EMDR BRISTOL
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March 2023: I am not accepting new clients. Please check back in the coming months.

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Transformation leads to liberation

Welcome
My name is Ashley Russell and I offer
  • EMDR
  • Attachment Informed EMDR
  • ACT Therapy​
I offer this online and in-person if you are local to Bristol, UK. 

What is EMDR?

EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - is a powerful psychological therapy used to treat the effects of trauma. We can suffer trauma from a variety of overwhelming life events that may have occurred at any point in our lives. This can leave us with psychological injuries that result in challenges in maintaining our mental health.
 
These challenges can manifest in many ways leaving us feeling tired, unmotivated, lacking joy in our lives, with excessive worry, lack of focus. Worse still we can suffer from intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and nightmares – intolerable symptoms that can stop us in our tracks.

Attachment Informed EMDR
Attachment Informed EMDR is an approach that helps to address trauma that has its roots in childhood life experiences and the absence of repair at that time.

ACT
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) uses six processes that lead to increased psychological flexibility. These help us to deal with difficult thoughts & emotions, our concept of self & connection with the present moment, and discover our values & goals.

 
Trauma
Trauma comes in many forms and is not only limited to major events. Trauma has been defined as any event having lasting negative effect. Triggers are often related to causes from earlier life experiences.
 
Healing
The body has an inbuilt system for processing trauma so that we can learn from these experiences. Due to the nature of some trauma this processing can become stuck leaving us in negative states.
 
EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy works on a physiological level allowing new insights, associations and emotions to emerge spontaneously, facilitating the inbuilt processing system to free up and function. Traumas can then be processed no matter how long ago they occurred. EMDR is recommended by the World Health Organisation and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

CONTACT ME BY EMAIL
What is the process?
First we would talk on the telephone and then meet for an initial session, for us to get to know one another a little and to decide:
 - is my offering right for you?
 - is it the right time for you?
 - do we feel comfortable working together?
We would then plan treatment and work on stabilising techniques - this is because EMDR can be intense. Processing itself can take a varying length of time dependant on the nature of the memories we are working with. Later phases include working with beliefs, continued development of helpful resources and evaluation. EMDR is a whole system approach as traumatic experiences affect the body as well as the mind.

How long will it take?
If there is one incident to process in your adult life, for example you are fearful of driving since a car accident, then treatment may only take a few sessions after the initial session. More complex issues may take longer. If you are coming to therapy with a history of traumatic incidents dating back into childhood this will be a longer process. The idea that EMDR works for all trauma in a few sessions is a myth! For a more complex situation each phase of EMDR may take longer and go over several sessions. However it is likely that you will notice the benefit from new skills to self sooth rather quickly, and the benefits from processing soon after.

Are there any side-effects?
There can be 'side effects' depending on how well you deal with intense emotion. Part of the pre-treatment phase is checking and planning for this. Being eager to get on with processing may mean that if it gets really intense you will not feel prepared to deal with it.
Also, between sessions processing can still continue, all be it at a slower rate. Some people experience vivid dreams, remember things they had forgotten, or find they relate to the world and others differently – more positively.  This may affect your relationships.
It is not advised to plan anything of major importance immediately after a session, such as an exam. Also during therapy major life decisions could affect therapy or may mean you need to pause therapy. These could include moving house, changing jobs, getting married.

What kind of issues will EMDR/ACT help with?
EMDR has traditionally be associated as a therapy for PTSD and trauma. However the application is wider reaching. While this list is not exhaustive it will give a general idea of where EMDR can help.
-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
-Anxiety, panic, phobias and fears
-Abuse of any nature, at any point in life
-The fallout from natural disaster, accidents or crime
-Negative or irrational core beliefs
-Depression
​-Intimacy & sexual issues
If you have other diagnosed conditions these will be discussed in the assessment and could influence length of work or treatment choice. If you are not sure if EMDR will be helpful just get in touch, or book an assessment.

How much does it cost?
Initial phone contact is free.
A 50-60 minute session is £75 and a 80-90 minute session is £110.
Sometimes a longer session is better if the material we work through is particularly sensitive or intense.
Sessions can be paid for in cash or by bank transfer.

Do you work with children and adolescent clients?
My clinical experience in the NHS over 25yrs was mostly with an adult population.
I therefore do not work with children and adolescent clients. Some EMDR Therapist are specifically trained and you can find them on the EMDR Association website:
Emdrassociation.org.uk
About me
As a registered nurse I have worked in the field of mental health for over 25 years in clinical and managerial roles, in inpatient, community and specialist areas.
I also have 25 years experience of teaching yoga and train new yoga teachers in my spare time. Yoga is not just a physical practice but is a model for improved health in all aspects of our human experience. Some of the practices of yoga such as mindfulness can be key resources used in therapy.
I also have a BFA in Dance and have lived in Holland and New York City.
I now live in Bristol, UK with my husband and am LGBTQIA+ friendly.
​My work in both psychiatry and yoga offer a broad, comprehensive approach. I am especially focused on the whole system including the body.
I am an EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner and a member of the EMDR Association UK. I offer standard EMDR, Attachment Informed EMDR and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
I am a Registered Mental Health Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
I am a Senior Yoga Teacher & Trainer registered with Yoga Alliance Professionals.

