Working with Kate has genuinely changed my life. She helped me realise that I was already enough and that the answers were inside me all along. I now have healthier boundaries, greater self-belief, and the confidence to handle situations in a way that actually serves me. The tools she’s given me will stay with me for life. If you’re struggling, especially as a man who finds it hard to open up, I can honestly say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.

Kate Gilham was absolutely remarkable. I went to see her after working with a clinical psychologist for seven months with limited improvement. I have been clinically diagnosed with OCD and have a history of anxiety. Kate was extremely organised and structured, which was very important to me, but most importantly she took the time to truly understand me and followed the right processes to support a speedy recovery. After just eight weeks, my well-being was considerably transformed, and I could not be more grateful going into the start of the year. Thank you very much to Kate - I genuinely could not recommend the service any more highly.

I was recently diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and in an acute state of anxiety when I thankfully found Kate. I would highly recommend her. She was professional, competent and very experienced. She guided me through the CBT programme, enabling me to feel better and understand how my behaviours and thoughts were impacting on my feelings and fuelling the anxiety.

I was never keen on the idea of having CBT and talking about behaviours I thought I would never be able to change. However, Kate really helped me to open up without even realising and see my life from a different perspective. I feel a real weight has been lifted off me as someone who struggled with being anxious, overthinking, controlling and rigid in my thinking. I now have the right techniques to help myself from falling back into negative patterns and remember how much better I am now post CBT. I would really recommend Kate to anyone looking to start CBT, thank you Kate!

I came to Kate after a long-term relationship broke down and I was getting very negative repetitive thoughts which were affecting my day to day ability to concentrate, particularly at work. Kate really helped me get out of these negative thought patterns with practical advice and insights into why I was thinking like this and ways to break the cycle. I really value the sessions I had with Kate as they got me through a very tough period in my life.

I cannot begin to say how much Kate has helped me at a time in my life where I felt so broken. She helped me look back at events in my life and unhelpful behaviours and rules I’d developed to deal with difficult issues which helped me survive. She helped me work through ways to identify why I reacted and felt the overwhelming feelings I felt. Kate helped me with strategies to re-evaluate on going difficult situations which empowered me to cope and process these circumstances. Life will continue to throw curve balls, but having the tools to deal with these situations makes life so much easier to deal with. I have completed my course with Kate, but I still use the tools she equipped me with to conquer stressful situations that come my way and I will always be grateful to Kate for that.

After speaking to Kate over the phone to enquire about CBT, I knew she was the right therapist for me; she was clear, professional, and gave a clear outline of what and how CBT may help me understand why I felt permanently overwhelmed, stuck and depressed, despite trying to change. Over the course of the therapy Kate was consistently clear and professionally supportive; over time she helped me understand what thoughts were contributing to my negative feelings and behaviours. She gave me an awareness of how damaging my thought processes were and how that effected my behaviour, along with practical exercises to focus on changing these patterns. After leaving therapy there is still work to be done; CBT takes practice but Kate gave me the insights and tools to go it alone, and the confidence to do it. I would highly recommend Kate to anyone looking for an excellent, evidence-based CBT practitioner.

"Kate helped me make sense of the difficulties I was going through. I’d reach a real mental low and wasn’t sure how to make sense of it all. Having done a course of CBT Therapy with Kate, it helped me understand the emotions, why I was feeling them, where they came from and what the compounding effect of them was if I didn’t try to piece them together in an effective manner. Having taken on the tips and techniques I’m now in a much better place than I was previously, and I feel I can move forward with where I am to become a much better version of myself. Thank you for everything, Kate."

"Our young daughter was suffering from emetophobia as well as other anxieties and we were unsure how best to help. Kate was fantastic from the initial telephone conversation and we felt reassured that CBT was going to help. Kate not only worked through the specific worries but also provided strategies to prepare our daughter if other worries should occur. The feedback at the end of each session was really helpful as was the parent support meeting we attended. Our daughter made such a lot of progress over the sessions and as a result is now much healthier, happier, more independent and is prepared to take on new challenges."

"Kate really helped me with my anxiety - a mix of GAD (generalised anxiety), social anxiety and travel anxiety, which had been affecting my life for many years. When I came to her I was in the midst of an acute period of anxiety which I thought was disassociation. I was afraid and wasn't sure if anyone could help me. Kate listened to me and was patient and compassionate as well as professional. She is very knowledgeable and I soon grew to trust her as a therapist. The focussed course of CBT therapy has helped me understand my anxiety in its various forms and given me the tools to continue to improve. As a result my anxiety levels are much reduced and confidence levels raised. I would definitely recommend Kate."

