When I was recommended Cognitive Behaviour Therapy I was very dubious that it would be of much use to me, or that I would feel comfortable talking through my difficulties with a stranger. By the end of the first session I was entirely reassured on both of these issues.

Without telling me what I should or shouldn’t be thinking or feeling, Alex elicited responses from me that put my troubles into perspective and gave me the confidence to realise that I was quite capable of overcoming them. He was interested, concerned and reassuring in a way that I really was not expecting, and over the course of a few weeks I came to value the sessions a great deal.

Perhaps less critically, although equally important to me being in a busy job, Alex was adaptable as to when we could have our sessions. This made organising the CBT meetings around my work commitments very straightforward. This contributed considerably to the relaxed nature of our meetings.

Even if you are suspicious of beginning a course of CBT, I would very much encourage you to give it a go if it has been recommended to you. In particular, I would endorse Alex as an outstanding counsellor. When I think of how nervous I was when I first approached him, I can’t help wishing that someone had been able to point out to me just what a positive experience Alex’s CBT sessions were going to be.