Adam Dawes - Advanced Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner providing calm and unbiased a confidential environment to voice opinions without fear of repercussions
Bio
Everyone requires support and a confidential environment to voice opinions without fear of consequences. It's vital to foster a setting where individuals can openly express their feelings without judgment, which is fundamental for well-being. Understanding the manner in which you communicate with yourself can enhance how you interact with others. Such provision is a crucial component of an excellent therapeutic alliance, enabling the therapeutic process to be effective.
Having worked in the field for many years and employed various modalities from ACT to CBT to MET, the foundational principle for all therapies is confidence in the process and gradual progress in the necessary direction.
Beginning my professional journey in the field of addiction, I gained knowledge about motivation and various change models. This provided me with insights into individual behaviors as well as the broader aspects of social interactions and dynamics that constitute the entire person. It cultivated a belief in the recognition of a holistic approach over an individualistic one.
Through my work in addiction, I have spent time employing a counseling approach that has enabled me to develop skills in communication, empathetic listening, understanding, and acknowledging others' feelings. These are fundamental components of all therapeutic practices.
My subsequent learning focused on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and the interplay between cognitions, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This understanding sheds light on various situations and individual reactions to them. This knowledge has shaped my therapeutic approach, offering profound insights from underlying assumptions to core beliefs.
I have continued to expand therapeutically, incorporating elements of coaching into my care provision. I hold the belief that learning new methods and modalities of therapy is crucial, not only for my own development but also for enhancing the therapeutic environment I offer to others.
Throughout my journey, consistent supervision has provided deeper insights into my abilities, fostering reflection and understanding of my thoughts and behaviors. This reinforces my commitment to lifelong learning. In line with this, I practice what I preach; for instance, I incorporate exercise, which I engage in daily, into my practice and advocate for it.
Lately, my knowledge has expanded to encompass a philosophical framework, from the Stoics through Spinoza to Hegel, and into the contemporary philosophical foundations of psychology. This broadened perspective has enriched the conversations and deepened the understanding both for myself and for those I counsel.
Adam DawesCertified
My main outcomes from therapy would be providing tools and techniques to help you manage not only in the here and now but also for the future and ultimately turn yourself into your own therapist. Using an array of different modalities catering to individual differences.
Adam DawesCertified
Hi my name is Adam Dawes. Within these sessions I aim to start by identifying sleeping patterns and the outcome being improving quality of sleep. This is done within a cognitive behavioural framework and builds on session by session from the last. It is time to sleep better.
Adam DawesCertified
Using cognitive behavioural techniques my ideal outcome would be turning you into your own therapist so you cannot only engage and improve your anxiety now but it is a long term permanent change. Using mindful techniques as well as behavioural changes to improve your future.
Experience
Deputy Chair for the Accreditation Programme for Psychological Therapies Services (APPTS) APPTS is a service development, quality improvement and accreditation network for services providing psychological therapy to adults in the UK. The Royal College Of Psychiatrists (Psychological Therapies | Royal College of Psychiatrists (rcpsych.ac.uk))
Committee member for the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity - A programme of work to embed EDI principles throughout the organisational culture and in our behaviour, working practices and organisational policies and to ensure that this paradigm shift paves the way for a better future.
I am a key member of the Psychological Professions Network - a regional network for all Psychological Professionals working in NHS commissioned healthcare or training providers in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and associated stakeholders. This also includes raising awareness of psychological wellbeing practitioners and our inaugural conference in 2020. (PPN - Home)
CQI NHS training for leadership and team building 2020 IAPT supervisor accredited training course – 2020
Psychedelic Practitioner Foundations Programme Successful completion / pass - foundation for the development of any intervention, or system of interventions with psychedelic treatments, within a regulated healthcare setting. 30 hours of self-directed, asynchronous lectures and interviews, along with comprehension & reflection questions and a final exam. 2024 Clerkenwell Health
Ongoing - PgCert Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine and Culture Exeter University - practical and theoretical sides of contemporary psychedelic research from leading researchers in the field
Ongoing - Working with Exeter University on IAPT protocols and various research projects, inclusive of audits evaluation of new interventions and Evaluation Method Determining Recommendations for Written Low-Intensity CBT Interventions:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy - 2022, a mindfulness-based behavioural therapy that challenges the ground rules of most Western psychology. Training with Oliva
Edward Jenner NHSX management online programme 2020
CQI NHS training for leadership and team building 2020
IAPT supervisor accredited training course – University of Essex - Post Graduate, IAPT supervisor course 2020
Canterbury Christ Church University - High intensity CBT –2015 – 2017 (90 / 180 credits gained).
University of Essex - Post Graduate, Psychological well-being practitioner 2010 – 2011
Diploma, Mental health awareness, 2010 – 2011 Pass with Distinction
Diploma, Motivational work, 2010 – 2011 Pass with Distinction
Diploma, Cognitive behavioural therapy, 2010 – 2011 Pass with Distinction
Leeds Metropolitan University BSC hons, applied psychology, 2005 – 2008 - 2.1
Publications: Farrand, P., Dawes, A., Doughty, M., Phull, S., Saines, S., Winter, S., & Roth, A. (2022). Development and application of criteria to evaluate written CBT self-help interventions adopted by Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services. The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 15, E28. doi:10.1017/S1754470X22000241
Reviews
Adam was very kind and a great listener. He made me feel very comfortable throughout the whole assessment and made me feel like I made a step in the right direction. Thank you.
It was my first time connecting with any mental health services and it was overall a very positive experience. Adam was great in making me feel comfortable which made it easy to share what I am seeking help with.
A very reassuring and effective conversation. I really appreciated the clinician's manner and their obvious expertise.
A great experience; very efficient and executed in a friendly yet highly professional manner. I highly recommend working with Adam.
Adam was incredibly kind, understanding and easy to talk to. I had been nervous about the call but was immediately put at ease by his manner and how he asked questions.
Adam was very supportive, he listened clearly and created a nice relationship between himself and me which made me feel comfortable to open up. He did not judge and was super friendly, thanks Adam!
Adam was patient, friendly, kind and reassuring - he made the whole process really calm and straight forward - makes such a difference to have a empathetic human to speak to -thank you so much