"I was feeling overwhelmed by anxiety by the time I finally plucked up the courage to seek help from Kate. Not only did Kate understand immediately what was going on and why, but she also knew exactly what to do to help. Over the course of several sessions, Kate showed me how the ways I was dealing with anxiety were actually making matters worse and were creating a vicious circle of panic. I learned how to recognise the signs of this unhelpful behaviour and to approach the problem calmly and logically. I now feel far less anxious, more confident and able to look after myself rather than seek reassurance from other people. In short, I feel like myself again. I really can't thank Kate enough for everything that she has done. The difference that she has brought about in my life is massive and I can't recommend her highly enough."

"I’m so thankful that I had my sessions with Kate. I was going through a really tricky time in my life when I first met her and I had never felt more desperate for professional support and guidance. Working with her, I was able to grow in self-confidence while learning effective ways to manage my OCD themes, namely Religious OCD and Magical thinking. This ultimately enabled me to get back to being myself again, and finding joy in life again. For anyone struggling with OCD and anxiety I can genuinely attest to how beneficial the therapy has been for me and the positive changes it has helped me to create in my life."

"I approached Kate because I was feeling anxious, depressed and vulnerable. I was constantly worrying about the health and safety of my husband, daughter, grandchildren and my sister, often without any foundation – I would build up disaster scenarios in my head and end up feeling wobbly and out of control. Personal health issues (pain and tinnitus) meant I wasn’t sleeping at all well either, which made everything seem worse. At 74 I felt I should somehow be able to ‘cope’ without ‘resorting’ to therapy, but I patently wasn’t coping, and knew I was becoming a bit of a burden to my family as I was so miserable. Kate was wonderful – she responded to my email immediately and positively, and scheduled me an introductory CBT session within the week. We had three further sessions, talking through all my issues, past and present, and learning the ‘tools’ of CBT, which have helped me back to positivity and being able to enjoy my life again. I can’t recommend her, and CBT, highly enough – it made me realise that whatever age you are, you can make changes to your way of thinking and look forward to what might happen next, no matter what the future holds. "

"I have had a long period of CBT with Kate Gilham. When I first started this therapy I had been in a prolonged state of depression and acute anxiety. I couldn’t see any way forward and I went for my first session feeling desperate and convinced that nothing could help. Within weeks my mood and anxiety began to lift. Kate was firm, calm, kind and patient throughout this time and the future began to seem possible. It wasn’t long before we brought the therapy to a close as I was much happier and my confidence had improved in leaps and bounds. Later on I did go back to Kate and we attempted to put my guilt and misery into perspective about the fact that I had left my marriage of 23 years. This meant a whole new set of problems to be looked at and hopefully worked out. This period of therapy continued for longer than the previous one and yet again Kate guided me through a minefield of truly miserable feelings and many difficult memories that had lodged firmly in my brain. Until I did this work I had never rated CBT very highly but I soon learnt that in the hands of someone like Kate it is an incredibly effective therapy."

"My name is Amy and I am 16 years old. CBT with Kate has helped me in so many ways, and in such a short space of time. I contacted Kate as a 16 year old who was suffering from low mood and feelings of anxiety. I felt hopeless, and as though I would never be able to feel the same as I used to. Every day I struggled to get up, and things just felt too much. I couldn't feel more different now, to the extent that it is hard to explain how I felt before coming to Kate. I have not only pushed through the low mood phase with CBT, but I have also gained some incredibly valuable resources that I can use for my whole life to help me maintain how I feel, and to aid me in a slip up. I have regained confidence, optimism, and CBT has taught me to be independent, and it feels great. I feel so endlessly grateful and proud that I am better. I would seriously recommend reaching out to Kate, she has helped me understand how I feel and has completely flipped my mood. She is understanding, kind and non-judgmental and empathetic. She has her client's progress and health in her best interests. If you are suffering, especially as a young person, Kate will make you feel all the things you want to feel when you are suffering. Validity, hope, and most of all remind you that you are a normal person. Kate, and yourself, working together as a pair will change your life"

"I am thrilled with the results of my CBT, having achieved in a handful of sessions what months of counselling failed to achieve. I finally feel like I have the tools to manage my anxiety, and am freed from the constant cycle of worry that I was trapped in. I cannot thank Kate enough for her help and support!"

"I have worked with Kate on two separate occasions now, focusing on Body Dysmorphia Disorder and then changing thought patterns after a traumatic relationship. With both situations, my time with Kate has been life-changing and truly beneficial. I have been equipped with exercises that I know will help me with both problems going forwards and I could not recommend her enough to anyone who is hesitant to reach out or does not believe that CBT will help. I am happier and healthier, because of my therapy."

