Eleanor Bigden
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Coaching in London
Client story 7
Overcoming fears of going to new places and fears about food
My feedback and advice for anyone thinking about starting CBT
"I decided to start CBT with Eleanor because I was wanting to learn different ways of dealing with situations rather than panicking; to make a difference to my self esteem and confidence; and to change my quality of life. I wanted to train my mind to overcome panic when travelling to new places and fears about food.
CBT with Eleanor has helped me to talk through things and over-ride my thoughts rather than believe that they are true. It feels like a big accomplishment to not buy in to unhelpful thoughts such as worries about my food, and now I’m much less obsessive. I’m much more calm as a person about everything, as a result of recognising the power of what I choose to do with my thoughts and attitudes.
The most important practical changes I’ve made are: being able to travel much further; being open to go to new places and relaxing. In the past I used to make excuses such as not going to office events because I thought I wasn’t good enough and that I needed to loose weight, but now I can see that people like being with me, because I’m friendly and fun and have a nice personality and interested in others. I’ve also been able to move office and meet new people, whereas before I would have just stuck with what I knew. There’s so much more to my life now.
I now feel able to step outside my comfort zone and feel the good feeling after! In the past I would never have been able to get on a bus without knowing exactly the route, but now I’m able to step out and feel good. I feel safer and happier within myself and more relaxed and in control, whereas before I felt trapped. It’s amazing how powerful the mind is, and how anxious you can make yourself feel and how you can also calm myself down. I’ve really recognised this with my food anxiety – with support, I have learnt to actually test out situations, e.g by eating what I’ve been worried about so I’ve been able to discover I feel fine and there was nothing wrong with my food after all.
My confidence has grown because I used to think 'I’m crazy' and that others wouldn’t want to be with me and now I’ve learnt to appreciate what qualities I do have! I’ve learnt that I’m not mad, bad and crazy! I now actually like myself as I am and I don’t worry about what other people think of me. I realise how lucky and blessed I am and how much happier I am now! I want to keep CBT going as I recognise how important it is to look after my emotional health and self esteem."
Free telephone consultation
I offer a free initial telephone consultation to answer any questions you might have.
Easy to access locations
All my clinic locations are a few minutes walk from tube & bus stops, with quick overground links. I can also come to your home, workplace, or other location that suits you best.
Flexible arrangements to suit your schedule
If an appointment is difficult to make, I can offer therapy, coaching and mentoring sessions by telephone.
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