"Whilst writing this email we would take the opportunity to say how highly our client spoke of you. The change in our client has been very noticeable and certainly it was obvious she has benefitted greatly from whatever it is that you do during your treatments. Thank you for the professional commitment you provided – it is not always that a client is fortunate enough to be placed with a suitable treatment provider however on this occasion our client has been most fortunate"
- Glassbrooks Ltd, Solicitors - St. Annes -
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"Mel made me feel at ease as soon as I started my first session. I found it really easy to talk to her and the sessions were really practical based on actions I could take straight away to improve the management of emotions. The resources provided were excellent and I know I will be referring back to them regularly to keep my mental wellbeing on track"
- Miss T - Rawtenstall -
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"Mel, thank you enormously for your knowledge, understanding, attitude, patience, kindness and guidance. You have enabled me to challenge and change my approach to both my anxiety and my self-esteem. I am now more confident and empowered. You have been invaluable."
-Mrs E - Preston -
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“I am not always the best at meeting new people never mind opening up to them. After a horrific event, the last thing I wanted to do was discuss it with a stranger but when I met Mel, she made me feel so comfortable and relaxed that I didn’t even notice that I was speaking to someone I didn’t know. Mel was supportive and didn’t pass judgement on me or my feelings. Her work and explanations were fantastic, I learnt a lot from my sessions, not only about my fear but about myself as well. I will be forever grateful to Mel for the hard work and care she showed me to get me back on to the motorway, which I now do regularly! Thankyou Mel.”
-Miss M - Blackpool -
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"I personally can't thank Mel enough for the help and guidance she gave me in a short period of time. My life stopped and changed in an instant after suffering mentally with intrusive thoughts. After trying to live life with the correct morals, I came to Mel very confused, lost, upset. Mel quickly diagnosed my problem and broke it down very simply for me to understand why this was happening and what action I needed to take. With Mel's guidance and techniques I very quickly accepted my problem which was OCD, I very quickly put into practice coping strategies and did little bits of homework tasks Mel and I thought i would benefit from. My family life soon grew and I felt back to my old self in 3 or 4 sessions. I cannot thank Mel enough for the time and effort. She made me realise I was not the only person struggling with OCD and it was more common than i could ever know. Thank you Mel. I wish you the best in the future.
-Mr C - Poulton-le-Fylde -
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“Mel has taken me on a journey of discovery. This journey has completely opened my eyes, which in turn has opened up doors to new opportunities. I am no longer afraid of change. Once you believe in yourself anything is possible. With Mel’s guidance and the tools I needed to get over my PTSD I can now look at my scars and smile - they are part of the new me. I can’t thank Mel enough for not only getting me back on my bicycle, but also giving me the confidence to peddle forward”
-Mrs I - Freckleton -
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"I have suffered with depression since as long as I can remember and never had the courage to do anything about it. After my life was gradually falling apart, Mel was recommended to me through a family friend. I went to Mel feeling so lost, helpless, miserable. I had no idea just how much her sessions would change my life, as she helped me deal with my PTSD and low self esteem through a course of CBT. Mel has helped me to start enjoying my life again, something which I could never have done without her!"
-Miss B - Warton -
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"I cannot speak highly enough of Mel and what she achieved with my granddaughter and her fear of dogs. It was totally restricting the places we could go to as a family. Mel immediately makes you feel at ease and her expertise provides the confidence you need to make progress. In only 5 weeks my granddaughter went from being petrified around dogs and needing to run away or hide to walking Mel’s dog in the park and then meeting and stroking other dogs off leads! When I photographed her stroking a German Shepherd dog off his lead I was completely overwhelmed and shed a tear. It was such a huge moment in our lives. I too learnt a lot from this time spent with Mel. Most importantly we can now start to go to all the places we've been avoiding. Life will be so much easier. I can’t thank Mel enough. She is a lovely human being and a true professional."
- Mrs O - Cleveleys -
“I honestly would recommend Mel to everyone if I could! She has completely changed my life, I have gone from feeling depressed and not wanting to get up each day to now being excited for the future and making endless plans just in a matter of months. My family can’t believe the difference and I can’t thank her enough. After having health anxiety for 3 years and spending thousands of pounds on a wide variety of health specialists I felt that my health symptoms were never going to be resolved and that nobody had an answer for me. Little did I know the symptoms I had were all stressed related.
