Alex Hughes

I am a Registered General Nurse with many years' experience of working with clients; many who have been dependent on drugs and alcohol.

I gained a BSc (Honours) in Substances Misuse in 2006 from the University of the West of England. More recently I have been working towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. As a Trainee Therapist, I am under the supervision of a Senior Accredited Therapist with the BACP. This does not mean that a supervisor attends my client's sessions but supervises my work from a distance. As a Member of BACP I am bound by its Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy, and subject to the Professional Conduct Procedure for the time being in force. At this time I work with clients with depression and/or anxiety, as well as with addictions.

Qualifications

Registered General Nurse 2002

Certificate in Counselling Skills (Westminster Pastoral Foundation) 2002

BSc (Hon) Substance Misuse (University of West of England) 2006

Certificate in Group Analysis 2007

Experience

1995-1999 Hospital Orderly/Nursing Auxiliary

1999-2002 Nurse Training

2002-2004 ADAPT Barley wood Residential Drugs and Alcohol Rehab Unit

2004-2008 NHS Community Drugs Worker in various roles. South Devon/Exeter

2008- Present NHS Stop Smoking Specialist

CBT

I offer affordable, evidence based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to clients to improve their wellbeing and support them to make changes in their life.

CBT is a structured, problem-orientated therapy. We recognise that the way a person perceives things can be impaired and their interpretations become highly selective, CBT seeks to alter these perceptions. Together, we will work towards your goals to make healthy choices and a new way of thinking and feeling. CBT has been proven to help clients in the treatment of various disorders, including mood disorder, anxiety, personality, eating disorders, substance misuse and psychotic disorders. The purpose of therapy is to reduce distress or unwanted behaviour by undoing previous learning or by providing new, more adaptive learning experiences.

N.B. CBT may be available within the NHS; however there may well be a waiting list. Your G.P. would be able to provide you with more information.

Dependency and behavioural change consultancy Practitioners and clinicians are aware that evidence based Behavioural Support really helps change. They see patients coping with detoxification or stopping their problematic substance misuse, but struggling to maintain new lifestyle behaviour.

'Change is happening' will offer 1:1 support based on Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Brief Solution Focused Therapy, all working towards the clients own Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time limited (S.M.A.R.T.) recovery goals.

Clients can refer themselves confident that they will be seen promptly. They will see myself, Alex Hughes, or a colleague regularly and not be passed from one worker to another. We will be able to refer you to a colleague nurse prescriber if an alcohol detox is necessary. In the Spirit of Motivational Interviewing, if clients are ready and willing for change we will support them. Our vision is to set up behavioural support groups and where appropriate, offer one to you.

Having worked in an Abstinence Based Treatment Centre and having lots of experience in working in Twelve Step Facilitation, I am able to support people who like the Twelve Step Approach of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. However, I work in a client centred way, ensuring I never 'pigeonhole' people into a set of beliefs not suited to them. I will facilitate abstinence based treatment in my groups but central to the group will be Motivational Enhancement, SMART recovery and the principles of CBT.

Please feel free to contact me so that we can discuss whether I am able to support you; if not, I will be able to point you towards someone who can help.