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Therapist Cat local Buckhurst Hill Holborn

For those who feel misunderstood, alone and want warmth and acceptance.

You're in the right place.

Qualifications

Qualified member of the BACP

Completed MA Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London (year 3, Integrative pathway)

> Year 2 equivalent of PGDip in Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London

> Year 1 equivalent of PGCert Psychotherapy and Counselling, Regent's University London.

2 years of training in Existential, Psychodynamic and Humanistic therapy at Regent's University London

Foundation Certificate in Psychotherapy and Counselling from Regent's University London.

CPD completed on 'Working with Suicidality in the Helping Professions' with The Training ComPenDium

Listed on the Donor Conceived UK (DCUK) website on the Trusted Therapist Directory

Experience working with clients of all genders 18+

Experience working in a holistic therapy centre

LGBTQIA+ Safe

Insured by Holistic Insurance Services

Registered with the ICO (Information Commissioner's office)

Listed on the BACP registry

Listed on the Counselling Directory

Listed on Psychology Today

Experience

BACP therapist Cat Holborn Buckhurst Hill

Hi, I'm Cat

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it"
Dr. Maya Angelou

Hello there!

I'm Catherine, but I go by Cat and I'm an integrative therapist and registered member of the BACP. As a human I have experienced my own share of difficulty, struggle and pain. As a therapist I have gained understanding and skills to share with clients in how to re-establish a relationship with themselves and their ultimate goals for their future.

My approach to therapy is creative, fresh and dynamic. I work collaboratively with clients and tailor my approach to meet their specific needs and to meet who they are as a person. My core integration is humanistic and relational psychodynamic. I also draw on attachment theory to help me to understand where you have been and how you relate to those around you (including yourself!), whilst still acknowledging that you are the expert on you and giving you the space to explore in the way you want to. I also integrate the body and mind in my exploration as I believe this is crucial to our holistic understanding of ourselves, and I keep updating my practice as new understanding evolves.

I am down-to-earth and a little bit of a grandma at heart ... I believe that the relationship between therapist and client should be nourishing in a similar way to the desired impacts of a Werthers original from said grandmothers!

Joking aside, I provide an empathetic, warm, comforting and non-judgemental space to process and hold your lived experiences and to provide a space to be fully yourself, to share your secrets safely, to challenge you along the way, and to help you on your lifelong journey to self-understanding and a life worth living.

Find out more about me and my background here and how this Catherine van Maanen Therapy practice came to be.

Find out more about my approaches here.

What I offer

Based in Holborn and Buckhurst Hill and UK-wide online

Online and Face-to-Face is offered

Long term (open-ended) and short term therapy available

Sliding scale costs £50 - £75 per session

No low-income sessions currently available

I work one-to-one with individual adult clients 18+

Monday-Friday working hours (8am-8pm)

Welcome to this space, from one imperfect person to another, you are welcome here 🫂

So much judgement pours through our screens, so little understanding of human nature. In therapy so many of my client are surprised to find that they share some of their deepest shames, regrets, and those experiences that fill them with anxiety, pain, and self loathing. Therapy is a place where I, as another human, can sit with you, and bare witness to this exploration from a position of compassion, holding, unconditional positive regard for you as a person, and the belief that together we will help you to find a way through shame to acceptance, courage and self-compassion.

#therapy #counselling #therapywoodford #buckhursthill #mentalhealthawareness #therapyholborn

Come for a walk and talk around the Buckhurst Hill centre that I’m working at today 😌🌸

A controversial opinion regarding the medicalisation. So let me expand. When I mention the medicalisation I am talking about the way that we view mental well-being. The way it is often framed is that you only go to the GP or to A&E when you are sick (broken leg, infections etc) so we assume the same with therapy. However, mental health and well-being is an everyday thing. Whilst therapy can be amazingly helpful for those who have diagnoses or that are struggling a lot, there is also solace in coming to therapy when you want to talk through certain experiences or the way you relate to others - it can be a real game changer in terms of how we relate to ourselves, others, and situations in our lives and can help make those “lows” that inevitably come to us all, a bit more manageable. It’s never too early or too late to get started. ✨ take good care of yourselves! 😌