This animated clip is useful to explain a little about EMDR Therapy. It is useful if you are thinking if EMDR therapy is suitable for you

Click to email
If you are interested in EMDR therapy please get in touch by email ashley@ashleyrussell.org.uk












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I am member of the EMDR Association UK and Ireland and registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Testimonials

Having spent over a decade struggling with a troublesome past experience, I made the decision to contact Ashley Russell for help, a decision that I am extremely glad I made. This was the first time I had any kind of therapy, so I was naturally quite nervous to start. However, after the first session I felt that Ashley had understood not only what I was struggling with, but completely understood me as a person. Ashley was patient, calm and kind throughout my sessions with him, and I felt that helping me with my situation was a genuine and personal aim of his. To say that I’m thankful is an understatement, as my time with Ashley has been one of the most positively impactful events in my life. Thank you for everything!
 - Gary 2022

I contacted Ashley because I was having issues with public speaking anxiety after a bad experience. Right from the get go I could tell I would get on with Ashley and could confide in him and trust he would try his hardest to help. Ashley has a calming and reassuring presence, he took time to listen, explained the process we would work through and was hugely patient in allowing me time to open up to the therapy. The therapy itself was really useful and you could tell Ashley knew what he was doing.
​I would definitely recommend Ashley and EMDR Bristol and would 100% go back if I had another issue.
 - Mike 2021

I began EDMR Therapy online with Ashley a few months ago and it has absolutely changed my life. Initially I was anxious but quickly felt at ease and reassured by Ashley, I can't express how wonderfully kind, skilled, professional and down to earth he is. I'd read into EMDR but hadn't been able to access it via the NHS so after a thorough search of google, I decided to reach out to Ashley and see if we could do some work together. I've engaged in many therapies to work on other issues but I hadn't been able to address my childhood trauma before which I felt was crucial to finally move forward. I went into this therapy knowing it would be tough and it was, some sessions I cried as it felt like opening Pandora's boxed after being closed for so many years; it was tiring and some nights all I wanted was to close off. However, using appropriate coping skills between sessions and reaching out to him helped immensely. Once we'd finished the last stages of reprocessing each memory, it honestly felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and life has been inexplicably better since. I'm no longer as reactive, it doesn't feel like my nervous system is continuously activated like it was before, I'm not in fight/flight mode as much, my sleep is better, I'm able to seek comfort in other ways and provide more compassion toward myself, trust myself and others; every part of my life is better and I'm so much happier. It's always within you, but sometimes you need a guiding hand to help you reach the other side and fully know in your heart that the experiences you endured were not your fault. EMDR is tough but absolutely worth it, thank you for helping change my life Ashley. I cannot recommend you enough :-)
​ - Lucy 2021

I had EMDR therapy from Ashley over six weeks at the start of 2021. From the outset I was impressed by his professionalism and he offered a free telephone consultation to help establish whether EMDR was the right option. As soon as we began sessions over Zoom (because of lockdown restrictions), Ashley put me at ease with the process and ensured that my experience of EMDR was a very positive one. Highly recommended.
 - Mike 2021

Ashley made me feel at ease and I felt safe and contained during our work together and started to feel benefit from our sessions almost straight away. Since our sessions have ended I have been able to access memories that were once blocked and I have not been disturbed by them.
But more importantly I have felt a sense of resolve and acceptance around past events that I had experienced as disturbing and had been unable to process prior to completing therapy with Ashley. I would highly recommend Ashley for EMDR therapy!
-  Lisa 2021

I found Ashley really warm and supportive in his approach and I felt confident in his expertise and knowledge for me to work through some of my traumas in life. I feel free of these now and have begun to enjoy life without the burdens I felt I was carrying. Thank you Ashley, you come recommended by me! 
​-Lisa 2021

"Ashley created a safe space where I felt comfortable enough to revisit my past trauma. 
Over the years I had developed some ritualistic behaviours as a coping mechanism - these behaviours were having a negative impact on my life and in particular my current relationship. 
After a few sessions with Ashley my rituals were happening less and less and I can now say they have stopped completely. 
I feel so much stronger after having EMDR with Ashley and have developed the skills to accept what had happened in my past and no longer blame myself.
I kept my trauma hidden for many years and I now feel so much lighter and able to let go. 
Ashley was professional throughout and I will forever be grateful.​"
- Jennifer 2020

 "I met Ashley when I decided to try EMDR. I suffer from panic attacks and I had heard that EMDR can be extremely effective in treating them. Right from the start I found Ashley to be extremely clear, informative, well - paced and thorough. I always felt he had my best interests in mind and I felt totally safe and supported at all times. He also took time to help me develop practical tools to be able to deal with my panic which have proven to be very effective and which I continue to use. His approach is attentive, empowering  and professional and I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him."
​ - Leonora 2019
Schedule a free call

Information

EMAIL:
ashley@ashleyrussell.org.uk
LOCATION:
Online or at Stapleton Village, Bristol, UK.

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