Conditions I Treat
Mental Health Conditions
Anxiety Disorders
Defined by disproportionately high levels of fear and avoidance in response to certain objects or situations, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health problems in the world today. Panic attacks are common in anxiety disorders, but they can occur in other disorders.
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders are mental health conditions which affect your mood. These range from depressive disorders – feelings of sadness, emptiness, or irritability which affect your physical and cognitive functions – to bipolar disorders – extreme mood shifts between mania and depression
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders involve a persistent pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that are very different from cultural expectations. These can lead to significant stress and disruption in your life.
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is usually associated with instability, whether in relationships, self-image, or emotions. Often, this instability stems from a fear of abandonment, quickly changing emotions, and a lack of stability in your personal relationships and self-image.
Among people with BPD, impulsive and potentially self-damaging behaviour is common. Self-harm and suicidal thoughts and actions are also common. Treatments aim to help you manage these intense feelings and reduce distress so that they occur less often.
While there is still much to learn about this complex condition, recent research has shown that some types of therapy, such as dialectical behavioural therapy, mentalisation and talking therapies can be effective at reducing symptoms and improving your quality of life. Treatments aim to help you manage these intense feelings and reduce distress so that they occur less often.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Commonly known as PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition that can occur after a distressing event. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), the disorder falls under the “Other Trauma and Stressor Related Disorder family” to distinguish it from other anxiety disorders.
If you live with PTSD, your symptoms may include disturbing thoughts and feelings relating to the trauma, as well as nightmares, hyperarousal, flashbacks, anger, and memory issues. By understanding the types of events that can trigger PTSD, as well as how it develops in your brain, you’ll be better equipped for your healing journey.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning it can affect the way a person behaves and learns. Its major symptoms are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
Reading Recommendations
- 'Understanding Personality Disorders: An Introduction' (2010) by Duane Dobbert
- The Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide: Everything You Need to Know about Living with BPD’ (2008) by Alex Chapman and Kim Gratz.
- The Essential Guide to Overcoming Avoidant Personality Disorder’ (2010) by Martin Kantor.
- DBT skills' (2015) by Marsha M. Linehan
- Scattered minds. The origins and healing of attention deficit disorder’ (2012) by Gabor Mate
- ‘In the realm of hungry ghosts. Close encounters with addiction’ (2018) by Gabor Mate
- 'Mentalizing in mental health practice', A.Bateman, P. Fonagy