If you would like to book a free 15-20 minute consultation call, please get in touch through my website cvmtherapy.com or email me at catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com 🌱

#therapy #counselling #therapywoodford #selfcare #bluemonday #buckhursthill #therapybuckhursthill #therapyholborn #mentalhealthawareness #therapyclerkenwell #holborn

New blog post up on the website! In today’s post, ‘New year, more fear? A therapist’s perspective’, I’m reflecting on the anxiety, social (and personal) pressure that comes from the experience of welcoming a new year. In the post I look at reframing what a new year actually means, the subjectivity of time, and what the key factors behind self-betterment or goal achieving are!

#holborntherapist #therapylondon #therapybuckhursthill #counselling #selfcare #januaryblues #therapy #newyearnewme

Are the “this is the 2024 season coming to an end …” videos leading to anxious feelings and looming dread? Well … it’s completely understandable! There is so much pressure to have had the picture perfect year (literally!). But human lives are complex and not so cookie cutter shaped. When I work with clients I often hear the conditional ‘could’ and ‘should’ reflections.

However if you take a step back, shift your perspective, and consider whether you actually need to fit the generalised life/ success markers, then you might see that it doesn’t have to be a huge scary change, but a point of reflection before just taking another step forward. It’s not a sprint! If you’ve seen the long distance running at the Olympics you’ll see that people go past the start/end point several times, but what is crucial is looking at the long game or in the case of life: looking at what works for you and the direction you want to be going on.

Instead of making self flagellating New Years resolutions, maybe consider taking the time to consider what it is you want going forward and what led to the choices you have been making so far. If you would like to work with me from next month, I have some new availability in Holborn and Buckhurst Hill as well as some online spaces ✨ get in touch via my website or email: catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com. Be kind to yourself 🌱

#therapy #newyearanxiety #selfcare #therapyholborn #therapybuckhursthill #therapywoodford

(Ps… it’s not really a secret!) Paying a private therapist does not mean that the care isn’t real! We truly DO care. That’s why we do this. The non-judgement and the unconditional positive regard may be a part of our skill set, but people who tend to become therapists also do truly care about other people. So yes, I think about you outside sessions, and after we’ve ended our sessions, I hope for the very best for you, and wonder how you are doing.

It’s understandable why there is cynicism towards the idea of therapists *truly* caring when they are getting paid, but this is part of the misconception with therapy/ therapists and even some of the remaining stigma around getting support for your mental health.

I am always rooting for my clients from the sidelines 🙌🏻. I feel privileged to be able to support so many wonderful people in their most vulnerable moments 🌱

#therapyholborn #therapist #mentalhealthmatters #counselling #therapy #buckhursthill #therapywoodford #therapist #therapybuckhursthill #therapylondon #counsellinglondon #donorconceived #DCP #eatingdisordersupport

