Dr Kimberley Carter Psychotherapy & Counselling

03/05/2024

In this latest podcast from Bupa UK, Dr Zoe Williams sits down with Christine McGuinness to discuss her experience of both ADHD and Autism and Christine's unique experience of both raising neurodivergent children and recognising the qualities in herself. Plus, Zoe & Christine are joined by expert Rajeev Dhar to open up the conversation further.

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are two distinct neurodevelopmental disorders, each with unique characteristics, diagnostic criteria, and management approaches.
Both ADHD and ASD require a supportive approach tailored to individual needs. Early identification, appropriate interventions, and ongoing support can lead to positive outcomes for individuals with either condition.

If you feel that you have been affected in any way by this, or any other issue please get in touch.
We also offer online therapy sessions via Zoom, Facetime, or Skype to help and support you at any time.
If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO LISTEN TO THE PODCOAST.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4AHr3Bkz0U

Dr Zoe Williams sits down with Christine McGuinness to discuss her experience of both ADHD and Autism and Christine's unique experience of both raising neuro...

25/04/2024

𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘼 𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙊𝙉 𝘼𝘿𝙊𝙋𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉:
Adoption can impact how individuals see themselves in the world. Adoptees may from time to time, experience feelings of rejection and abandonment, which can lead to a sense of loneliness and difficulty in forming their identity. These emotions can surface at different stages of life, often requiring specialised support and a safe space to express their feelings.

My therapy sessions are designed to provide a safe and nurturing environment where you can explore these emotions, unravel past traumas, and develop coping strategies, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever before.

I have over 25 years of experience working with clients and supervisees online as well as in person, from my therapy room in the pretty town of Oxted situated at the foot of the North Downs, in Surrey.

If you feel that you have been affected in any way by this, or any other issue please get in touch.
We also offer online therapy sessions via Zoom, Facetime, or Skype to help and support you at any time.

If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com

16/04/2024

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
𝐀𝐍𝐗𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐘:
We all experience feelings of anxiety from time to time, and it's very common to feel tense or unsure about a potentially stressful situation such as an exam, starting a new job or moving home. However, some of us will be affected more than others.

Despite being a normal experience, if these feelings are very strong or long-lasting they can become overwhelming.

Talking this through with a trained Counsellor can help you to understand these feelings and in time help you to manage them.

Clients are welcome to come in person or I can offer online sessions for people outside the area.

If you would like to discuss this or any other issue please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
or get in touch via email
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com
We can offer online therapy sessions via:
🔍 : Zoom,
📹 : Facetime
💻 : Skype

08/04/2024

What is boarding school syndrome?

To define boarding school syndrome simply, it is recognised as a collection of symptoms experienced by an adult as a result of having been to boarding school as a child. We can all experience these symptoms at times, however, ex-boarders can be particularly susceptible - to the point where it adversely affects their quality of life. These can include:
Low mood, anxiety and/or panic attacks
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Sleep problems
Addiction
Difficulty connecting to and expressing emotions
Perfectionist tendencies
Problems with interpersonal, intimate, and parenting relationships
Confusion about identity
Extreme beliefs around independence and difficulty asking for help
Extreme competitiveness
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Low self-esteem or feeling unlovable
Troubled by upsetting memories of teasing, bullying, or sexual abuse
Loss of memories from childhood
Physical symptoms that clinicians seem unable to explain
Feelings of shame.
If you feel that you have been affected in any way by this, please get in touch. We can offer online therapy sessions via Zoom, Facetime, or Skype to help and support you through this time.
If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com

04/04/2024

𝘔𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘹 – 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦.

Ending Friendships: Article written by Charlotte Fox Weber.
It sounds as if there might be something else at play here. Either way, I’d think seriously about whether you actually want the friendship to continue.

𝘐’𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘹: 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 “𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨” 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘹 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

Read on: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/23/my-best-friend-and-i-disagreed-over-talking-about-sex-now-shes-no-longer-speaking-to-me

22/03/2024

In this 3 part article, we look at the subject of friendships and the effect they can have on you.
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨.
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟑: People with a healthy sense of self seek out others like them, and will most likely have mutually supporting relationships, with disappointments managed well between them. They are also likely to steer away from people who exhibit signs of being unreliable, selfish, with immature ways of interacting. A secure and caring early environment will help these fortunate individuals navigate life and friendships with relative ease.

