About My Counselling, CBT & Coaching mental health services
Paul Weeden Mbacp
Aside from working as a mental health services counsellor and CBT therapist at London Bridge and Littlehampton West Sussex, specialising in treating anxiety and depression. As well as self-esteem and addictions.
I'm also a father, musician/producer, a physical activity fanatic. I came to this area of work quite naturally after many years exploring my deep interest in the human psyche and self-development.
I love exploring interesting and exciting new things, and strive to confront my fears as best I can.
Part of my professional as well as my personal self-care and understanding is around maintaining good mental health and recognising that a lot of our progress around better mental health and self development is achieved out there in the world. Our private space with a skilled helper such as a counsellor or coach, is where we go to discuss and explore our experiences in the wider world. Because out there is where the changes tend to take place.
Many of the things I've come to value, I've learned about them through exploring ancient teachings like Buddhism and Stoicism, which also can be very similar to our more modern and familiar CBT. I've also practiced yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years. And more recently cold therapy and breath-work 'Wim-Hof' method.
In addition to this I've felt drawn to a variety of martial arts over three decades. They've all helped me to be more balanced and live a calmer life. They are also great teachers in that we can use them to learn about and increase our potential and capabilities. But also they help us to understand and accept our limitations and vulnerability. Which helps us to find solutions to our challenges improving our self development and improving our mental health overall.
Integrating a variety of theoretical frameworks and theories is very important to me around being a good counsellor, CBT therapist and coach, as it means I can give my clients a more comprehensive understanding of what good mental health and wellbeing looks like, from a variety of perspectives. Including physical behaviours and habits, and a psychological and emotional framework and tools.
I've enjoyed learning about and practicing a lot of different psychological theories and philosophies. I particularly enjoy Jungian and existential psychology, considering the different personas that inhabit our minds and bodies, as well as the purpose and meaning behind behaviour.
It's really fascinating how and why they show up at certain times.
I've also enjoyed learning from a surprising variety of academic and nonprofessional teachers about good and bad mental health, including the likes of Bruce Lee, Wendy Palmer, Jordan Peterson, Wim-Hof, and Bren Browne.
I feel we also can learn so much about the fragility of the human condition, and how important good mental health is from the stories, and unfortunate tragedies of many great artists and performers like Jimi Hendrix, Jaco Pastorius, Amy Winehouse, and Jim Morison.
I came to counselling and coaching work quite naturally through my passion for self-development and self-expression. As well as a desire to understand myself and the world better. I wanted to learn to be more resilient and adapt to change better. Whilst also gaining greater balance as well as better physical and mental health.
This quote from Reinhold Niebuhr reminds me of the philosophical work Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. Which links very nicely to my own mental health self development work available for free below, 'MindBody Hack-sheets', where we consider what I term 'The 8 Pillars'-
Acceptance, Surrender, Commitment, Responsibility, Trust,Forgiveness, Respect, and Giving.
Please see links to my free value self development hack-sheet content below.
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Reinhold Niebuhr AMERICAN THEOLOGIAN
I treat clients at my London Bridge practice, as well as in Hove and Littehampton West Sussex.
The BACP accredited advanced diploma training I completed in Integrative humanistic/psycho-therapeutic counselling at Cppd North London has taught me a lot about how the past influences us all in the present.
This has also given me some useful tools for helping to re-frame and see things from different perspectives.
Coaching
I became interested in coaching through the body, 'somatic coaching' awareness through my interest in martial arts and yoga 'Integration Training'.
https://www.integrationtraining.co.uk
This allowed me to spend a year intensively practicing a Russian martial art called ‘Systema' for several hours a week.
This was a fantastic and fun learning opportunity in exploring how we respond under pressure once our fight/flight response has been triggered. The interesting thing is that we all have similar responses in stressful conditions, whether the stress we are experiencing is a physical threat or perhaps a more subtle psychological or emotional challenge, such as we might experience with our colleagues and friends.
What this means is we are programmed to often overreact to many situations as if they are life-threatening. This is partly because it was far more likely to be a useful response for many of our ancestors. As they were forced to live in survival mode a lot more of the time than we are today.
As well as being great fun, this playful embodied practice has helped to nurture my previously repressed and wounded inner-child. By investing time in a physical activity involving others, whilst getting away from technology and sedentary meaningless existence and getting back into the way the body has evolved to be used. This greatly improves our mental health, which gives life purpose and makes it feel meaningful through our bodies dynamic interactions, and the minds ability to focus and let go of stress and worry. Leading to less symptoms linked to anxiety, and depressive, and better quality mental health.
In my experience everyone has a past they need to spend some time getting to know better. We all have a shadow side that we could benefit from getting to know and understanding better. Especially when we are at our worst. Then we will have more options available to use and help us to have better outcomes in the future.
Surely that is more sensible and responsible, than ignoring our less favourable side, and getting a nasty surprise when something unfortunate and unexpected happens.
A situation where we don't know how best to respond or stay calm.
In my experience, such events show up in complex and sometimes toxic family dynamics, dysfunctional business arrangements where high degrees of stress are likely, or personal crises involving litigation and financial disputes. And where health, well-being and safety are compromised.
At such times we are far more vulnerable to impulsive reactions and behaviour. We will very likely unconsciously try to self soothe, often through over-relying on alcohol and drugs. These are the times we are most likely to overreact and make regrettable mistakes. Causing more stress, and depression, and poorer mental and physical health.
What I offer is a holistic therapeutic system of self-development, utilizing body wisdom. A mind, body and lifestyle toolbox, an ethical commitment and container for you to show yourself, as you truly are. So that you have the opportunity to adapt and develop new ways of being.
Then you can feel better, more confident and stronger about yourself, and do what is necessary for your well-being and self-care in your daily life.