My response to these questions as a holistic integrative therapist 🎄
Whether you celebrate or not, holiday seasons can stir up complex emotions and difficult memories … especially if you’re no-contact with family. Here are 4 gentle, therapist-approved tips to protect your peace and nurture your well-being this season:
1️⃣ Feel Your Feelings! Don’t Fight Them As a therapist who uses focusing, I always remind clients to notice when sadness, guilt, or anger shows up in your body. Try to learn to understand that these feelings are not enemies, but messengers letting you know what might be going on for you. This can also help you with the next point.
2️⃣ Give yourself what you needed as a child Christmas/ the holidays often activate old psychological wounds. Being no-contact gives you the chances to reflect. Ask your inner child, “What do you need right now?” — and give yourself that love, safety, or reassurance. This might be about giving yourself a bath with some lovely bath bombs, but it could also be reminding yourself that you don’t have to be perfect or do things you don’t want to do (just to keep others happy).
3️⃣ Rewrite the Story
I use a tool called Transactional Analysis to help clients understand what limiting beliefs or ideas about themselves they have internalised. In particular, old “life scripts” we inherited from family roles. You are NOT your family’s “black sheep,” “fixer,” or “outsider.” Rewrite your narrative: “I am worthy just as I am.” “I am not too much” and “I am *actually* deserving”.
4️⃣Protect Your Peace with Boundaries Not everyone will understand your no-contact decision — and that’s okay. Your boundaries don’t need to make sense to anyone else: colleagues, friends, other family members etc ... Being no-contact isn’t “acting out” and is often a last resort after a long time of hurt. Tradition be damned if it comes at the expense of your mental, physical and spiritual (if this pertains to you)health. Block, mute, or walk away without guilt.

If you feel stuck and feel that I would be a good fit for you, get in touch via my contact form cvmtherapy.com which includes helpful blog posts (if say so myself!) and my practice approaches 🌱

(Take two because the post from a few months ago had typos!)

As humans we are complex and multi-faceted and so we are both innately fallible but also perpetually in states of change and evolution (should we welcome it).

Accountability is important, however one side of behaviour that we tend to speak on less is how little people are willing to allow their perception of others to change. If we have the courage and compassion to witness that someone may no longer be the person we once knew, or the person who acted in such-and-such a way, we allow ourselves the freedom to witness that humility towards ourselves. Besides, if we turned the light onto our own skeletons and behaviours, I’m sure there will be something that brings us a sense of shame, guilt or desire for atonement.

Mistakes are human, we don’t get through life without some scrapes. If you’ve messed up, done wrong, and are looking for a safe space to process and explore how to process it and work on it, then you’re in the right place. Welcome.

#nonjudgement #reminder #mentalhealthawareness #therapistsofinstagram #counsellorsofinstagram #counsellorwoodford #buckhursthill #southwoodford #therapy #therapyquote #counsellor #forgiveness #growth #therapyholborn #therapyeastlondon #therapychancerylane #therapyfarringdon #therapylondon

I now have availability for clients on Tuesday morning and afternoons. Whether you would like a lunchtime booking 🍱or a a therapeutic start to the day 🌅 then please do get in touch via the website: cvmtherapy.com or email 📧 catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

It took a long time for me to find a little corner of the city that felt homely, cosy and just right for my clients.

In the midst of the bustling, beautiful, and historic part of the city, this location is a small haven, full of calming greenery, inspiring art and a gentle tranquility. This cosy room provides a calming landscape for our work together, far away from the hustle and bustle of the street below.

The space is just a short walk from Holborn, Russell Square and Chancery Lane stations and several central bus routes.

There are beautiful parks, inspiring exhibitions and cosy cafes nearby too!

So let’s get started!

I wish you all a relaxing weekend.

#therapylondon #therapyeastlondon #therapyclerkenwell #clerkenwell #holborntherapy #therapistsholborn #counsellingeastlondon #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthholborn #therapist #localtherapist

Why is it so hard and painful? Why do you crash when you finally start to heal and recover 🌊 here’s a brief reflection on this.

As a gentle reminder, things sometimes feel worse before they feel better. Make sure you are getting the support you need.