"Kate has helped me so much with my Selective Mutism and social anxiety. Before my course with Kate I couldn’t speak to teachers or strangers and was so nervous going to school; but now, Kate has taught me how to overcome my fears and I can now communicate so much better than before, she has also given me tools and goals to work towards and to continue to build my confidence."

"I was struggling with intense, intrusive negative thoughts which led me to engage in a cycle of checking and reassurance seeking behaviours. I reached a point were I was signed off from work and living in terror of my own mind. I decided to engage in CBT with Kate. I learnt skills to challenge my thoughts, change my behaviours and to consider my difficulties from a new perspective. I am now back in employment and my family tell me that the old jolly me has returned. Powerfully, I no longer live in constant terror. I sincerely wish to thank Kate as without her intervention I would not be on the path to recovery feeling hopeful and optimistic for the future."

"My OCD had gotten to the point where it was out of control and causing me severe stress and anxiety. I spent hours and hours doing my checks, these being mental counting, checking, cleaning, blinking, swallowing and ordering. I started having panic attacks and breaking down in tears every time I came home from work. I wasn’t sleeping, I was withdrawing from everything and had a constant tension headache at the back of my head because I was exhausted, constantly on the go completing checks. No-one knew about my OCD because I was so ashamed and embarrassed and massively feared the label and stigma attached to OCD. After speaking with my GP I sought help from Kate and underwent a course of CBT. Prior to CBT I couldn’t see a way out, I was severely depressed and had massive anxiety but after speaking with Kate learning cognitive behavioural techniques to manage my obsessions and compulsions I am no longer depressed and am living my life to the fullest. I am so much happier in myself and my relationships with family and friends and have taken back control of my life from the horrible leach that is OCD. I didn't think there was a way out from where I was before CBT but Kate reassured me that there was and it was with her help I am now in a much better place and able to manage my condition whilst living life to the fullest."

"I worked with Kate to address my OCD tendencies related to sexuality, perfectionism and low self-esteem. Due to the nature of my difficulties, I was very ashamed and apprehensive about seeking help but Kate was extremely empathetic and non-judgemental which put me at ease right away. Over time, Kate helped me to realise that my perfectionist behaviours and obsessive checking were actually enabling the very things that I was trying to prevent, which gave me a new perspective to my problems. Before my work with Kate, I was always feeling anxious and constantly beating myself up to the point where I felt paralysed by my thoughts. I am now in a place where my thoughts do not phase me and have let go of my self-deprecating beliefs that have burdened me for years. Kate was very patient and encouraging throughout my journey to recovery and gave me hope during the difficult moments. She is a highly skilled and experienced practitioner who is creative, compassionate and understanding in her approach, and I felt she tailored my treatment to my exact needs to give me the best opportunity to recover. I would not hesitate to recommend her support to anyone experiencing difficulties similar to my own."

''I would recommend Kate very, very highly. I spent ages agonising over which counsellor or therapist to contact, and I eventually chose Kate at random. I got very lucky. There are so many reasons why, here is just a small selection: Kate's empathy and warmth are a godsend when you are in need of help. She somehow manages to not beat around the bush at all, ever. Her counselling seems to be really thorough, and really really seems to work. I cannot thank Kate enough.''

"Firstly I would like to thank you for the therapy that I received. I feel that it has really helped me going forward and given me some great techniques to use when needed. It is refreshing to know that I am not the only person who has experienced specific problems and I believed that the issues that I was experiencing were just issues that were individual to me but understanding and knowing others also go through the same things made me feel so much better. A great thing to remember is that there are always solutions and CBT is a great one!!"

''After researching CBT I felt it was the right type of therapy for me. I was proved right, and found the CBT sessions very helpful indeed, however you need to give it time. It does not work overnight, but by following Kate's advice carefully I found that I quickly recognised my thought patterns and how to change them for the better. CBT has made such a difference, having struggled with confidence and anxiety issues for so many years. Kate is so friendly and reassuring, our weekly meetings were something I looked forward to, and it has made a positive impact on my life.''

"After a particularly tough period of time I found myself in a rut which I could have avoided had I known what I know now through CBT. I am confident that the skills Kate has helped me add to my toolbox will continue to aid me throughout the rest of my life. I would recommend CBT to anybody who wants to make a change in their thought habits and more importantly I can vouch for Kate as a therapist for her professional approach which always had my best interests in mind - each session developed from the previous one to help deliver a steady ongoing improvement plan which worked better than any other mental health service I have experienced."

