Clinical 'I had suffered with depression and chronic fatigue for years. It had totally derailed my life, ruining my health, relationships, and career. I'd tried other therapy and counselling before, but nothing had any impact. I felt trapped and directionless. I was unable to engage emotionally. Life was grey, flat, and hopeless. After a few months of working with Mark my depression was significantly reduced to be barely noticeable, and I had a better understanding of the cycles affecting my fatigue. Most importantly, Mark had equipped me with the tools and the thinking for me to self-care, helping me make sure I don't slide back into depression and negative thinking. Today, I have a loving relationship and baby boy, am back enjoying work, and feeling very positive and hopeful for the future. AC, patient.
‘When I first met my therapist, Mark, I felt comfortable talking about my problems and, when the sessions started, I found that I could easily talk to Mark and respected how he listened to me. He tried to understand my problems, some of which seemed silly, in a sensitive way, taking them seriously. I think I can say that cognitive therapy has changed my life and I feel like a different person.’ MS, patient.
Supervision ‘Mark is a competent supervisor who is highly knowledgeable and skilled. He is very organised in his approach and makes efficient use of time. Interpersonally he is warm and helpful, but he also probes for the details to make sure I am closely following the CBT model. There is a good balance of audio & video tapes for improving practical skills and conceptual/theoretical discussion so that practice is informed by theory. I work with a lot of personality disorder clients, and Mark has helped me with engagement & alliance issues. His structured approach helped me to keep coming back to clear goals of therapy, rather than stray away to peripheral issues which can sometimes happen with this client group.’ PS, supervisee. Training ‘Mark has a very good understanding of the need to plan and prepare training courses carefully. He is sensitive to learning processes and aware of the interpersonal processes that can facilitate or block learning. He is highly skilled in managing group processes within lectures and workshops. He is particularly adept in supporting and encouraging trainee engagement. Feedback from Mark's training is consistently positive. Direct observation has revealed he is a thoughtful, well-organised and clinically-grounded trainer. He is highly respected by trainees.’ SB, course director.