It’s darkest before the dawn, but when the dawn rises, so do you 🌱🌄

#therapy #counselling #counsellorsofinstagram #therapywoodford #buckhursthill

🌊 When a person cries, it might feel almost natural to offer them a tissue - an unspoken token of affection, solidarity and sympathy. However, for some people it may feel like an interruption to the emotional experiences that the person is going through. A sort of ‘get over it’ or a gentler ‘stop crying’. Therapy is the place where a person can cry freely and express, through their body and through their crying, their pain and whatever is behind the tears. My not offering a tissue isn’t about me just ignoring it, instead I am welcoming the tears into the room. I am offering a space for the person to feel heard and to feel themself being heard by me. There is no judgement, just a calm and private space to put down their need to be collected and “put together”, and to safely reflect on how it really feels. In any space, I always ensure that tissues are available if the person should want to use them. It is their choice. 🌊

visit cvmtherapy.com 💻 or email me at: catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com 📧 to book a free 15-20 minute consultation ☺️

#thingsthatmakesenseintherapy #therapy #therapywoodford #therapybuckhursthill #counselling

When humans go through transitional periods, you might experience loss: of friends, of family, of habits, of perspectives that no longer fit who you are becoming. That doesn’t mean your path is wrong necessarily or that when you are coming from was ‘bad’ - just something that does not fit anymore.

Often we associate change with feelings of absolute happiness and knowing exactly what it is we are going towards. But sometimes change is challenging, we doubt ourselves, we feel vulnerable and alone and scared. But that other shell is what you are journeying to, and through the journey of finding it, you start learning more about yourself and your own resilience.

Growth is part of the human condition, and to fight against it is to stay stuck in a shell that hurts us more than it houses us.

#hermitcrab #therapy #therapist #localtherapist #woodford

If you feel chronically misunderstood, unheard and unseen. If you feel like the odd one out, then maybe we would be a good fit. Therapy is a place of support and an adventure of sorts, all are welcome in this holding and judgement free space 🌄

Whilst therapists and counsellors are trained to work with many life difficulties and experiences, most professionals will have particular areas that they work with and that they are particular passionate about. For me these include:

🌱eating disorders (diagnosed or not).
🌱identity explorations including people who are donor conceived.
🌱bullying in childhood and adulthood.
🌱CPTSD and developmental adversity.
🌱challenging behaviours (including those we carry feelings of shame or guilt for).
🌱chronic pain and neurodivergence.

Let’s start on the next chapter of your life. If you feel like having a 15-20 minute chat, even if it’s just to discuss what therapy might look like, then please get in contact via email 📧: catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com.

Something new! Happy autumn 🍂 🌻🎃 arguably my favourite season. And it is certainly a season of change and growth … shedding the old unhelpful behaviours perhaps, in order to welcome in self-understanding, perspective, and a renewed sense of possibility 🧡

Do you have difficult behaviours or are you anxious about past decisions that you feel embarassed or ashamed or scared about? It might be worth speaking to a therapist, and seeing if this journey would be beneficial to you! Maybe start by visiting cvmtherapy.com or emailing me at catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com for a free 15 minute consulation.

I want to make clear here that I am referring to feelings that start emerging or memories that come up during the process of therapy and when you have started to feel more calm and regulated. Of course there are numerous reasons why you might experience this, one of which includes experiencing flashbacks. This is just one possible reason. 🌻

#therapy #uktherapist #Woodfordtherapist #counsellingwoodford #counsellinglondon #therapistinlondon #trauma #CPTSD #complextrauma #therapyworks #mentalhealthmatters

A day in (my) life as a therapist. Today I was at the centre in Buckhurst Hill before heading home for a cup of tea and to prepare for my online clients! 🌸☕️

Each room has its own feel and some of my clients definitely have favourite rooms! 🏡

If you woke up tomorrow and everything was exactly as you wanted it in your life, what would it look like and what would be different? 🌻✨

Maybe think about that problem you are tackling, the job you want to quit, the relationship struggles you were having or that feeling of utter hopelessness and stuckness.

This is a question I sometimes ask my clients when we explore their goals. This line of questioning comes from Solutions Focused Therapy (SFS) and is called The Miracle question. This is often used when clients feel stuck in their situation, when solutions seem like immovable obstacles and the strengths that the client has seems unreachable.

