Reviews from young people and parents
2024 Reviews
"I'm not sure if you remember but you kindly saw my daughter LR in 2022, in relation to her low self esteem. I'm pleased to tell you that she is now thriving in secondary school. Thanks so much for all your help in building her self confidence. Time passes quickly and she is now in Year 10 which marks the start of her GCSE journey. One of the optional subjects she has chosen is Psychology as she has been inspired by her experience with you and wants to become a child therapist!"
"I just wanted to thank you for R's sessions. She has definitely benefitted over the last few weeks. Thanks also for the support that you've given me alongside R's sessions. It's been so helpful to know how to support her."
"Thank you for yesterday. They always say admitting a problem is the first step to recovery. I also needed someone to talk to. I don't feel comfortable talking to my friends or my mum, and it was nice to have a nonjudgmental space to think about these negative thoughts logically. It will take a bit of time, but we will get there!"
"Finding the right therapist is so important and I think we've struck gold straight away"
"I wanted to tell you that the work we did together was life changing and has had a significant impact on me. Most of all I just wanted to thank you."
"I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me this year, the work we've done has been far more helpful than I could've imagined."
"You treated my daughter brilliantly a few years ago and I can't begin to tell you what a life changing experience that was for all of us. She is very well mentally now."
"I have noticed significant differences since he has been coming to see you. Whilst he has certainly made progress with his OCD, what I have also noticed is a significant difference in how much he is beginning to take action on other areas of his life. He used to pretty much do nothing - he seemed unable to take action, even to do things he wanted to do. This really perplexed and worried me and it made him very unhappy. However he is taking action on an increasing number of things - he has begun exercising (exercise bike), and he asked to get his Dad's bike down from the loft to get it fixed for him to use...He is also cooking more, and taking interest in eating better, and he has been prompting me into action on planning holidays (we are heading to the Olympics in July!). He is also finally studying - slightly belated but this is the most revision he has ever done.
Thank-you for being so incredible - I hardly dared hope he would actually talk to you when he first came - I can't tell you how grateful I am to you for being such a skilled, safe and constructive first step along this route."
"I asked L whether, having seen you over the last few months had helped and she said absolutely definitely and that she would never have gone to her scholarship day today if she hadn't been to see you. So thank you very much for all your help and support with her. We are so pleased and it has achieved exactly what we had hoped at the outset."
"Just wanted to say how pleased we both are with the progress T is making with her CBT sessions. She is already showing more confidence when separating from us and is feeling really proud of herself when she ticks a step off on her ladder. Thank you for all your hard work."
2023 Reviews
"I saw a few therapists who weren't very helpful before discovering this clinic. Rather than just talking about my difficulties, the therapist worked with me to develop effective strategies that I can now use everyday. The therapist was really warm and easy to open up to. she really listened and worked hard to ensure that she was working collaboratively with me to get from the CBT what I wanted. I can't recommend this clinic highly enough."
"My daughter had a difficult time settling into secondary school and out of nowhere suddenly suffered from separation anxiety. We knew she needed counselling and Kate was incredibly easy for her to talk to. It's not easy for a child to separate rational and irrational thoughts but that's essentially what helped her start to get better. We had about 10 sessions in total and Kate let us have the flexibility to have some time between sessions to work on tasks which was key to her recovery.My daughter has now immersed herself in year 8 a much happier 12 year old. Teaching a child how to be resilient is really important and Kate is great at doing this. Thank you Kate."
"My son was struggling with health anxiety and even though we tried all the approaches we could think of to help him, nothing worked. Then someone recommended the Bristol CBT Clinic. After 3 months working with Kate he is absolutely transformed, unrecognisable from the young man he was at the start of the process. He was stuck in a place where his anxiety and worries had taken over. But now his anxiety has significantly reduced and it is a joy to see he is enjoying life much more, all thanks to Kate and the clinic. He now has the tools and insight to deal with his anxiety and feels much happier and in control. Kate has worked a miracle and we can't recommend her and her team highly enough. Thank you!"
"An excellent CBT service which had a transformational impact. Kate is an excellent psychologist, always making you feel heard and valid. The clinic is a calm, quiet, and comfortable space making you feel at ease."
"Made a huge difference for my teen with social anxiety. Life has possibilities for them again! Would highly recommend. Thank you!"