"We feel our son (boy aged 14) is able to live now without the fear of blood and this has changed his life in so many ways. He can go to classes again such as biology at school without the anxiety of thinking he may faint. Instead he now comes home proud he faced his fear and full of what he learnt. He has now regained his self esteem and been on sleepovers with friends and watched films that before he could never do. As his mother, I have seen such a remarkable change and watched my son change from being a child living with fear to a boy taking on new challenges everyday and would recommend CBT unreservedly and thank Kate for her true professional approach at all times. It has been a fantastic process that I never really believed would work but it absolutely has. Thank you Kate!!"

"Kate helped my daughter (age 6) to understand how to gain control of her worries and has given us the tools to be able to help her now and in the future. Kate especially helped us find a way to encourage our daughter to talk about her worries. We really value Kate's support and would recommend her to anyone else in a similar situation."

"CBT has really helped me address and subsequently challenge some of my unhelpful thinking patterns, negative beliefs and worry thoughts. I feel that I know and understand myself better now. I also feel I have the tools and strategies to deal with these if they arise again, in a way that will prevent them causing me low mood and anxiety and I feel confident in my ability to do so. I was initially really apprehensive about doing CBT but it has been really beneficial and Kate made the whole experience feel really easy. She was extremely friendly and supportive but also made sure that any discussion or activity was my decision and self directed. I now feel really optimistic about the future."

"I felt so sad when the doctor said there was nothing to be done to help my 11 year old son with his tics. Then I found Kate! She helped my son understand the fears he felt were irrational and she guided him through a step-by-step process to face them. Over the course of 6 weeks of CBT he became more confident and relaxed about himself and his life. Thus his tics almost completely disappeared. He is now a typical outgoing, confident boy who relishes any new challenge with excitement! Thank you Kate. My son and I will be forever grateful and would recommend you and your help to anyone in need."

"Kate has given me what I need to help build my confidence and make me realise that I am not a bad person."

"CBT has helped me realise my thoughts and beliefs and how to think about them in a more rationale way as well as helping me put into practice how to help myself in the future."

"Initially CBT and Kate’s therapy gave me a feeling of easiness and openness about which I could air my thoughts and feelings, which was therapeutic in getting to the heart of the problem. Over time we found that my natural thought patterns of concern and anxiety weren't necessarily based on any evidence - and that I was just perceiving a lot of negativity instead. We were also able to adopt some strategies to monitor and control my thoughts, which I’m continuing to use successfully today. I would see Kate again, without doubt."

"Following a bout of depression I felt it hard to do my job effectively. My employer was unsympathetic and my self confidence was really low. Kate helped me rebuild my confidence and taught me ways to deal with the problems I encountered. I now have a new job and feel ready for anything."

"For over 5 years I have been dealing with pornography addiction which has progressively caused anxiety, depression and serious problems in my family life. This taboo subject is becoming more common, though I found it difficult to find suitable help. I feel so lucky that I found Kate and discovered that CBT can dramatically improve the way you see and live your life. Kate helped me to tap into the deepest corners of my thoughts and had many effective techniques to help change my behaviour. The positive changes over the 2 months have been life changing."

"From adolescence I have experienced periods of my life feeling very anxious and depressed. Previous counselling sessions had helped. However, having been through a very stressful period in my life, which included moving house to a new area, my anxiety levels went through the roof and I became very depressed. The CBT therapy sessions provided by Kate has changed my life completely . Although I knew that it would help me through I didn't realise how much. I feel that my recovery is well on its way and am managing my stress much better than I ever did before. It has changed the way I think about myself and other people and how I deal with situations in my personal life and at work. The symptoms of depression have gone. Thank you so much Kate"

"After a lifetime of crippling social anxiety, I did not expect any spectacular results. However, Kate gently guided me and showed me how to use strategies to challenge negative thoughts and beliefs and I was delighted that after only six sessions I felt a new, confident woman. My life has changed thanks to Kate."

"I have suffered with a vomiting phobia for many years and tried many therapies to try to resolve my issues. Out of all the therapies I have tried, I think CBT has been the most effective in changing the ingrained beliefs I have held for so long. A lot of my fear is a fear of the unknown having not been sick for over 20 years and this therapy has been ideal in helping me to gain some perspective. Kate was very professional, knowledgeable and approachable, and she worked at a pace that I felt comfortable with throughout. Whilst I am still anxious at the idea of being sick for the first time in so long, I feel much more prepared now and my beliefs are finally in perspective"

"I originally contacted Kate regarding a driving phobia. Within the first session Kate helped me to realise that the driving phobia was just a symptom of an underlying social anxiety issue. With Kate's support I was able to turn things around very quickly. In just a few sessions I tackled the anxiety issue and have increased in confidence. I am now driving for the first time in 7 years, but the driving is just a small part of the progress I have made. Thanks to Kate I have begun to build a more positive life for myself and I am excited about the future. Thank you Kate."