This is by no means a miracle in that in “fixes” all the clients’ problems. But it does provide that fresh space to remove the conditional thinking processes “should, could, can’t” etc. Instead of looking up at the formidable mountain of a situation or blockage, the client then sits on top of the mountain and looks down - a birds eye view of sort of thing. In this way clients can reverse engineer their perspective and find a new way of discovering their inner resolve, solutions and their values. It’s a really great intervention!

#anxiety #therapy #counsellorsofinstagram #counselling #selfcare #buckhursthill #therapywoodford #therapistsofinstagram #mentalhealthawareness

New blog post up! ⚡️💌

Therapy can be a rebellious and revolutionary act, defying societal norms that pressure us to hide our pain and stigmatize vulnerability. It challenges the status quo, encouraging us to embrace self-awareness and emotional honesty in a world that often rewards conformity and suppression. Choosing therapy is revolutionary because it confronts and looks at dismantling the internalized narratives of trauma, shame, and oppression imposed by society whilst being aware of the socio-political, environmental, financial and situational structures which marginalise and limit us. It’s an uprising against inherited wounds, a radical commitment to healing, and a powerful assertion of our right to live ‘authentically’. In this way, therapy is not just a personal journey but a collective act of resistance, with the potential to transform individuals, communities, and entire systems.

To caveat, therapy is a tool in the belt of transformative work! Please find a slightly more nuanced exploration on my blog at 💻cvmtherapy.com.

Drop me an email 📧 at catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com or 📞 07856553891 to enquire about sessions with me ☺️

Happy Tuesday!

#therapyistransformative #therapy #counselling #buckhursthill #woodford #inclusive

Looming despair at the approach of your birthday? Anxiety, stress and feelings of depression when your birthday rolls round? Or maybe at a social holiday or any other celebratory event.

Reasons are nuanced and varied and in my practice I have worked with many clients who have found these social events to be extremely difficult and anxiety inducing. They can be raw reminders of those who are no longer with us, our inability to afford the gratuitous and expensive activities that we see strewn across influencers’ social media pages. Perhaps it is because we have other worries: world issues, the state of our environment, the fear of growing older, lack of friends and family, difficult family relationships or pre-existing mental health/ health struggles (to name just a few examples). Perhaps it is because we are alienated by the need to “do something” when in reality you don’t want to and it doesn’t fit who you are.

You are not alone in these feelings and experiences! Many people feel this way. Here are just a few steps you can take to reduce your stress include:

⚡️Explain to close friends and/or family that you struggle with the celebratory events and are feeling anxious and overwhelmed so you can explore how you can manage the feelings and organise your day around this.
⚡️Remind yourself that social media can be misleading and that it only shares a small facet of a person’s experience and also does not guarantee happiness! Instead consider what you actually value and what is most important for you.
⚡️It is only one day! Remind yourself that it is not the only day in which you are allowed to celebrate yourself and take moments to treat yourself. On the other hand, just because it is your birthday, it doesn’t make it necessary for you to do things that you don’t enjoy or that make you uncomfortable.

#birthdaysadness #therapy #counsellorsofinstagram #therapywoodford #therapistsofinstagram #anxietyrelief #depressionhelp #buckhursthill #woodford

New blog post up on cvmtherapy.com ⚡️🙌🏻

This blog is all about working with challenging behaviours. As a therapist, I am not here to judge, but I am here to help you to help yourself. You are not a write-off because you made a mistake or two. Let’s talk about it.

#therapy #therapyforcheating #therapyisforeveryone #selfcare #therapistsofinstagram #therapybuckhursthill #therapywoodford

I’m not always online … but that’s ok 🌸🐚 because I’m present with my clients! 🙌🏻

A gentle reminder 🍃 relax your jaw and drop your shoulders, perhaps listen to some sleep music or a sleep story (@calm has some good’uns!) 😌 feeling anxious about mistakes is understandable, but try to build that all important muscle in terms of maintaining boundaries with yourself, and allowing yourself to get to sleep. We’ve got this!!

