OCD therapists in Abergavenny, Wales
Browse OCD therapists in Abergavenny, Wales, United Kingdom. Compare credentials, specialties and therapeutic approach. Contact a therapist to learn more.
OCD
Sara Aicart-Pendlebury
Art Therapist, Human Givens Practitioner (HG.Dip.P), Member of Human Givens Institute, IFS therapist Levels 1&2, Narm Practitioner
OCD is a highly upsetting condition in which a sufferer experiences powerful, intrusive and distressing thoughts or images, usually connected with an imagined disastrous event (perhaps that one’s son will die in a car crash), and devises one or many rituals designed to reduce or ward off that event or make reparation for having the ‘bad’ thought. Usually, the more the rituals are carried out, the more the thoughts recur, requiring yet more rituals.
The condition first occurs because of raised stress levels, often as a result of trauma, physical illness, worry, fear, lack of sleep, some personal setback or crisis, or even a fright. People who develop the compulsion to wash their hands, and who often end up spending many hours a day in this activity, may first have experienced a generalised anxiety about their health or safety and then focused on a fear of germs. The bottom line is that some important emotional need is not being met. That’s why the human givens approach, which focuses on helping people in distress find healthy ways to meet their emotional needs, is so successful.
Rituals can be extremely varied and numerous, may involve walking across a room a certain way, picking up cutlery a certain way, counting or clapping a set number of times, etc, and have to be carried out in exactly the right way, otherwise the whole sequence must be begun again. Yet many sufferers are amazingly resourceful in hiding their condition.
What happens in OCD is that a primitive part of the brain, called the amygdala, which is our emotional alarm system, starts to associate the thinking of the OCD thought with danger, setting a stress reaction in train which leads the sufferer to carry out the ritual to avert the danger and reduce the stress. Sufferers are convinced that something dreadful will happen if they don’t complete their rituals, however many times they are required to do them. When they are caught up in this thinking and carrying out the rituals, they are in a trance state, just like a dream. And, just as our dreams seem totally real and believable to us when we are in them, so the trance state of OCD is equally compelling and believable to sufferers. They are, therefore, absolutely terrified about stopping their rituals.
It is essential to help a sufferer see that they are separate from the OCD – a lot of people choose to call it ‘the bully’, as a means of starting to see it as something outside of themselves. This helps them take a step back and begin to identify OCD thoughts (“if I don’t make and re-make the bed 10 times immediately, my daughter will be abducted on her way home from school”) as very different from normal thoughts. To help them to resist performing the rituals associated with the intrusive thoughts, they need to have distracting activities prepared, which they can launch into instantly – for instance, singing, dancing to music, doing the ironing, calling a friend, taking a walk; the activities need to be varied, so that a new ritual isn’t established.
The more that the OCD sufferer does not carry out the ritual after experiencing the thought, and realises that nothing terrible does happen, the more the rational part of the brain can override the nervy messages from the amygdala. As time goes on, and the messages continue not to be acted on, the thoughts start to fade and stop altogether.
This is not easy for sufferers to put into practice, of course, because they believe so strongly in the power of the ritual. Human givens practitioners use an effective technique to help resolve trauma, if one exists. They also use techniques to encourage them, while deeply relaxed, to visualise themselves, as if on a TV screen, experiencing the frightening thought but not carrying out the appeasement ritual and calmly doing something else instead, such as making a cup of tea or doing the washing-up. Going through this, in a calm state, in the imagination helps instruct the brain to respond this way in reality.
Just as important, human givens practitioners help sufferers identify what is lacking in their lives (it is quite common, for instance, for sufferers to have ceased to have a social or work life, because the rituals are so demanding) and help them to get their needs met in fulfilling ways.
17 Years Experience
Online in Abergavenny, Wales
OCD
Dr. Antonio D'Costa
Registered Psychotherapist, M.B.B.S, M.D. (Paediatrics)
I specialize in pediatric medicine and trauma-focused therapy using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). My work centers on supporting children, adolescents, and adults through grief, anxiety, behavioral challenges, and the lingering effects of difficult experiences.
As a pediatrician, I've seen how unprocessed trauma shows up in young lives- through sleep troubles, feeding issues, social withdrawal, and emotional struggles. EMDR offers a gentle, research-backed path to healing that goes beyond words.
With EMDRIA-approved training and my pediatric experience, I help families navigate some of their most challenging moments. Whether it's a child struggling with grief, an adolescent facing anxiety, or an adult working through long-held wounds, my approach blends medical expertise with compassionate, evidence-based care.
I'm passionate about making mental health support accessible- offering teletherapy across India and internationally, with subsidized sessions available for those who need them.
Let's connect if you're looking for trauma-informed support, professional collaboration, or referrals for children and families in need.
3 Years Experience
Online in Abergavenny, Wales (Online Only)
OCD
Chris Chicoteau
Counsellor/Therapist, Master of Counselling, IFS Level 2
Gain insight into the OCD and address any of the unwanted consequences of the condition.
16 Years Experience
Online in Abergavenny, Wales
OCD
Eric C Bettelheim
Registered Psychotherapist, PhD, MSc., J.D., M.A. A.B. Member: BACP, BPC.
OCD can be substantially reduced both by a combination of managed exposure and psychotherapy.
4 Years Experience
Online in Abergavenny, Wales
OCD
Marisa Berwald
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW, PhD
I am a psychoanalyst and licensed clinical social worker, with over 15 years of experience and training in psychodynamic/psychoanalytic approaches to talk therapy. In my practice, I work with people across age groups, with families, couples, and children, with the goal of discovering the desires, dreams, needs that lie behind the more difficult aspects of life. I have two New York City based office locations, making it easy to find a place thats right for you. I work on a sliding scale fee basis and with insurance.
14 Years Experience
Online in Abergavenny, Wales
OCD therapists in Abergavenny, Wales Statistics
OCD therapists in Abergavenny, Wales average 15 years of experience and charge around ¤152 per session. 100% offer online sessions. The top treatment approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) (58%), Integrative Therapy (52%), and Psychodynamic Therapy (39%).
Average years in practice
15 Years Experience
Average cost per session
¤152
Accept insurance
45%
Offer sliding scale
45%
Gender ID
| 56% |
Female |
|
| 41% |
Male |
|
| 3% |
Gender Fluid |
|
Session Type
| 58% |
In Person and Online |
|
| 42% |
Online Only |
|
Top Treatment Approaches
| 58% | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |
| 52% | Integrative Therapy |
| 39% | Psychodynamic Therapy |
| 39% | Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) |
| 35% | Behavioral Therapy |
| 32% | Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) |
| 32% | Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian) |
Ages Served
| 97% | Adult |
| 71% | Young Adult |
| 58% | Senior |
| 58% | Teen |
| 26% | Children |
Client Focus
| 61% | Women |
| 55% | LGBTQ+ |
| 42% | Men |
| 39% | Asian |
| 39% | Black / African American |