"Have been suffering with anxiety for over 10 years but has got worse in the last 3 years to the point where I was excusing myself from events. Kate helped me understand the reasons for my condition and within 4 sessions I now believe I have the tools to help deal with my anxiety"

"I cannot recommend CBT enough. It has taught me so much about myself, but most importantly how to recognise where there are problems and to put in place strategies to help and change these habits. I have gone from feeling pretty low to feeling myself again. Thank you so much Kate, our sessions have made such a massive difference to my day to day life. I promise to continue to practice everything I have learnt! "

"On my first visit I was very down and couldn't see my way out of the rut I was in. Since seeing Kate I have been able to process what she has told me and can now see light at the end of the tunnel."

"My CBT sessions with Kate have really helped me in overcoming my Social Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Depression. I am now able to think more rationally and positively about life. Before meeting Kate, I couldn't imagine a happy future for myself. Now I can't wait to see what the future holds. I would highly recommend CBT sessions with Kate, she made me feel so comfortable and at ease."

"For anyone needing CBT I highly recommend you contact Kate, she makes you feel comfortable, relaxed and she’s very easy to talk to."

"CBT with Kate has greatly helped my 13 year old daughter who struggles with anxiety, particularly in relation to school and social situations. She has gained a lot of insight and understanding of the problem and has learned and developed new coping strategies and alternative ways of thinking. She is more confident now and feels more able to cope in a variety of situations. Her school attendance has increased and is a much happier individual, able to enjoy life. Kate is very warm and welcoming to work with, working at a pace and level suited to the individual and has been key to my daughters success."

"When I first contacted Kate I was desperate. I was suffering a bad flare up of a health anxiety that I realised has been with me most of my life. I was visiting GPs, A&E and health practitioners multiple times. I was Not able to focus on anything other than my own internal sensations and thoughts. I have two young children and partner and it was heart breaking to me that I could not be present for them as I was so focused inwards. When I started to see Kate I was able to take progressive steps that started to free me from my safety behaviours. I was also able to get a new perspective on my thoughts and how they influenced my mind and body.  I was able to sit with anxiety attacks that would happen to me a dozen times a day at it's worse. Kate guided me through this process with compassion and clear guidance that has had a massive positive impact on my life. I have learnt so much about my behaviours and this understanding has allowed me to make changes. Thank you so so much - my life has been changed."

"After 6 CBT sessions with Kate, my social anxiety has improved dramatically. CBT has been extremely effective for me as Kate talks you through a practical approach that really works. I can finally be myself after many years of fearful feelings and behaviour that limited my life. Now I have confidence, feel happier and have a coping strategy that enables me to be free from my social anxiety."

"I went to Kate at Southwest CBT with what turned out to be health anxiety, including acute fear of death and serious illness. Although I did not consider myself a serious case, it was affecting my family and work relationships and creating a vicious cycle of negativity to the point where death and serious illness felt almost a certainty. Kate helped me understand my thought processes and identify ways of breaking the vicious cycle. I have experienced a marked improvement in my general well being, relationships and motivation. I also feel like I have the necessary information to maintain a balanced mental state of mind."

"Upon hearing about cognitive behaviour therapy, I must admit I was very apprehensive, but after just one session the improvement was dramatic!! My weakness is travelling and the thought of not being in control of things, especially the idea of being trapped in a car with no access to a toilet. Thanks to cognitive behaviour therapy I was able to gain an understanding of the thought process which was happening and why, and was able to realise that it is a common problem. Just understanding why the mind thinks like it does helped me considerably towards a steady improvement and conquering my fears. To anyone who suffers such fears I would highly recommend this kind of treatment as I found it such a relief to understand why I was thinking these thoughts and being so anxious."

"I have found CBT with Kate a great tool for helping me to step out of the box so to speak and see things in a new light. A light of which has made me realise that I am good enough and that I can achieve anything I want or choose to. I feel I am a much stronger individual whom can take the highs and lows of life with a much better balanced view."

I had a few sessions with Kate, after admitting to myself that I needed help with my constant need of female attention and thinking that the grass is always greener. It had got to the point where I was losing my family and grip on my life. After seeing Kate, she taught me ways to deal with the negative, destructive feelings, helped me see life for what it is and how to prevent the self destruction in the future. Kate helps unlock thoughts you didn't know you had, and makes you realise things and look at things from different angles. If you are like me and reluctant to admit you need help, I would take the plunge and do it. It has saved me from losing everything and ending up sad and lonely. Thanks so much Kate.