If you’d like to book a session with me then you can email me at catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com or visit my website 🔗 in bio to find out more, and request your free 15 minute telephone appointment to explore whether we would be a great fit for your therapy! 🌸☺️

Now get some rest! 😴

#mentalhealthmatters #anxiety #feelinganxious #therapywoodford #therapyeastlondon #therapist #counsellor #selfcare

When trauma happens to us when we are young/ pre-verbal, we remember it at a symbolic level (think #thebodykeepsthescore ). Before we are able to cognitively process, verbalise and organise information in a linear way, or make sense of experiences, we feel it physically in our bodies. We internalise our distress in a way we cannot fully compute. What this means is that sometimes when we are older, we still hold onto that pain and that “wound” until we are able to address it and process it as an adult with different cognitive abilities to that of a child.

One really great way to explore felt experiences that we don’t fully understand is to use #Focusing which is a technique popularised by and a therapeutic approach devised by #Gendlin - this helps us find a way of giving a name to our experiences so that we can bring the experience into conscious awareness and then process that. We must also acknowledge that pain and trauma held within the body must be approached gently and seriously, therefore working with a qualified practitioner and especially working with trauma best practice is important when exploring anything that may trigger us deeply.

I hope you have a lovely bank holiday weekend 🌞🌸 additionally, I hope you like my photo from my trip to Norway!

#therapy #counselling #psychotherapy #selfcare #psychotherapistsofinstagram #counsellorsofinstagram #childhoodtrauma #developmentaltrauma #trauma #eatingdisorders #bankholidayweekend

How do you get the best results from therapy in your experience? 🌸🤔 from a therapists perspective it is important to do your own work outside of therapy - Iain Dolan put this well and succinctly. In the same way you also wouldn’t go to a physiotherapist and then not do the stretches outside of the therapy, you should also consider how you can get the most out of your counselling/psychotherapy by doing your own due diligence. How might this look?

A few ways you might apply your session work 🌸

✅ practicing exercising boundaries with people in your life (including yourself!).
✅ make notes of how you handle yourself in challenging experiences and reflect on how you have processed that experience.
✅ acknowledging your therapist can only go as far as you are willing/ able to go ❤️.
✅ practicing self care. Including exercise, dietary measures (not diet culture!!), getting out into nature, taking your medication if required.
✅making a note of your support system: family and friends - how can they help you? Can you tell them that you are going to therapy?
✅ challenge damaging beliefs you hold or unhelpful patterns of behaviour.

There are many more ways, all of which are nuanced and specific to individuals!

Happy Monday - in the meantime, feel free to check out the blog for yesterday’s post and drop me an email if you are hoping to book a free 15 minute consultation 🦋.

#therapistsofinstagram #counsellorsofinstagram #therapymemes #mentalwellbeing #mentalhealthawareness #bpd #selfcarethreads #selfcare #eatingdisorders #childhoodtrauma #therapywoodford #therapybuckhursthill

New blog post! I seem to have bookended #mentalhealthawarenessweek 👀 but as I have previously mentioned, it is important to acknowledge mental wellbeing on a regular day-to-day basis.

This Sunday’s post I discuss disconnecting and recharging admirer tumultuous times.

I wish for you a relaxing Sunday and a good rest of your week 🌸

#mentalhealthawareness #mindfulness #selfcaresunday #mentalwellbeing #psychology #psychotherapy #counselling #counsellorsofinstagram #therapistsofinstagram #bpd #eatingdisorders #developmentaltrauma

This week is #mentalhealthawarenessweek - however we know that a week or month of “awareness” is not enough to tackle the epidemic in mental health crises we are experiencing in the UK and globally. However, I thought I’d kick the week off with something that I know is a challenging thought for so many.

And that is this: your traumatic experience and your trauma (be it PTSD, PTS or CPTSD for example) are not the result of you being a bad person.

