Catherine Watson MBACP (Accredited), PGDip Counselling, MSc Psychology, CertCoach. EMDR qualified (Parts 1-4)

Hello, I'm Catherine and I'm in your corner. Whatever the current issues and goals may be that you'd like to work on, I'll be glad to accompany you in this part of your life journey. Take a seat in Catherine's Corner, a space where you can be yourself and where I will be myself, where you can bring what is concerning you and we can decide on a personalised plan for life coaching and/or counselling/psychotherapy to move you forward and help you become the version of yourself you want to be.

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Originally trained in Carl Rogers' Person-Centred Counselling, I hold the core conditions of empathy, acceptance and genuineness in the therapeutic relationship as key to unlocking your breakthroughs and personal growth. I have a broad background in Psychology, having studied this at Masters level, so I am informed by my psychological knowledge and will use this where relevant. I am an accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. I later developed a specialism in trauma, so I also offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) which is a specialised treatment for traumatic memories. I additionally offer Life Coaching (informed by the cognitive behavioural approach) for those who would like to work in a future-orientated and goal focused way. Although counselling, EMDR and coaching are the three specific ways I work, this is not by any means the limit of my toolbox and these ways of working can complement each other if you don't want to choose just one approach. Whether you require trauma-focused work to heal from your past, an accompanying presence alongside your journey in the here and now or a motivating voice to inspire you to achieve your dreams and goals, Catherine's Corner can assist. Pair, couples or small group therapy/coaching is also available; either feel free to contact me regarding your requirements or sign up to an existing plan.

 

Counselling

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When we explore our concerns with a person who is trained and skilled in listening, we can see a clearer picture of ourselves and what is going on in our lives as if we are looking in a mirror. We can also take time to think and reflect out loud, which can make our thought processes become clearer. My previous business name before I expanded into EMDR and Life Coaching was Clear Reflection Counselling, which sums up these ideas. As well as providing a safe space for you to explore your concerns, I am happy to use other methods with those who would like to work in a more structured way. I am experienced with working with mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression and other diagnosed mood and anxiety disorders, whether you choose to embrace a diagnosis you've been given or see your experience in a different way. I also frequently carry out bereavement work and can do a structured exploration of this if preferred. Relationships, work stress, decision making, climate anxiety, neurodivergence and spirituality are topics I often work with. Whatever your concerns, I aim to see you as a whole person in the context of your life and experiences, rather than simply treating a 'problem'.

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Other Work

 

I am an Associate Lecturer with The Open University in the School of Psychology & Counselling and have been part of a neurodiversity research team, through which I contributed as a co-author on the following book published in 2024: The Palgrave Handbook of Research Methods and Ethics in Neurodiversity Studies | SpringerLink.  I run a non-profit group for peer support and activism for dyspraxia (Developmental Coordination Disorder) called Dyspraxia Dialogues. I also teach on a Counselling Certificate course at The Norwich Centre for Personal, Professional and Spiritual Development.

 

EMDR

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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a specialised psychotherapeutic treatment for trauma (Training organisation: EMDR Works). EMDR can be used for one-off incidents or longer term, chronic trauma and helps to reprocess memories so you no longer feel the extent of the negative emotions originally associated with them. Trauma does not have to be something dramatic like a car accident, it is your response to any experience where you felt unsafe, humiliated, shameful, abandoned, afraid etc., and the experience still affects you today. It can also be used for adverse life events which may not be typically defined as traumatic by the medical definitions of trauma - you do not need to have a diagnosis of PTSD to benefit from this treatment. If you choose to try EMDR therapy, I will tailor this to your individual needs and can incorporate other relevant trauma informed treatments where appropriate. If we meet online, we would use the 'butterfly hug' method or tapping rather than eye movements. If we meet face to face, eye movement work can be carried out with the use of a custom light bar, or alternatively we can use headphones with alternating sounds in each ear or buzzers in each hand. If you prefer not to use equipment, the butterfly hug or tapping are also effective in person.​​​

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Life Coaching

 

I am certified as a Life Coach (Training organisation: Centre for Coaching) and can offer life coaching as an alternative to therapy for those who would like to work in a goal-oriented way and may be more focussed on the future. My training is informed by the cognitive behavioural coaching approach but I tailor coaching sessions to individual needs.

 

I look forward to accompanying you on your journey of understanding, healing and becoming you.​​