"I just wanted to let you know that B had her injections today. Not surprisingly, she was very scared and it took a while for her to relax, but she remembered the tools in her bag and she did it!!!! "
"We finally managed to get an Autism assessment for K the other week and the psychiatrist confirmed the diagnosis. It all makes sense, heightened anxiety, exhaustion/burnout through masking, misreading social cues. Thankyou for helping us to reach this point and for supporting K and us every step of the way. K is still the same daughter with the same difficulties but at least we now have a framework to help us understand the way she views the world. We are also hoping we can access more support for her when she goes to University."
"Chris has been an amazing professional, she has looked after me and has always been willing to listen to me. She has taught me great skills that I am confident will be helpful and will enable me to tackle my condition after the end of our sessions. Chris is a calm and amazing person that has enabled me to open up about my condition, she has made me feel comfortable and safe during our sessions together and she has fully supported me during a hard period of my life. Thank you Chris!"
2022 Reviews
"I can't thank you enough for helping E to get her vaccinations. It is an achievement for her to have managed the meningitis vaccination. This was also the one that she was most worried about, as she saw it as the one that could do her most harm. I think the main take away from this is that E can do it and has managed to conquer her fear on this occasion. She was not overly distressed and managed to control her anxiety with her breathing when she had her vaccination and this is a real positive."
"Update: heading for my plane home, lovely weekend no unnecessary confessions! felt like the ‘normal’ B! I win OCD this time 🎉!!!. On a more serious note: I’m feeling sooo proud of myself, I feel this was one of my biggest achievements on my journey back to being B’ as these types of ‘confessions’ ruled my life for a good few years. Thanks so much for your previous and continued work Kate I literally couldn’t have done it without you. "
"Thank you so much for your help, it has been amazing to see B’s transformation and we really are grateful to you. In the nicest possible sense - I hope we do not have to contact you again and I am sure that B is on the right track, but I do hope our paths cross again so we can thank you in person."
"E has been doing really well and the impact of having someone outside her family tell her what she is experiencing is not abnormal and that she’ll be able to manage how she feels has been enormous. She’s already referring to the strategies you’ve discussed with her when she becomes worried and has been feeling much better in terms of dealing with periods of anxiety which is great. One key thing is that she now knows she would be able to access this support again if she was really struggling, and I also feel very relieved by this as there were points where I felt very out of my depth in terms of supporting her."
"So good to have reached a point where I feel I can manage the ups and downs of life now. Wouldn’t have imagined this was possible a few months ago"
"D has been doing so well, I am so proud of the progress he's made and he feels so much better about himself too. He told me recently that he's never had so much confidence and also that he stopped worrying about what other people think about him. D is looking forward to his first day in secondary school and he's already arranged to walk with couple of friends on the first day to school. Thankyou. Thankyou. Thankyou"
"It’s L a old client. I just rly wanted to tell you that I passed my GCSES!!!! Just like we said I would, it was hard but I got rly good grades for even if I had been full time!!! I can’t believe it but I wanted to thank u for believing in me and giving me the help I needed. I don’t know if this will reach u but I hope it does because I cannot thank u enough for how you helped me cope throughout school and the seizures - they are still here but I did my GCSES and that is what matters right now"
"Thank you for your work with L. She is doing much and is on a good trajectory. I was, as you know, very worried about her but after her work with Charlie, am feeling so much more confident that she’ll be okay."
"Thank you so much for all you have done for S and for providing the staff at X reassurance and a 'safety net' for us in caring for S."
"Well T’s in America and sounding good! His voice sounds strong and optimistic. I feel confident he’s going to really rise to it all and have a great experience. He’s taken off! I can’t thank you enough for how the CBT sessions have helped him"
"Thank you so much for getting me through it. You really believed in me when I didn’t, and I’m so glad that I can finally say that I did it! I’m headed to Glastonbury this evening and I can’t wait to celebrate with my friends. Thank you for everything! I will keep in touch as I’m unsure what these next few months are going to look like."
"Can't thank you enough for all the help you have given F over the last 6 months. She shared some of her reflections with me which is great. She is in the best position now to navigate the next two months and stress of A levels. Many thanks again. You have been amazing!"
"Thank you so very much for all the help you have given E and all the kindness you’ve shown to her. She is so much brighter now and is happily achieving things she would have steered clear of a few months ago. The change in her is immense. We cannot thank you enough and I know that she would not be the girl she is today without your help. I will encourage her to keep stepping outside her comfort zone and to lean on your tools as and when needed. With heartfelt thanks"
"Thank you so much for all your help, you have been amazing helping us through this difficult patch! "
"Thank you for all your help and support Charlie. It's such a relief so see B back to his old self. I really don't know where we would have been without you. Many thanks again."
