Welcome
Hello and welcome to Therapy North West. We support the wellbeing of adults and young people in a number of different ways. We believe that life can be challenging and hard; we have tricky brains to contend with and a number of different pressures and demands in life.
Individuals often have difficult upbringings which they did not choose and many people experience things during their life which can then lead to daily struggles.
We do not believe that these things make us ‘abnormal’ or ‘ill’, but that there are times when each of us require support and guidance to work through difficulties and what has happened to us.
Who are we?
Dr Zandra Bamford (BSc, MSc, DClinPsy) is the founder of Therapy North West. Zandra is registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.
Zandra has worked within secondary care mental health services in the NHS for over 20 years and is currently employed as a Lead Consultant Clinical Psychologist for secondary care, Zandra has worked clinically within crisis, inpatient and community services, within research in an alcohol misuse service and has been facilitating group spaces in these settings for over 15 years. Zandra is a Certified IFS Therapist and has a special interest in complex trauma, its impact on the autonomic nervous system and the non-pathologising of distress. Zandra has a degree in Psychology (1997) Masters in substance and alcohol misuse (2000), Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (2005) and has completed multiple training courses post doctoral training in CFT (Compassion Focused Therapy), Cognitive Analytical Therapy (CAT informed working), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), IFS (Internal Family Systems) level 1 , 2 & 3 (Trauma & Neuroscience level 2, Intimacy for the Inside Out level 2, Shame, anxiety and depression level 2 with Dick Schwartz), DBT skills training, voice dialogue, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), Non-violent communication, Somatic Psychology, Mindfulness and Complex Trauma. Zandra is also trained to deliver the Safe and Sound Protocol and assists IFS trainings as a Programme Assistant.
Additional IFS training to levels 1, 2 & 3 Zandra has completed:
Working with shame, IFS & anxiety & depression, IFS ancestral medicine, Guides and unattached burdens, IFS & chronic pain, Self led therapist, The gifts of our exiles, IFS informed group work, legacy burdens, warmly welcoming protectors, IFS personal growth programme, IFS & OCD.
Zandra utilises this training and experience to offer a highly individualised therapy with a focus on body, mind and spirit.
Therapy NorthWest is particularly passionate about Internal Family Systems Therapy because of its deeply non pathologising stance, ability to create safety for all parts of the self to be welcome and known, and not least it’s capacity for deep healing.
What can we help with?
We provide psychological interventions and support to adults and young people looking to improve their wellbeing in daily life.
Common difficulties include anxiety, experiences of abuse or trauma, dissociation, problems with sleep, alcohol, prescribed medication, other substances, mood, relationships, eating, anger or general self esteem.
You may wish to gain a greater understanding of how your difficulties arose and why they may be continuing, you may then wish to work through these difficulties with an experienced Clinical Psychologist within a safe space.
- Stress
- Anxiety, worry, panic
- OCD
- Depression, low mood
- Low self-esteem
- Difficulties with eating, body image, identity
- Difficulties coping with physical pain/illness
- Bereavement and loss
- Relationship difficulties
- Couples work
- Difficulties coping with life transitions, life-changing events.
- Early traumatic and abusive experiences
- Self harm
- Alcohol and substance use problems
- Difficulties with peer groups
- Difficulties with anger
- Dissociation
- Hearing voices
- Pain
- Chronic Fatigue
- Sensory or movement functional difficulties
- work, school and college related stress
- Medically unexplained symptoms
See the Safe and Sound Protocol Page for specific difficulties that this intervention can help with. Therapy NorthWest is also now trained as a provider of the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP).
How do we work?
We draw on a number of different psychological models to help us to understand how difficulties have arisen and what contributes to maintaining them. This is because humans are (and life is!) very complex and as such we feel we need competence and skills in numerous approaches to provide the best fit to you.
For a greater depth of work Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is recommended. This model is deeply respectful, humanising and all parts of you are welcome in the therapy space. Therapy NorthWest particularly specialises in the internal family systems approach because of its effectiveness and depth of healing in a way that is quite different to other therapies.
Should you not be looking for IFS in particular then we will work out together which model (or combination of models) may be most helpful for you. For example Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or EMDR can be helpful at times, other times being informed by a model such as Cognitive Analytical may be helpful. We may draw on Compassion Focused Therapy if you are very self critical or DBT skills training should this seem most suitable. Trauma can often reside heavily in the body, with feeling constantly tense, on edge, angry, fearful or anxious. As such, we may incorporate body exercises into a talking therapy or EMDR to provide a holistic and evidence based approach. We may provide you with an integrative therapy which draws on the principles and skills held within a number of different psychological models.
We will be interested in what you would like to change in your life and what may be currently preventing you from living the life that you would like to be living.
Clinical Psychology Services 