DR MEL MATON

About me…

I am a qualified and approachable chartered counselling psychologist providing integrative therapy.  I have over 20 years’ experience supporting people with their mental health and I am a registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Psychological Society (BPS) and The Health and Social Professions Council (HPCP).  

I offer both on-line and in-person sessions.

How I work

I work from an integrative perspective.  This means that I am trained in several counselling and psychological approaches.  The two approaches that underpin all my practice are relational psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).  These complementary approaches bring together psychological theory and research with therapeutic practice.  I am also trained in a number of additional approaches (see below) which I can use if we feel they are appropriate for you.  People come to therapy for different reasons, have different goals and different needs.  I adapt my therapeutic style to ensure that every client has a tailored approach that works for them.

My therapeutic toolbox includes the following approaches:

• Relational Psychodynamic Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)

• Addiction Therapy

• Compassion Focused Therapy

• Systemic Therapy

• Mindfulness

My focus is on listening openly, without judgment, to whatever you bring to the sessions.  Together we will explore the challenges you are facing to improve your mental wellbeing.

My background 

Over the last 20 years I have worked in a number of psychological and therapeutic roles across a range of settings in the public, private and voluntary sectors.  Before establishing my own practice I provided integrative therapy to adults within the NHS IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) service - including high intensity CBT and psychodynamic counselling for a wide variety of mental health issues.   I regularly counselled people experiencing general anxiety, depression, and relationship and family difficulties.  In addition I also supported clients with more specific issues, for example: panic attacks, phobias, health anxiety, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), skin picking, self-harm, abuse and depersonalisation disorder.

I previously spent several years working for a national bereavement charity providing counselling to individuals who were recently bereaved.  I have extensive experience of supporting people overcoming addictions (including substance misuse, eating disorders, gambling, alcohol and smoking) - providing specialist group and individual counselling using Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Social Behaviour Network Therapy (SBNT) and the Maudsley Model.

I have advised primary and secondary schools on the implementation of drug policies and drug education programs, providing training to teachers and running intervention sessions for young people at risk of social exclusion due to their substance misuse. 

I led a team of outreach workers supporting the street population (rough sleepers, sex workers, street based drug and alcohol users and beggars) based in London’s Kings Cross - engaging in initial interventions with vulnerable people with complex needs and supporting them into services.

I have also worked for local authorities across the UK advising on Public Health Improvement programmes.

Research

I have particular expertise in relation to tokophobia (the fear of pregnancy and childbirth) and in relation to the effects of social media use on mental health.  I have authored research papers on these areas.

My qualifications include:

• Doctorate in Counselling Psychology

• MSc Health Psychology

• BSc in Psychology

• Graduate Diploma in Addiction Studies

• Mental Health First Aid Trainer

• Cruse Bereavement Care Foundation Course

• Coming out LGBT

• Supporting autistic adults and autism awareness

• CBT-T for non-underweight clients with eating disorders