Friendships take work, like any relationship, but they should be sources of mutual encouragement and support, not sources of ongoing disappointment. If the latter point sounds familiar then perhaps it is time to look at what is going on.

Psychotherapy can help you explore why you have a tendency to get involved with people who you feel let down by, leaving you feeling hurt, and relationships ending abruptly. Often with lots of angry protests of injustice on both sides. Perhaps you play a part in the drama you find yourself in. Maybe your expectations are just too high, with unrealistic expectations of what friendship can provide, or maybe they are not, and you have tried to make friendships work that just don’t, and won’t. Being able to walk away from a relationship whether with a partner, or a friend, because you recognise the dynamics are unhealthy builds self worth. Psychotherapy is a safe place to explore friendship dynamics, and start to question why you choose the friends you do, past or present.

Please follow me on Facebook for more articles of this nature.

If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
or get in touch via email
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com
We can offer online therapy sessions via:
🔍 : Zoom,
📹 : Facetime
💻 : Skype

13/03/2024

In this 3 part article, we look at the subject of friendships and the effect they can have on you.

𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝'𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩?
𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐: If you think about your friendships past and present perhaps there is a common theme? Do you have long term supportive relationships in which you feel you can genuinely be yourself, and any disagreements are repaired with little angst? Or do you experience reoccurring disappointment with your friendships? Attracted to people who are not there when you need them, or talk down to you. If you feel you are walking on eggshells around a so-called friend then that is not a healthy relationship..

Having an understanding of why you choose friends, can help you avoid unhealthy relationships going forward. Staying in a friendship, in which you feel constantly disappointed is a form of self-harm. Psychotherapy can help you understand why you continue to stay in friendships that are not working for you. Help you develop relationships in which you feel cared for, and can be yourself.

For part 3 of this article please follow me on Facebook.
If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
or get in touch via email
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com
We can offer online therapy sessions via:
🔍 : Zoom,
📹 : Facetime
💻 : Skype

07/03/2024

In this 3 part article, we look at the subject of friendships and the effect they can have on you.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮?
𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟏: If someone asked you to describe your friendships, what would you say? Solid, reliable, supportive, or would you use words such as disappointing, confusing, hurtful, or problematic.. What are your expectations of friends, and do they meet these expectations, or come even close? Can you rely on your friends to be there when you need them? Do you find yourself doing the majority of work to keep the friendship going, or perhaps even the other way around? If a friend has treated you badly in the past it is very likely they will do so again. So why would you give them another chance?

It is common knowledge that having friends is good for our health, but the quality of said friendships is an important factor in whether the contact is positively beneficial or a source of pain, and therefore detrimental to mental health. People who have experienced trauma in their childhoods, physically, emotionally or both, often have lower expectations of their friends, starting up friendships with people who mistreat them in some way. In very obvious ways or in more subtle ways. Perhaps they make excuses for their friend’s behaviour, denying their disappointment, hurt, or even anger, and avoid challenging them because they fear rejection and abandonment. This is a learnt response from earlier experiences, in which a parent/s or carer let them down, but they could not take this up with them. They had no choice but to hide their true feelings. Such foundations are usually not a good precursor for future healthy relationships and set the scene for further re-enacts of earlier hurts. Psychotherapy can help you understand your choice of friends, and how to make better choices going forward.

For parts 2 and 3 of this article please follow me on Facebook.

If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
or get in touch via email
💻: dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com
We can offer online therapy sessions via:
🔍 : Zoom,
📹 : Facetime
💻 : Skype

24/02/2024

𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞'𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 & 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠:

Psychotherapy and counselling offer invaluable support for individuals navigating some of life's challenges. Whether you're grappling with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, or trauma, I can provide a safe and non-judgmental space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.
In our therapy sessions, we discuss how to cultivate self-awareness, develop coping skills and foster a more meaningful change in your life. With guidance and support, you can embark on a journey of self-discovery and healing, emerging stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Take the first step towards a happier, healthier you.


We can offer online therapy sessions via Zoom, Facetime, or Skype to help and support you through this time.
If you would like to discuss therapy please visit my website www.drkimberleycarter.co.uk
or get in touch via
email 💻 dr.kimberley.carter@gmail.com