Testimonials
"I have known
Natasha for many years. Though we are separated by the miles between us we
have met a few times. I was happy to discover Natasha to be as lovely in
the flesh as she always was on-line. Natasha was responsible for helping
me through a dark time of my life, and I still use her methods to help me to
this day."
LN, Southport
"Natasha is an extremely competent and effective therapist; her considerable
experience and expertise makes her an excellent choice for you. I highly
recommend her."
Devin Hastings, president of the Minnesota Institute of Advanced Communication
Skills (www.miacs.net) and author of "21st Century Medicine: Clinical Evidence
for the Healing Power of the Mind"
(www.lulu.com/content/3119367). (colleague)
Please feel free to contact Devin about me on
devin@mindbodyhypnosis.com
Giving Up Smoking
I started smoking when I was 12 - from then until the age of about 17, I rarely
got through more than 20 cigarettes in a week, then my parents (who were heavy
smokers) allowed me to smoke at home and I started working in the West End where
everyone smoked at their desks (well it was the 80's). I would say I
averaged 30 a day for at least 10 years that I was a smoker.
I dreaded winter colds as I always got catarrh, and awful headache and a cough
that wouldn't go away. As I got older, I tried many, many times to give up
smoking - when my father died of lung cancer, I stopped for a whole year but
every day was torture. Everyone I saw seemed to be smoking and they looked
so happy and content - all I wanted to do was to open up a pack of 20 and join
them. On a drunken night out, my will power evaporated, I lit a fag
stupidly thinking that just the 1 wouldn't hurt, I wouldn't get hooked again, I
was in control and then - lo an behold within a week I was back on 20 a day.
Going out for a meal was torture, all I wanted to do was eat really quickly so
that I could get outside and have a cigarette - I don't think I ate a full meal
in any restaurant where I wasn't allowed to light up. Going on holiday was
hell, 2 or 3 hours on a plane and all I could think about was landing, getting
outside the airport and lighting up. Shopping irritated me, if I couldn't
see what I wanted straight away, I'd leave the shop and stand outside puffing
away.
In my early 30's, I developed a permanent sore throat, a cough that wouldn't go
away, rasping breath when I was going to sleep and chest pains. I knew I
couldn't carry on and that I was making myself very ill. On top of this,
the man who is now my husband and I had just moved in together. He was an
ex smoker and, because of my constant puffing, was sliding back into smoking,
having the odd puff here and there, nicking a cigarette off me when we had a
drink or a meal. In an attempt to cut down, I started smoking in the
garden - in effect, all this did was make me smoke more because I went out at
every ad break and spent the 15 minutes between ads thinking about my next
cigarette.
I kept trying to give up - on my last attempt, I remember lying on the floor
crying because of the physical pain I was feeling. I lasted four days
before I caved in again. The feeling of failure, mixed with the need to
give up just stressed me out more and I was gradually creeping up to 40 a day.
I had a chat with Natasha about something else and happened to mention how much
I wanted to give up smoking but that I just couldn't do it. She suggested
I came and saw her - I did and we talked through what she would do for me.
I went into her treatment room desperately clutching a pack of 10 Marlboro
Lights and, an hour later, walked out empty handed (having forgotten about my
fags) and a non smoker. It was almost too easy so I spent the next couple
of days testing myself. I went into a pub at 11am the next day and had a
drink fully expecting to be knocked sideways by the longing for a cigarette -
but it didn't happen. I went to work and hung out with the smokers and
didn't feel a thing. I went out for a meal and actually sat and ate all of
it.
When I have had the odd twinge (and even people who have never smoked look at
smokers sometimes and fancy a ciggie!), I have the tools to deal with it and
have now been a non smoker for 4 years. I feel so much healthier, my sense
of smell has returned and I no longer struggle for breath. Lots of people
I know have tried to pack up using various methods and have failed.
They've suffered misery, pain and emptiness you feel when you stop smoking, the
not quite knowing what to do with yourself? A lot of people think if you
haven't got will power that makes you weak, I think you are a stronger person if
you admit you need help and wouldn't you rather carry out your life as normal
rather than constantly struggling with the urge to light up? Seeing
Natasha was the best decision I made and I only wish I'd done it years ago.
YO, Essex
I met Natasha almost a year ago now. I remember the first time we met and
I was in a seriously dark place. I had been attacked by someone at my
workplace and had been given no help by the company I worked for. Previous
to meeting Natasha I had seen two other counsellors, and after meeting them, I
felt counselling was really not for me (as the previous ones did nothing but ask
me 'how I felt about this'). Sitting here now I really cannot remember
what I was like when I first met her. But she tells me I was scary. I
was numb, I didn't care what bad things may happen to me, and you could say I
was in 'bring it on' mode. I was very selfish and was just consumed with
anger, frustration and mostly fear. I was very apprehensive about meeting
another counsellor as the last had been a big flop, but even from the first
meeting she was so comforting and just asked me to go through what had happened
to me. It turns out it was not just the attack that had made me the way I
was, it was an awful lot of contributing factors from my childhood (although I'm
only 18). I have seen her once a week for almost a year, and every 2 weeks
I have a joint counselling session with another girl my age, and we get on
really well as we have similar feelings about things. I have improved so
much since seeing Natasha. I used to have panic attacks at most 4 times a
day if someone made me jump or just if something or someone reminded me of the
attack. I now and again get down about everything, but I cannot remember
the last time I had a panic attack. I also used to have serious trouble
sleeping on my own so I was sleeping on tablets for a long time, but now I find
it much easier, and I haven't been sleeping on tablets in over 6 months.
It's been about a year and a half since my attack and I still work in the same
place and hardly ever get worried about going to work. (As I used to dread
it every day) Natasha is a counsellor when I need help and she is a friend
when I need a friend, she is always there for me no matter what time of the day,
and I would not want anyone else to share my problems with.
AH, Essex
I was 17 when I first met Natasha. I was struggling with intense
depression and self harm as well as suicidal thoughts and actions. I was never
convinced that I could ever be simply 'ok' or that I would survive the rest of
my life before I took it from myself. Everyday was an intense struggle to cope
and deal with my issues and emotional abuse. Natasha helped me through one of
the darkest times of my life and with that I highly praise her and approve her
for other people’s services.
I am now 19 years old, the last 2 years I have spent with her have been
truly the happiest times of my life so far. She alone has helped my in ways I
never thought I would be able to express, I now wake in the mornings not fearing
if it would be my last but that it is simply another day, which to me brings a
smile of joy to my face. Not only do I consider Natasha to be highly professional, I also consider
her my friend, someone I trust and can confide in. I have told her some of my
darkest secrets and memories of my past and never once has she judged me or
questioned my actions, she has simply helped guide me on the right path to where
I am now. Although I am not fully ok within myself just yet, I have come leaps and
bounds from when I first started seeing her. I am now going to university, which
I never dreamt imaginable for myself and have started a new relationship with
someone who I feel comfortable with to express my feelings and confident that I
can make it work and not let my past interfere. Natasha has, in my eyes, saved my life from the destructive path I was once
on. She has encouraged me to follow my dreams and never give up. With that, I
wish she could give the same outcome to others who are struggling like I myself
was so they can be confident within themselves.
Thank you for everything Tash!
Millie, Essex
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