Life can feel hard for many reasons, and I've learned that no-one is immune to struggling with their mental health.

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Hello!  I'm Dr Jo Johnson, a Clinical Psychologist with over twelve years’ experience working in adult mental health.

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More recently in my career I’ve been providing therapy to doctors and other healthcare professionals, who experienced stress at work during the pandemic, as well as people working in education, media, retail, hospitality and various office-based jobs.

 

It won't surprise you to hear that horrible, stressful and distressing events can happen in any line of work.  

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I’ve been through it myself - something happens at work that really stays with you, and it’s difficult to pinpoint why.

 

The issue may be ongoing, or may even have been resolved, but on the inside you’re left with feelings of discomfort or nervousness every time something reminds you of what happened, or if a thought about it pops into your mind.

 

In my early conversations with clients, there are common themes that come up all the time.  They say:

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I know what happened is over now, so why do I still feel stressed & shaken up all over again, every time I think about it?

 

I think I’m doing okay, and then I think about it, and it’s like I’m back to square one.

 

What I went through just doesn’t seem that bad - why is it bothering me so much?

 

Why can’t I just ‘get over it’?

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It can be difficult to talk about and explain these feelings to others.

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In my clinical psychology training, we learned about treating post-traumatic stress disorder.  Traditionally, people have thought that events have to pass the 'would this feature in a newspaper headline' test, for an experience to be classed as traumatic.  Our frameworks for understanding the impact of difficult experiences on people have changed.

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Research and science continue to deepen our understanding of how the mind, nervous system and emotions work together.  Psychologists continue to develop more specific therapies to address this problem.  

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I use EMDR therapy to help people who have had a traumatic or overwhelming experience at work to:

✓   Understand and work with their nervous system's natural capabilities

✓   Be more in control of their emotions

✓   Process and move past the difficult experience

✓   Feel calm, prepared and equipped for work

✓   Face what they need to do, without feeling overwhelmed and needing to avoid things

✓   Have better focus and concentration

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You are welcome to contact me.

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