as some may not be able to afford transport on top of the session fee or their issues may make travelling any distance very difficult. Services here in our community matter even more to the people most in need.
The support services that exist in East Ayrshire are excellent and were one of the factors that have enabled my practice to treat hundreds of people locally since 2019.” – Robert Fulton, Progress Psychotherapy
