In the realm of counselling, vulnerability becomes a gateway to strength, and pain becomes a catalyst for growth. Hello, my name is Dr Martha Scanlan Welcome

Welcome to Martha Scanlan Therapy

Deciding to find support with problems is the first step to change. My aim is to provide clients with a confidential, emotionally safe and supportive environment in which people can feel at ease exploring their life and any difficulties they are experiencing.

Therapy is a journey in which participants agree to work together by listening, experiencing feelings and exploring life encounters. Only by taking this journey can people find more positive ways of managing life and finding happiness.

Relationships are dynamic and require work to remain healthy. We don’t always know how to manage them and deciding to reach out and find professional help will give you the necessary tools to manage emotions and patterns of being and understanding.

I offer therapy online as well as face to face in my private practice in East Grinstead. Therapy could be short or long-term depending on the difficulties presented.

Why work with me ?

I am professional but warm in approach and I will listen to you, non- judgmentally and hold your feelings in the highest regard.

 I offer couple, individual, family and teenage counselling. I am qualified to work with psychosexual therapy and Supervision.

I am a fully qualified Relate trained therapist. I have over 30 years of experience providing therapy in diverse issues for couples, individuals, families and teenagers. I am also qualified to work in psychosexual therapy with expertise in Compusive Sexual Behaviour Disorder and Sex Addiction. I have worked extensively with teenagers that experience problems relating to self-harm and anxiety issues. I am also able to provide therapeutic help to adults, couples and teenagers (over the age of 12) on the autistic spectrum and Aspergers.

 

I also offer supervision to trainees and fully qualified counsellors and psychosexual therapists.

I am a fluent speaker in Spanish and am able to offer therapeutic services in both English and Spanish.

Professional qualifications & experience

I am an accredited member of (COSRT) College of Psychosexual Therapists and a member of the (BACP) British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

   

The training I have undergone has been with Relate, University College London and The Family institute.

• Dr Clinical Psychology
• Accredited member of COSRT
• Member of BACP
• PGDIP/MA in Couple and Individual therapy. Relate and University College London
• Dip in Psychosexual therapy COSRT and Relate
• Post grad Dip in Systemic Practice
• Cert in Counselling young people. Youth Access
• Dip in Individual and Group supervision for Counsellors and Psychotherapists
• Diploma in Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder and Sex Addiction
• Dip in Couples and individuals in the autistic spectrum
• Enhanced DBS certificate.

I adhere to the COSRT and BACP code of ethics and my work is supervised monthly. I continue my professional training and development by attending CPD courses on a regular basis.

Languages

I offer counselling in Spanish.

Counselling Services

Please click the boxes below to reveal further information

Couple Counselling

My experience of working with couples is extensive in all areas of relationship difficulties. These include communication difficulties and managing conflict/ possible resentments that may create an atmosphere of emotional distance between partners. Managing the different stages of life in the relationship such as retirement, affairs, birth of children and when they leave the household can be difficult for couples to negotiate and manage.

Sometimes illnesses and long-term health difficulties can create disruption in the couple and family relationship.

My work with clients is structured around clients’ needs, supporting and enabling them to manage the change they want. To know and manage the changes that are needed can be daunting for people and need the support of a therapist who understands relationship and family dynamics.

Couple counselling helps clients to build better and more fulfilling relationships with partners be that whether you are separated or co-parenting.

Couples and individuals that are in the autistic spectrum can find the different changes in the relationship and emotional dynamics of their members very difficult to process and adjust. Therapy can help them to understand these behaviors and explore different modalities of managing them.

Areas of counselling I deal with:

Loss of a child
Separation
Divorce
Communication issues
Affairs
Domestic Abuse
Emotional difficulties
Problems with self esteem
Sexual difficulties
Depression, OCD, Phobias, Panic attacks
Anxiety, self-harm
Sexual abuse
Effect of illness on couples and individuals

Counselling Teenagers

In my work with teenagers, I emphasize the exploration of their experiences of living in a society in which they find lots of stresses in their life. Although they may already have positive ways of coping, they may feel stuck or not able to deal with these challenges. This may be because of anxiety issues, family problems or personal difficulties. Therapy will help them to explore their emotional and mental processes and find alternative behaviour and understanding of their emotions.

Problems I deal with:

Generalized anxiety
Bullying
Transgender issues
Self- harm
Family difficulties
Internet abuse
Relationships issues

Psychosexual Therapy

Many individuals and couples experience difficulties in this area of their lives, maybe because of past experiences, addictive behaviour or personal challenges. I work with a modality that is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and the Cycle of Addiction.

Sexual needs and desire can change a lot throughout a lifetime. When this happens, it can leave individuals and couples feeling isolated and unable to communicate with each other. The important key to maintaining a good relationship is to have an intimate relationship in which you can relate and be able to put forward your emotions and needs as an individual and as a couple.

PST therapists have an extensive knowledge of the biological functioning of the body, and the psychology of intimacy. All the work that you will do in the therapy room is based on verbal communication. You will be given a personalized designed treatment as homework for you to do at home either individually or with your partner.

My aim is to help to improve physical intimacy in relationships and to achieve a happier and at ease sexual life. Sex therapy can improve sexual function and treat sexual dysfunctions.

Problems I deal with:

Anorgasmia
Ejaculation difficulties
Dyspareunia
Disorders of desire
Erectile dysfunction
Vulvodynia
Compulsive sexual behaviour

Family Counselling

Relationships between family members are different from other relationships we have in life. In family counselling my role is to help increase each family member’s ability to relate to each other, to speak more openly about their difficulties and discover the strengths and vulnerabilities that exist in each person and could help to maintain a harmonious emotional environment in the family.

In family counselling I aim to create an environment that is inclusive and considerate of the needs of each member of the family and other important relationships in their life. The counselling will recognize people’s strengths and build upon them. This specialist service is mindful of diverse family forms and relationships, beliefs and cultures.

Issues I deal with:

Family estrangement
Communication issues
Difficult relationships with members of family
Family physical, sexual and emotional violence
Bereavement
Effect of Disabilities

Supervision

I have experience of working as a therapist in many modalities as outlined above. This has given me the ability to understand the therapeutic endeavor through many lenses.

 I work with different theoretical approaches depending on the case. I use systemic, psychodynamic, transactional analysis, behavioural and person-centered approach. I can supervise individual practitioners and provide group supervision.

My role as a supervisor is to help practitioners learn or use different lenses to view cases or difficulties presented in their clinical work. These discussions take place in an environment of mutual respect, care and professionalism.

Where to Start?

I work at my private office in East Grinstead. I offer sessions either on zoom or face to face. The sessions will last one hour. To begin with I have an initial session in which clients and I decide the course of therapy that may be required to follow and agreement about the number of sessions that can be undertaken.

Individual's session

£60/ 1 hr Session
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Couple, family and psychosexual therapy

£70/ 1 hr Session
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Supervision

£65/ 1 hr Session
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Contact

Please get in touch and I will respond as soon as possible.

Email: martha.scanlan@sky.com