Therapist Profile Image

Amy Stoddard Ajayi

Certified By: BACP
From: The Consulting Rooms, 24 West Street, Chichester West Sussex, West sussex, United Kingdom (UK)
Type of session: Via Skype, Secure Video Call, Via Phone
Also speaks: English

Therapist Profile Image
Specialty: Abuse, Addiction, Affairs, Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Fertility, Health, Mood, Obsessive compulsive disorders, Relationships, Self - Esteem, Stress, Trauma, Work
Target Age Group: Teenager, Adult
Therapist Since: 01/03/2007

About Me

I am a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with extensive NHS experience. I am the Mental Health Lead for the Cambridge Medical Academy (Cambridge University), where I train a global network of 800+ doctors and nurses in mental health. My research on improving access to mental health has been published internationally. I lecture at Southampton University teaching the Phd and MSc Psychology students. I provide in depth assessment and treatment for a range of psychological and emotional problems.

During my career, I have gained significant experience and supporting people to become psychologically and emotionally well again. Many of the patients I have supported have required specialist support with chronic anxiety and depression, low self-esteem, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, addiction and physical and psychological pain. I have in-depth clinical knowledge of how to manage complex psychological conditions.

My first degree in Anthropology and MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy sit as a foundation for all of my professional work. This has included the clinical delivery and management of services for young people, troubled families and secondary care psychotherapy (complex comorbidity and Personality Disorders).

My Certificates

My Qualifications

My Experience

I have been trained in CBT, Systemic Therapy, DBT, Mindfulness and trauma focused CBT. I build strong, impactful therapeutic relationships.

“Amy combines robust psychological knowledge and extensive clinical experience with a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent and compassionate approach to patient care“ – Dr Brian Marien, Co-founder of the Positive Group.

Many of the patients I have supported have suffered with chronic anxiety and depression, low self-esteem, self-harm, OCD, trauma, suicidal thoughts, addiction and physical and psychological pain. I use a range of psychological techniques resulting in a high recovery rate, enabling patients to achieve lasting and positive change.

“Amy is a kind, thoughtful and unique person who has helped me to recognise that they way I think and behave can change the whole course of my life for the better or worse. Amy worked with me and my GP, offering me choice and control over my therapeutic care and helping me to get off the dreaded antidepressant medication for good! I am now back in control of my world and there is no way on earth I would have been able to do this without Amy’s longstanding, patient and brilliant support, insight and guidance. Sade – Patient, Brighton, West Sussex

Amy is also trained in a number of other psychological modalities and adjusts her approach to treatment based on the needs of the individual she is working with – see below:

Formal training and qualifications:

MSc in Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Therapy

BA (Hons) Anthropology and Communication

Career and technical education:

Mindfulness and Compassion
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for personality disorder, self harm and suicidal ideation
CBT for Chronic Pain
Mental health in trauma and migration
Cultural adaptations in mental health
Child and Adolescent Development
CBT-I for insomnia
Narrative Exposure Therapy for trauma
Motivational Interviewing  for addiction/physical health problems
Trauma Focused CBT
Women’s psychological health
Managing Addiction
Systemic Therapy for families and relationships
Working with young people involved with gangs and violent crime
Sexual exploitation and recovery
Perinatal OCD
Policy and practice in mental health settings
Reducing Non-communicable disease in patients with mental health conditions
Global mental health development
The role of the diaspora in global mental health
Mental Health Service Design and Development

My Approach

Feeling overwhelmed with emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger and guilt can be extremely difficult to cope with and can have significant effects on your capability and relationships with others. If you are struggling to cope and and doing things that are damaging to yourself, your future and others, you are not alone and it is important that you access the right support to ensure that you can begin to get better.

CBT is a highly effective talking therapy that is conducted through an equal, honest and collaborative relationship with your therapist. I will work with you to help you describe how you are feeling and make sense of what is happening to you. You will be supported with kindness and empathy but you will also be challenged when you are ready, so that you can begin to take take control of your problems and make different decisions in your life that lead to better outcomes.

CBT has one of the strongest evidence-bases for effectiveness for a wide range of problems. It is recommended by NICE (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence) for and has been proven through hundreds of clinical studies over the past 20 years to effectively help with the large majority of psychological problems.

Reviews

  1. 5 out of 5

    Absolutely Brilliant

    I am a stubborn man in my early 50's finding it difficult to manage my life after a series of trauma, rejection, humiliation, loss and have been finding it difficult to manage my emotions. I was hooked on smoking weed, and anti depressants to manage my life, which of course simply removed my ability to address the internal pain. I talk over people, can't shut up and have failed to manage my life. Amy, has experience in all the areas needed to guide me back on a journey of self discovery, has given me the tools to better manage my emotional outbursts and recognize that my responses arise from past hurts and trauma. She has shared tools to manage these and bring peace back to my mind. She has listened to me and jump in just at the right time having noted where the things i am talking about relate to past events that i have brought into the current moment. Absolutely Brilliant and worth every Penny, Thank You Amy :D Brandon