"Kate gave me some really good strategies for dealing with my worries. She was a very good listener and always took my worries seriously. "
"I want to thank you so much for all the help you gave us. L has not had a nightmare since we saw you last and although I ask him now and again if he wants any worry time he says no. "
"What a great outcome. Many thanks Kate. He’s come such a long way since Christmas, and such a relief and joy to see that’s he's striding out into his life now with such good mental health and the tools to look after himself. "
"The end of a long but very productive and positive journey that enabled J to make this huge transition. He is clear that your support was the game-changer. You have worked wonders. There will no doubt be more blips along the way, but I feel this final meeting today has given him a clear route map should things prove difficult in the future. I also wanted to say how supportive J and I have found our sessions with you, and I am so grateful for your quick and helpful advice whenever I have needed it. I am so thankful to D for introducing me to you! "
"Dear Kate,
I understand from N that you have both agreed on a hiatus over the next few months. I wanted therefore to take the opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the work that you have done with her.
Having always been a tactile and loving child, she wouldn't allow any touch from me for a good year or two. After a few sessions with you, N was returning home and cuddling me at every opportunity. If you are a parent, you'll know how deeply moving that is. Thank you.
Each time I collect N she returns to the car in the most wonderful mood and is the very best version of herself.
She is now able to express externally the things that upset her rather than internalize them too much, and you have taught her how to navigate these difficult years. We feel incredibly blessed to have had you guide and support N through these difficult months - there is really nothing more a parent could wish for."
"I just thought I would email an update as I actually somehow made it to the Galapagos Islands! Whilst I was out there I felt completely myself and fully got stuck in with everything. I ate nuts on the plane, and even got COVID whilst out there, but I was able to handle anything that came my way. I genuinely cannot thank you enough for everything. I’m planning to do a bit more travelling now around America, before I start a Masters in September.
Again, thank you for everything, it's life-changing to be feeling so much better."
"I just want to say a huge Thank you for your work with B. She is in a much happier place and while she will continue to have 'ups and downs' (like us all!), she seems much better equipped to deal with them. I know she has really appreciated your support and guidance and it really has made a massive difference."
"Thankyou for today again Kate, huge improvements all around. It’s great to see him so positive! "
"I’m so pleased C has continued with the sessions with Charlie; he did say when he was home over Christmas that he is finding them helpful and feels they are starting to make a difference. We noticed that C seemed a lot more at ease in himself and appeared more relaxed when in the company of others."
"T is finding the sessions incredibly helpful so far. Thank you so much"
"I reviewed B yesterday and she is very happy with her progress with you. Her PHQ 9 and GAD 7 scores were significantly lower and she is managing her anxiety much better. Thankyou for your continued support as B approaches some major competitions."
"Thank you for your time today and for making us feel so welcome. I am not sure if you heard D but as he left the room, the first thing he said was "I really enjoyed that". I couldn't have wanted a better outcome after the first session. I feel encouraged that with your support D will be able to achieve the goals we have discussed today…… Thank you again for a great first session and we are looking forward to seeing you in March."
"We are extremely grateful for the support you have given M. His mood is up and down but, overall, he is much better than he was last term when you first started meeting with him. We hope that once he has made a decision about his course of study some of the mental pressure he is feeling will ease."
"We had our last session with Jacqui today and have found her to be very helpful. She explained her reasons for only a few sessions and we have been surprised by how much so few sessions have helped us. She is amazing - full of wisdom with an infectious aura of calm acceptance."
"I just wanted to say thank you for the work you’ve been doing with E. I think it has really helped her understand and manage her anxiety better. She always came back from your sessions feeling much more positive about her challenges."
2021 Reviews
"Thank you for your continued sessions with H. She seems to be finding them very useful and is certainly starting to ‘branch out’ in what she wants to do independently (apart from when revising!). I am sure H will tell you all about it but her trip into town last night was a huge success and it has really given her a boost of confidence. Thank you! She is really enjoying her sessions with you"
"I wanted to say thankyou for all your help over the past year, I know L has found her sessions with you very important and helpful to her well being"
"Thanks so much for all you are doing with B. It is clearly helping her a lot!"
"Thank you for helping him - it’s made a huge difference"
"Thanks very much for the help you have provided. We sense that the true CBT element may barely have gotten going, but your advice has been instrumental in us taking positive action regarding medication and CAMHS referral. For this we are very appreciative."
