Alison Stevenson

My interest in working with weight difficulties and eating concerns not only stems from my own personal journey as an adolescent, struggling with body image due to my attachment/relationship issues, but also my professional experience, working with many clients who struggle to feel positive and healthy within their own bodies and go on to form unhealthy behaviours and relationships with food. 

As a young teenager, I was very active and into many sports at school, but at the same time I restricted my eating, only allowing myself a couple of pieces of fruit throughout the day and a bowl of cereal or toast in the evening, joining in at the occasional family mealtime. I was so afraid to gain weight in case I was deemed unattractive and therefore unlovable and believed that if I could stay thin, then somebody might love me and stay with me. I learned later on, during my own personal therapy, that I was battling with attachment/abandonment issues from a very early age and my way of coping and being in control was to use ‘avoidance’, whether that be avoiding sharing my real feelings so as not to get too close and be hurt by another person, to avoid being assertive and getting my own needs met (people pleaser) or avoiding foods in order to stay a certain size. 

Our difficulties with our body image and eating are linked to our self-worth and self-esteem and the deep-rooted beliefs we hold about ourselves, others and the world we live in. We may often recognise a harsh and critical inner voice which continually affirms our thoughts and beliefs, and we may often feel shame, guilt and hopelessness about our situation. 

I am an integrative psychotherapist, accredited with the BACP, and have over 12 years’ experience working with adults and teenagers. I am a therapist who embodies the core qualities of empathy, compassion and acceptance, offering a non-judgemental space for therapy. Being able to explore your thoughts and feelings, your relationships and interactions with others, may help you to understand the challenges you face and help you to identify any areas for change. Having a trustworthy therapist to talk to can be extremely valuable and can support you in living a more authentic and fulfilling life.

My practice incorporates a range of theoretical modalities to work with your individual needs, including Humanistic, Psychodynamic and Attachment frameworks. My approach is very much relationally focused, developing trust and safety to be able to work collaboratively and at your own pace. I am also qualified to work as a CBT practitioner (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) exploring negative thinking patterns and the core beliefs we hold about ourselves, about others and the world, and finding ways to challenge and change these ideas to develop a more positive self-esteem and self-worth. In addition, I incorporate Mindfulness Meditation and practices for well-being, which I share through experiential exercises in sessions, to help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.

I also work creatively with the arts, for those individuals who would like to. I have found that using a variety of artistic mediums facilitates exploration and discovery of our unconscious processes.  The emphasis is on the individual’s own interpretations of their creative process, rather than my analysis of what is created.

If you would like to discuss how we might work together and to share some of your experiences and the challenges that you currently face, I very much look forward to meeting you.

• 2020 – 2021 Diploma in Counselling Teenagers 
• 2019 CPD – CBT and Counselling with ASD
• 2018 CPD – 5 Week Bereavement Training 
• 2018 CPD – CCMH Conference Building Resilience
• 2017 CPD – CCMH Conference Trauma Informed Mental Health Practices
• 2017 CPD – Understanding Honour-based crimes
• 2016 CPD – Gender Identity
• 2016 CPD – Mental Health Conference
• 2016 CPD – Art therapy & Mindfulness
• 2015 CPD – 3 day professional training – Therapeutic Use of Mindfulness
• 2014 CPD –Working with Self-Harm and Eating Disorders
• 2014 CPD – Conference: Risk & Resilience
• 2013-2014 CPD – 1 year Mindfulness Practitioner Training 
• 2013 City & Guilds: L3/L4 Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector 
• 2012 CPD –  Attachment Across the Life-cycle (Wimbledon Guild Counselling Training)
• 2010 Post-graduate certificate – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• 2009 CPD – Working with Shame
• 2009 CPD –Personality Disorders
• 2009 CPD – Anger & Rage
• 2009 – Diploma Integrative Counselling
• 2008 CPD – Separation and Reunion Forum
• 2005-2007 – Certificate for Person-Centred and Psychodynamic Counselling
• 2002 – BSc (Hons) Degree Psychology