Paul Lawson

I hold the following qualifications:

• Registered General Nurse
• Registered Mental Nurse
• Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist
• Diploma in Health Care Studies (Mental Health)
• Post Graduate Diploma (Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy)

I have been working in health care for over 30 years. For many years I worked as a General Nurse in many different specialties both in the UK and abroad and held senior nursing management positions. I later trained as a Mental Health Nurse and gained a broad spread of experience in mental health before training as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist at Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust. I still work part time for the NHS in a senior position as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and as well as having my own caseload I supervise other mental health professionals and trainee therapists.

Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP or CBT) is a collaborative therapy where therapist and client work together to reach a shared understanding of the client’s difficulties. Having done so then an agreed treatment plan is implemented based on the shared formulation. The plan is kept under review and modified as necessary. CBT is a very practical time-limited problem-focussed therapy where agreed treatment goals are pursued. While events and experiences in early life are acknowledged and their influences on present difficulties recognised the main focus for CBT is on the here and now; therapist and client work together to improve current difficulties and to lay the foundations for more adaptive functioning in the future.

Each session lasts approximately 50 minutes and the number of sessions required will vary from client to client according to their needs; this will be discussed at your initial consultation.

I am available on Thursdays and Saturday mornings as well as some evenings by arrangement.

My fee is £60 per session payable at each session by cash or cheque.