"I’m really pleased to let you know that R is doing well. She is half-way through her first term at Liverpool University, studying History. As to be expected, she has found these first weeks a real challenge - but she has been so amazing at dealing with it all. Inevitably, she has had times where those feelings of anxiety have felt overwhelming, but she has been able to manage them and move forwards. We still say to her ‘what would Kate have said to you now?’ which helps to prompt her to draw on the different strategies that you gave her. So thank you for all that you have done! "
"CBT has helped me to understand and manage my anxiety instead of being against it and feeling afraid of it "
"Thanks again for the session today, it really helped to talk to someone who can really understand where I'm coming from. You've definitely helped me confirm some of these feelings and beliefs about myself (and of the people around me) and I feel a lot more confident in moving forward with this, so thank you - I really appreciate it."
"Kate - thank you again for all the great work with J over the last months. I don’t think he would be where he is now without your help. I am sure there will be wobbles in the coming weeks, but I feel very reassured that he has your support to guide him through the rest of this term. "
"Thanks v much for fitting us in and for your help today. J said how much fun it was to walk Lily - amazing progress! "
"I’m coping with my anxiety and panic so much better. I’ve even managed to go back to my theatre group & haven’t had any panic attacks since my trip at the end of last term. You helped me so much over the Summer – thank you!!"
"It’s been amazingly helpful to have these sessions. My friends and family have noticed such a change in me. I hadn’t imagined that CBT could be this helpful."
"I’ve just received my GCSE results and want to thank you for all your help over the last few months. I’ve found all the lockdowns to be so difficult and can’t imagine managing my anxiety and OCD at all if it wasn’t for my sessions with you. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually looking forward to getting back to school and starting A levels! "
"Again thank you so much for everything Kate. I thank our lucky stars we found you every day and I am really grateful for everything you have done for J. "
"The sessions with you have been really good. My family think I’m transformed because I don’t do my habits anymore. I also don’t feel as worried about going out and being judged. I used to think people would look at me and think I was weird but after the experiments and the survey we did, I really don’t think people are as negative as I thought. Practising defending myself just in case people judge me, was really helpful too. It helped me feel more confident and believe that I can stand up for myself. Thanks Kate. The CBT has really helped me"
"We just wanted to let you know that we feel B is engaging really well with the CBT. She has definitely been better in social situations – She ordered our drinks from a café yesterday and is determined to go to the shop this afternoon to carry out her behavioural experiment! Thankyou so much for all your help so far!"
"The sessions with Kate have been invaluable. I can now see where my low confidence comes from and have learned lots of strategies to stop my anxiety from holding me back. More than anything, Kate has gently and persistently encouraged me to see that that just because I think something, even if there are still occasions when I believe it, it doesn’t mean that it’s true. My thoughts are not me and they are not always accurate or helpful to me. I know there’s still lots of practising to do but I really believe that I’m now moving in the right direction and that it’s more than possible to accept and appreciate myself, just as I am. "
"Thanks for your ongoing help, patience and kindness towards I. She is really struggling at the moment but after your sessions, seems more positive and hopeful. Today she went straight out for a run before supper and has other enjoyable activities planned to help with her mood. As parents we feel very grateful for your support right now. "
"I just wanted to say many thanks for helping N. It’s good to see her feel more confident about her worries. We’ll definitely be in touch again if she would ever like more help. "
"B ’s been doing brilliantly. He is generally happy, feeling pretty confident with managing his OCD, and seems to be making headway with mixing socially at school. I am so pleased with how much progress he’s made since his first session with you back in February. It’s a huge relief, and we’re immensely grateful for your help.. "
"Thanks so much for all of the time you have put into your meetings with V and the compassion you have shown her. This has been a challenging academic year with covid restrictions as well; we don’t think V would have managed to get so many positive experiences from it, were it not for your input."
"As I said a huge THANK YOU for all you’ve helped me with. You’re a true professional, good at what you do and a lovely person to work with. "
"I wanted to thank you again for all your help! It has really helped me feel more in control of my thoughts and better able to deal with issues I previously wouldn’t have been able to. I feel a lot more confident and happier within myself and am a lot less stressed than I’ve been in years. You were incredibly welcoming and supportive throughout and I always felt listened to and understood. Many thanks again "
"It’s been one hell of an emotional roller-coaster at times but we couldn’t have got to this point without you Kate. You have always been there to contain and support us throughout. We can’t thank you enough for helping x and us to achieve what we have. "
"It’s been so helpful to stop and think about the way I’m looking at things. I hadn’t realised how automatic and unhelpful my thinking can be. It’s great to experience how a different perspective can change so many of my assumptions about myself, my boyfriend, my friends and my Uni work. I feel so much happier and settled in myself."
