Alan Fraser

Cognitive Therapist & Counsellor

What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy?
Cognitive Therapy was developed by Aaron T. Beck because he found traditional analytical psychotherapy to be ineffective for the treatment of depression. His hypothesis was depression maintained and was even caused by negative thinking patterns. Often these thoughts are habitual and not conscious to the individual. Cognitive Therapy helps the individual become aware of these patterns and influence change. Over the last thirty years these principles have been developed and proven by research to be effective in helping many psychological and emotional difficulties.

How can Cognitive Therapy Help?
Cognitive Therapy is recognised as one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy. Extensive research has shown it to be an effective therapy for a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties including:

• Work related stress
• General anxiety
• Sleep disturbance
• Panic attacks
• Specific phobias
• Obsessions and/or compulsions
• Depression
• Bereavement
• Issues of low self esteem
• Relationship difficulties
• Sexual problems
• Poor anger control
• Psychosomatic problems/ health anxiety

What does Treatment Involve?
Therapy is organised over an agreed number of sessions. The total number will depend on the individual person and the nature of the problem. Typically, sessions last an hour and take place weekly or fortnightly initially. Sessions can be more widely interspersed as therapy progresses.

Cognitive therapy can be used on its own or in conjunction with medication prescribed by your doctor. Therapy is based upon an alliance between therapist and client. A collaborative approach is taken to explore the issues and the nature of the problem. Having a shared understanding of the client's predicament, goals will be negotiated as part of a shared treatment plan.

The focus of the therapy will be based on the "here and now", although an understanding of past experience will be used to formulate the treatment plan. Solutions to the difficulties are best tested out and this will be the work undertaken by the client between sessions.

Qualifications:
R.N.M.H 1979
R.M.N. 1980
B.A. Community Health 1995
Practice teacher 1996

Professional Membership
Registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) as a practitioner nurse working with mental handicap and mental illness
Registered as a community psychiatric nurse and as a practice teacher in community health
Registered with the British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapists (B.A.B.C.P)

Alan has had over 25 years experience of working in the Health Service. He is a trained psychiatric nurse, an experienced counsellor and trained cognitive therapist. His background forms the foundation of his therapeutic work with individuals. In addition to this orthodox foundation, his interest in complementary and preventative health measures brings a broader vision of health and wellness. He has studied health perspectives in different cultural backgrounds, having been taught by, amongst others, North American Indian elders and Tibetan Lamas.

back to top