Outside of obsessive thought patterns and behaviours, this concept is not something that is that uncommon for people to feel. To paraphrase leading trauma theorist, Babette Rothschild: trauma is what happens when we are out of control. When something happens we need to find a “reason”. Why me? Why them? Why didn’t I get to the phone quicker? If only I left 10 minutes later …

Moreover, when we consider our understanding of childhood attachment behaviours, we know that children are dependent on primary caregivers (often parents) and this is something that is legitimately life or d3ath: a child must be bonded, they must have a carer or they will possibly d1e. Therefore we understand that children will often blame themselves in abusive situations because (1) it doesn’t make sense and (2) they need to remain close to their PCG so that they get their support - even if that support is not necessarily safe.

I am not trying to belittle any person’s faith or religion here.

However, here I am gently considering questioning, if this isn’t the result of some karmic retribution, and it’s not because you’re a bad person - what are the other possibilities?

This is not an exhaustive perspective and is only a snapshot view. If this concept opens up thoughts that you would like to explore, I would definitely recommend taking it to therapy or to process it in a way that is safe and holding for you.

#trauma #cptsd #traumaresponse #attachment #childhoodtrauma #mentalhealthmatters #karma #buckhursthill #woodford #therapy #therapistsofinstagram #counsellingandpsychotherapy #counselling

“When everything feels like the movies … try meeting people and going outside” 🎶 I’m sure that’s how the song goes … 🤷🏼‍♀️ in this Sunday’s blog post I discuss the links between intimacy and reductions in low mood. We know that the lower our mood is the less likely we are to go out and see people, but there is also something cyclical about the process involved in our loneliness (as well as the institutional and practical difficulties of course). I tap into what is simply a fraction of the thinking behind closeness and overall well-being.

#lonelinessquotes #nofriends #lonely #selfcare #nature #wellbeing #googoodolls #therapistsofinstagram #therapist #londontherapist #essextherapy #counselling #counselor #counsellorsofinstagram

Never mind the typos! 😂 As humans we are complex and multi-faceted and so we are both innately fallible but also perpetually in states of change and evolution (should we welcome it). Accountability is important, however one side of behaviour that we tend to speak on less is how little people are willing to allow their perception of others to change. If we have the courage and compassion to witness that someone may no longer be the person we once knew, or the person who acted in such-and-such a way, allows us the freedom to witness that in ourselves after all, if we turned the light onto our own skeletons and behaviours, I’m sure there will be something that brings us a sense of shame, guilt or desire for atonement.

#nonjudgement #reminder #mentalhealthawareness #therapistsofinstagram #counsellorsofinstagram #counsellorwoodford #buckhursthill #southwoodford #therapy #therapyquote #counsellor #forgiveness #growth

“There’s a void only silence can fill” @monroviaboy

It may seem counterintuitive but silence is an important tool in the therapeutic relationship. As a society and culture, we are often taught to try to fill silences “listening to respond, not to hear”. However silence allows two people to sit, somewhat in discomfort perhaps, to really acknowledge something that has been said, to process, to consider and to try to feel how something has impacted them in the space. Silence helps us process without trying to distract with conversation that is designed to detract. Perhaps you may even reflect on why you can’t stand the silence. Silence can be very healing, and most definitely when you are in a space of compassionate silence, where you are held by your therapist! I may write more in this some day 🌸

#counsellorsofinstagram #therapistsofinstagram #counsellor #therapist #londontherapist #essexcounsellor #woodford #buckhursthill #therapy #therapymemes #mentalhealthawareness #silence

A gentle reminder to all of you this week. Compassion first ✨🌿

#counsellorsofinstagram #counselling #therapist #counsellor #therapistinlondon #essexcounsellor #childhoodtrauma #neurodivergent

Being donor conceived is incredibly complex and nuanced and at times, painful. For those born before 2005 there is even less information provided. Unfortunately, whilst fertility treatments can be essential in helping couples achieve their dreams of parenthood, at times the system itself treats the donations as commodities. These “commodities” become real life humans - and that is where donor conceived people receive stigma from family, friends and even medical gaslighting (amongst many other emotional and physical struggles).