"I had a great email from x’s Science teacher yesterday saying how he’s noticed a positive change with x now paying attention in class... he even put his hand up the other day! He’s really starting to develop more confidence in managing social situations."
"Thank you for all your help with the CBT. It really has been life changing. "
"I hardly recognise myself these days but I know and appreciate that life has its ups and downs and knowing that you are there to guide me back on to the right path when I need it is a huge comfort."
"A few weeks ago I didn’t believe I’d ever be able to manage my OCD symptoms. I’m now feeling much more in control and can finally start to relax more and enjoy seeing my friends again."
2020 Reviews
"Thank you for being the glitter in our day Kate"
"When I first started work with Kate, I was feeling anxious for a lot of the time and having frequent panic attacks at school and at my Saturday job. One of the most important things I discovered through my weekly CBT sessions, was that although my anxiety may be uncomfortable, it isn’t dangerous. I haven’t had a panic attack for weeks and weeks. I feel so much more confident now. Thankyou."
"After such a challenging first year, we never thought Ben would be able to settle back into University life and to manage his anxiety in social situations. He’s almost at the end of his first term back and seems so much happier, confident and settled. We really appreciate your help."
"L is finding the sessions really useful. Thankyou. After dropping out of University last year, we were worried about him starting his first year again at another University but he seems to have settled well and seems so happy.
"Hello Kate, I just wanted to email and say thank you for all your help - I am managing my anxiety much better than before and have found the sessions to be really helpful. I have been able to stay in all my lessons and haven’t been to the medical centre at all since going back to school afer Lockdown."
"The CBT with Kate really helped me and it built my confidence. I had 12 sessions and I no longer have my PTSD symptoms which is fantastic."
"Hi Kate, Thank you for these last few booster sessions with you. They have been so helpful, and I feel as if we have now covered everything and achieved my goals. I am now much more confident in dealing with my thoughts & feelings, and I'm so grateful for everything you've taught and shown me. If in the future I start to lose this, I would love to continue with some more sessions, but for now I think I’m ready to keep on practising all the skills I’ve learnt. I never thought I’d reach this point. Thank you so much."
"Kate really helped us understand why D has been struggling so much with her anxiety and worries. With this new understanding, we are now able to help and support her more and have shared this information with D’s school. D seems to be calmer and happier than she has been in a long time."
"The CBT sessions have made a real difference to my mood and anxious feelings. I’m feeling more positive towards everything and talking to Kate has helped me to see things differently. I can now notice when I’m catastrophizing and starting to feel panicky. I use different strategies and positive self-talk and can challenge my thinking and thoughts when I need to. Thankyou Kate."
"Although I continue to have to keep my OCD in check, Kate has helped me so much through our sessions. She has taught me useful strategies and techniques, most of all given me clarity and has also created a safe and supportive space to speak about anything I needed to. We also covered other areas outside OCD which has helped boost my self esteem, made me feel happier in day to day life and has caused me to look at things from a more realistic and positive viewpoint with much less overthinking! With her guidance and help I generally feel more equipped to handle my anxiety and look at the world in a different and more positive way."
"Dear Kate, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Your kindness, understanding, patience and support have unquestionably been the biggest reasons why I have been able to make it through the toughest period of my life so far. You have taught me an awful lot about myself and the importance of resilience and self-belief. As a result, I have grown and matured as a person and feel confident that I am now my own therapist with skills to manage whatever lies ahead during my future life at University. All of this will stay with me forever. I thank you."
"For about 12 weeks, Kate and I worked together and discussed a range of issues that I had been struggling with for a couple of years. Kate was always very welcoming and warm and I felt that my concerns were always met with genuine understanding and taken seriously. I established a good rapport with Kate from the beginning and this made me feel more at ease when talking about some uncomfortable subjects and provided me with a safe place in which to do so. I have made so many improvements in the way I view and now accept myself. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Kate and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for CBT."
"I know M has benefitted greatly from her sessions with you and I would like to thank you for your investment in her wellbeing over the past few months"
"Kate was very helpful for me. She helped me to better understand my condition and gave me the time to feel properly listened to, understood and cared for. We also worked towards taking positive actions and altering my unhelpful thinking patterns. I now feel that I can be my own therapist!"
"Thank you so much for helping R with her difficulties. These last 2 weeks, she has been able to manage her exams without too much stress. This is a big difference. As you know, last year, R just couldn’t manage school very well and wasn’t able to stay in the room to do her exams. We can’t thank you enough for your help."