Our emotions can tell us
important and helpful things,
if we only let them.
Our emotions tell us a story about ourselves, others and the world around us. They can be our most important guide, directing our thoughts, actions and behaviours. But they can also keep us stuck and hold us back.
In short, Emotion Speaks.
I want to help people listen to their emotions. To develop a deeper, more meaningful understanding of themselves. To learn to use their emotions to guide them in healthy ways. To build the life and relationships that they want.
Alongside my private practice therapy sessions, I provide professional training and bespoke workshops in Emotion Focused Therapy and in SPEAKS, which I co-developed as an Emotion Focused specialist treatment for people with anorexia.
I offer individual therapy for adults (age 16+). My work draws from Emotion Focused Therapy and Schema Therapy, alongside other therapeutic modalities such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Psychodynamic approaches. I tailor my approach to meet your personal needs in an authentically warm, empathic and safe space. I specialise in working with eating disorders, and also have an interest and experience in neurodivergent groups.
I am an Emotion Focused Therapy supervisor and international trainer (accredited by isEFT) based in England where I am the Director of the Emotion Focused Therapy Institute of England at Salomons. I also offer SPEAKS trainings to services and Institutes. Trainings in either approach can include short tasters, bespoke workshops, core and advanced skills, or full accreditation.
I specialise in Emotion Focused Therapy & Schema Therapy. These are both evidence-based approaches that view us as made up of many (often conflicting) parts. The part that can give us a hard time (inner critic); our vulnerable part (even if usually hidden); and ways of coping, such as squashing our feelings down. Therapy involves an exploration of your different ‘parts’, and using experiential exercises, such as imagery or putting parts into different chairs, to help you recognise and resolve stuck patterns and emotions.
SPEAKS is a unique integration of Emotion Focused Therapy and Schema Therapy developed through detailed research into emotion change processes associated with recovery from anorexia and by consulting people with lived experience. SPEAKS follows an evidence-based emotion change process and draws on a range of carefully selected therapeutic techniques from different models to support change. SPEAKS takes a ‘whole person’ approach to recovery beyond a focus simply on eating, weight and shape.
January 2025
I am delighted that my 2025 kicks off with the first in my CPD workshops for the NHS Talking Therapy services supporting the clinical development of therapists offering Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD) in particular. These workshops are specially developed based on the BACP required curriculum and are tailored for the needs of each specific service. If you’d like a brochure or wish to enquire further, see our EFT training page and please do drop me a line.
February 2025
The first of the SPEAKS trainings for this year runs in collaboration with the Czech EFT Institute. This training is curated for a range of professionals, some with and some without specific experience in Emotion-Focused Therapy or Schema Therapy.
March 2025
There is more SPEAKS training in Germany early in March with the Institut Fur Emotionsfokussierte Therapie in Munich to a group of experienced Emotion-Focused Therapists (visit www.ieft.de).
April 2025
Please get in touch if you have any questions about me or my therapy, training or supervision services.
Emotion Speaks is the professional website of Dr Anna Oldershaw, clinical psychologist, Director of Emotion Focused Therapy Institute of England and co-developer of SPEAKS.
© 2023 Dr Anna Oldershaw. All rights reserved.
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