Unfortunately many people do not understand the nuances of being donor conceived. As a person I have an intimate understanding of the experiences of donor conceived people, and as a therapist it is one of my passions to help people in this group feel seen, heard and for their experiences to be treated as real, significant and serious 🌱With the advent of cheap DNA kits, people are realising that they are donor conceived as they match with “siblings”. Can you imagine how shocking that must be?

If you want to get in touch, you can email 📧 catherinejvanmaanen@gmail.com or phone 📞 +447856553891

#donorconceived #donorconceivedperson #donorconceivedadult #donorconceivedrights #therapistlondon #donorconceivedvoices #counsellingbuckhursthill #counselling #londontherapist #anxietysupport #donorawaretherapy

New blog post for a Sunday series. If you want to know why I’m referencing Plath in a blog about gently countering the #sundayscaries then follow the link in the story or visit cvmtherapy.com.

I’m a qualified therapist and I’m here to help! I hope the blog brings you some cool tidbits of information, however if you would like to enquire about sessions, drop me an email or give me a call (my details can be found on my website).

I wish you all a restful Sunday and a wonderful week🌸

#counsellorsofinstagram #essextherapist #therapywoodford #therapistinwoodford #counsellor #therapist #londoncounsellor #selfcaresunday #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsupport

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My core areas of interest

Eating disorders

Childhood trauma and CPTSD

Chronic Pain

Self-esteem, body image

Identity

Bullying

"Recovery can only take place within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation"
Judith Lewis Herman

One of the most common struggles that clients describe when coming to therapy is feeling like a 'misfit', like a misunderstood member of every relationship - an outsider.

As humans, the way we relate is a definitive part of our species: the need to belong. My practice approach allows clients to feel seen and heard, maybe for the first time in their life. I use my personality and warmth to create an authentic connection that cannot be manufactured and is entirely necessary for therapy to take place.

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On the blog

'I'M WONDERING'

New year, more fear? A therapist's perspective

The period of the new year can feel unsettling, scary and can contribute to low-mood, self-loathing, and rumination. In my work with...

'I'M WONDERING'

Therapy can be an act of revolution and resistance

When people think of therapy, they often picture a couch in a stuffy, clinical room, expecting to be told what’s ‘wrong’ with them and...

'I'M WONDERING'

I am, I am , I am ... human

You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. You only have to let...

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It's good to meet you!

If you have further questions for me, or would like to get the ball rolling on your therapeutic journey, send me an email and I will aim to get back to you within 24hrs.

Apply for FREE 15 minute consultation call

free therapy consultation holborn Buckhurst Hill

15 minute FREE consultation

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I'm ready and waiting!

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Find me on Instagram

I am on Instagram where I will share Blog post highlights and little insights into the therapeutic experience. Please don't share personal details with me on Instagram. If you would like to book a session, please use my booking form.

@catvanmaanentherapy

Ready for a change?

For those who feel misunderstood, alone and want warmth and acceptance. You're in the right place.

Qualifications

Experience

Hi, I'm Cat

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it" Dr. Maya Angelou

What I offer

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Follow us on Instagram

My core areas of interest

Eating disorders

Childhood trauma and CPTSD

Chronic Pain

Self-esteem, body image

Identity

Bullying

"Recovery can only take place within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation" Judith Lewis Herman

On the blog

New year, more fear? A therapist's perspective

Therapy can be an act of revolution and resistance

I am, I am , I am ... human

Get the freebie

15 minute FREE consultation

Ready to make an appointment?

I'm ready and waiting!

Find me on Instagram

The Links

For those who feel misunderstood, alone and want warmth and acceptance.

You're in the right place.

"I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it"
Dr. Maya Angelou

"Recovery can only take place within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation"
Judith Lewis Herman