Life can sometimes throw challenges our way, leaving us feeling overwhelmed or stuck. Whether you're struggling with feelings of sadness, anxiety, self-doubt, or coping with difficult life experiences, please know that you're not alone.
About me
Hello, and a warm welcome to my practice. I'm Dr. Petra Lipnik, and I'm here to support you on your journey towards healing and personal growth.
As an HCPC accredited Counselling Psychologist and with years of experience in various mental health settings, I've had the privilege of helping many individuals like you. My approach is all about creating a safe, judgment-free space where we can explore your unique experiences and challenges.
I'm passionate about empowering you to break free from unhelpful patterns and build a life that aligns with your values and aspirations. We'll work together, drawing from practical, evidence-based techniques that make sense for you.
If you feel ready to take the first step towards a brighter tomorrow, I'm here to guide you. Let's embark on this journey together.
Types of Therapy
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Cognitive-behavioural therapy stresses the role of thinking in how we feel and what we do. It is based on the belief that thoughts, rather than people or events, cause our negative feelings. The therapist assists the client in identifying, testing the reality of, and correcting dysfunctional beliefs underlying his or her thinking. The therapist then helps the client modify those thoughts and the behaviours that flow from them. CBT is a structured collaboration between therapist and client and often calls for homework assignments. CBT has been clinically proven to help clients in a relatively short amount of time with a wide range of disorders, including depression and anxiety.
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Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) may assist individuals who struggle with mood disorders, anxiety, or feelings of shame and self-criticism, often stemming from early experiences of abuse or neglect. Through exercises like role-playing, visualization, meditation, and activities that promote gratitude for everyday life, CFT teaches clients about the mind-body connection and guides them in practicing awareness of their thoughts and bodily sensations. This helps clients cultivate self-compassion and compassion for others, which can help regulate their emotions and foster a sense of safety, self-acceptance, and comfort.
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is the treatment most closely associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Therapists practice DBT in both individual and group sessions. The therapy combines elements of CBT to help with regulating emotion through distress tolerance and mindfulness. The goal of Dialectical behaviour Therapy is to alleviate the intense emotional pain associated with BPD.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is an information processing therapy that helps clients cope with trauma, addictions, and phobias. During this treatment, the patient focuses on a specific thought, image, emotion, or sensation while simultaneously watching the therapist's finger or baton move in front of his or her eyes. The client is told to recognize what comes up for him/her when thinking of an image; then the client is told to let it go while doing bilateral stimulation. It's like being on a train;an emotion or a thought may come up and the client lets it pass as though they were looking out the window of the moving train.
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Experiential therapy is a therapeutic technique that uses expressive tools and activities, such as role-playing or acting, props, arts and crafts, music, animal care, guided imagery, or various forms of recreation to re-enact and re-experience emotional situations from past and recent relationships. The client focuses on the activities and, through the experience, begins to identify emotions associated with success, disappointment, responsibility, and self-esteem. Under the guidance of a trained experiential therapist, the client can begin to release and explore negative feelings of anger, hurt, or shame as they relate to past experiences that may have been blocked or still linger.
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The humanistic method takes a positive view of human nature and emphasises the uniqueness of the individual. Therapists in this tradition, who are interested in exploring the nature of creativity, love, and self-actualisation, help clients realise their potential through change and self-directed growth. Humanistic therapy is also an umbrella term for gestalt, client-centred therapy, and existential therapy.
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Person-centred therapy uses a non-authoritative approach that allows clients to take more of a lead in discussions so that, in the process, they will discover their own solutions. The therapist acts as a compassionate facilitator, listening without judgment and acknowledging the client's experience without moving the conversation in another direction. The therapist is there to encourage and support the client and to guide the therapeutic process without interrupting or interfering with the client's process of self-discovery.
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Schema therapy is a longer-term approach targeting childhood-developed, maladaptive thinking patterns called schemas. It combines cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, and Gestalt therapy. The goal is to recognize and understand schemas, change thoughts and behaviors, and improve emotional and relational well-being. It helps with personality disorders, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Schema therapy involves identifying and challenging maladaptive thinking patterns, replacing unhealthy coping styles with adaptive behaviors, and addressing unmet emotional needs through a strong therapeutic relationship.
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Trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) helps people who may be experiencing post-traumatic stress after a traumatic event to return to a healthy state.
2021 Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology
2017 Master of Science in Psychology of Mental Health
2014 Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Accreditation with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Qualifications
Get in touch
Your journey towards healing and actualisation matters deeply, and I'm here to support you in that process. If you feel ready to connect and begin this journey together, please don't hesitate to reach out by completing the below form. Alternatively, you can email me directly at petra.lipnik.psychology@gmail.com.
I'll aim to respond within 48 hours to arrange a time that suits you for our first appointment.
Your well-being is important, and I'm looking forward to working alongside you.