Christine Habermehl

I can help with...

• Addictions – alcohol, drugs, etc
• Anxiety
• Bereavement and loss
• Bullying
• Childbirth
• Coping with chronic ill health or chronic pain
• Coping with a terminal illness
• Depression
• Dissociative disorders
• Educational performance
• Emotional abuse
• Fear of public speaking
• Infertility
• Insomnia and sleep problems
• Low mood
• Low self-confidence
• Low self-esteem
• Major life changes
• Panic attacks
• Phobias
• Physical abuse
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Relaxation
• Sexual abuse
• Sexual problems
• Somatic illnesses
• Sports performance
• Stress
• Trauma
• Traumatic childhood
• Unexplained and persistent physical symptoms
• Work-related issues

Types of clients I see

• Individuals
• Groups
• Young people
• Older people
• Men
• Women
• Trainee and qualified clinicians
• Supervisees

Languages I speak

• English

Location(s)

• Contact me for details

Types of therapy I offer

• Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Mindfulness
• Supervision

My approach

I enjoy working within an integrative and holistic approach, valuing the whole person and respecting the mind body link. I describe my work as complementary, not alternative, and I support and work with doctors and conventional medicine.

I have over 20 years’ professional experience working in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and London. I have trained in many different approaches and can tailor my way of working to best suit the individual.

The types of issues I regularly work with include all types of trauma ranging from road traffic collisions, physical and sexual assaults/abuse, through to war-related events, witnesses of crime, fears, phobias, anxiety, depression, bereavements and grief, education and sports performance and ‘mind medicine’.

My work is informed by current research that indicates effective approaches for specific problems like CfD for depression, EMDR for trauma, and a specific programme for IBS.

As well as counselling and psychotherapy work I regularly support sportsmen and women to improve their own personal and team performances when competing at county, national and international events. I also work with young people focusing on reducing exam anxiety and improving exam performance.

Another area of my work involves working with people with health issues particularly those going through conventional cancer treatment. We work together utilising the power of the mind to target and enhance their treatment (radiotherapy/chemotherapy) and support the whole person.

I work privately offering both short-term and long-term therapy in response to the individual and their needs. I also take referrals from GPs, the IAPT service, counsellors and psychologists.

Training, qualifications and experience

• Europe-accredited EMDR Consultant
• Europe-accredited EMDR Practitioner
• EMDR Consultants course (EMDR UK & Ireland)
• EMDR Therapy (EMDR UK & Ireland)
• EMDR R-TEP (Recent Traumatic Events Protocol)
• EMDR R-TEP (Recent Traumatic Events Group Protocol)
• I-EMDR Treating Headaches & Migraines
• Certificate in Therapeutic Counselling Supervision
• Diploma in Counselling
• Diploma in Hypnotherapy/Hypno-healing
• Diploma in Sports Performance
• Combined Certificate in Counselling
• Certificate in Counselling Theory
• Certificate in Counselling Skills

Some other short courses I’ve completed include:

• cognitive behavioural therapy skills
• brief solution-focused therapy skills
• complex trauma and dissociation
• coaching skills
• existential therapy skills
• post-traumatic stress
• trauma risk incident management (TRiM)
• stress management
• critical incident stress defusing
• critical incident stress debriefing
• breaking bad news
• family grief
• the emotional cost of caring
• coping with sudden death
• dealing with victims of sexual abuse
• treating chronic pain

My background includes working in and heading up a police welfare, counselling and trauma service, providing and managing all aspects of psychological health and welfare and leading on psychological trauma. My work was consistently recognised as ‘outstanding’ throughout my service, my appraisals were always ‘excellent’ and I received several personal and team awards.

I have been self-employed in private practice for 15 years. This operated alongside my work in the emergency services until 2012, when I took voluntary redundancy after 28 years’ exemplary service. I also have 4 years experience as a part time GP Counsellor taking NHS GP and IAPT referrals in Hertfordshire.

I trained as an EMDR practitioner over 13 years ago and I am now also a Europe-accredited EMDR consultant. I am passionate about this way of working and I actively encourage and support EMDR as a therapy and I enjoy supervising the work of other practitioners. This includes voluntary work for Trauma Aid UK, supervising EMDR therapists working in the Middle East. Together with a colleague I set up and continue to coordinate the EMDR Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire EMDR Association Regional Group and I’ve been a member of the EMDR Association East Anglia Regional Steering Group.

Professional affiliations

• British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (Full Accredited Member)
• EMDR Europe (Full Accredited Member)
• BACP Accredited Register of Counsellors & Psychotherapists
• General Hypnotherapy Register & General Hypnotherapy Standards Council (Senior Member)
• Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council Accredited Register (Full Member)

• I have an enhanced DBS certificate
• I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office as a data controller

Code of ethics

I abide by the BACP and the EMDR Europe code of ethics.

Fees and availability

• £95–£115 (sessions before 5pm are at the lower rate)
• Sessions are a full 60-minute hour
• In consultation and when appropriate longer sessions can be provided
• Contact me for availability

IBS, sports/educational performance, ‘mind medicine’ and stress management & resilience building

• 6-hour programmes: £520