I was very sceptical that my symptoms were psychological and Mel had her work cut out convincing me but she was right of course! All my symptoms including fatigue, aches, heart racing, pins and needles and hair loss all vanished with Mel’s help as well as my social anxiety. I always loved my sessions with Mel and didn’t see her as a therapist but a great friend”
-Miss O - Thornton, Cleveleys -
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As I was flicking through the internet one night looking for the NHS mental health number, I stumbled across Mel and I’m so happy I did. She made me feel at ease right from our emails and to my first session. She made me feel like I was normal. Coming to CBT was a last resort for me, I didn’t believe it would help but I felt it was my only choice and, can I say, I’m over the moon I decided to contact Mel because she has helped me change my thoughts. I feel like I’ve got my life back again and the passion she has for CBT is amazing, Mel is outstanding at her job, I cannot praise her enough. I will continue to recommend her to anyone who struggles with mental health.
-Mr B - Thornton, Cleveleys -
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I am so pleased that I found Mel. I was unsure of how she could help me and initially went along to see her with quite negative expectations. I had been poorly for a few months and was becoming more and more depressed and incapacitated. I had lost all my sparkle! From the very first session I felt that Mel took control and guided me through to a better place, encouraging me every step of the way. We laughed and cried but I came out the other side in a much better place and got my sparkle back! Don't hesitate to go and see her - she is wonderful!!!
-Mrs N - Thornton-Cleveleys -
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After being diagnosed with PTSD I was referred to Mel, After my first appointment I knew there was light at the end of what was a dark time in my life. The way Mel got straight to the heart of the problem without messing around gave me confidence and with that started my journey to recovery. The time I have spent with Mel has now helped and armed me with the tools to deal with life's challenges and enabled me to return to work and also to help my daughter in a stressful period of her life. Thank you Mel.
- Mr O - Thornton-Cleveleys -
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Mel is a delightful, caring, and compassionate lady. Mel is very approachable and friendly, her welcoming disposition makes it easy to relate to her. In fact you almost feel like you’re chatting to a close friend. Mel is very experienced, highly qualified and extremely knowledgeable in her field of CBT. Mel also lectures at the university teaching masters degree students. Mel was able to ascertain the root cause of my concerns and then put strategies in place in order to correct unhealthy thought patterns along with their subsequent behaviours. For me CBT wasn’t a quick fix, but it has equipped me with tools to continue on my life’s journey being able to quickly recognise and correct unhealthy and unhelpful mindsets.
- Ms F - Thornton-Cleveleys -
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I have just recommended Mel to a lady looking for a therapist. I was suffering some trauma after a local drowning incident and was referred to Mel for treatment. I was very sceptical at first due to the NHS therapists I had seen previously for other health related issues. After 10 sessions of Mel's wonderful treatment, particularly the reliving the incident in a safe environment, I am still well 2 years later. If I had time I would visit regularly just to help with general well being.
- Ms G - Lytham-St-Annes -
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I can’t believe how far I have come from my first session! Mel is amazing and makes you feel so comfortable and is so easy to talk and open up to. My self-esteem has boosted and my anxiety has gone from severe to not having it at all within 10 sessions. Mel has helped me with my assertiveness, my thinking techniques, examining unhelpful rules and lots, lots more. On my last session Mel gave me all the resources to carry on with the therapy all by myself and I will take everything I have learnt from her through my future. I can’t thank her enough for all she has done for me. If anyone is struggling with mental health and needs some therapy this is the lady for you! Thank you so much Mel!
- Miss A, Blackpool -
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Hi Mel, it is (client)'s mum here. I hope you are ok. Just wanted to tell you that we have seen a change in (client) which is down to you. He is more sociable and he smiles more and he isn’t in his room in the dark like he was. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate what you have done for our boys. You are worth every penny. Just wanted to let you know what was going on at home. Thank you so much again.
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and a later update from the same person when their son was discharged.....
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Hi Mel. It is (client)'s mum here again. Just to say a big Thank you once again to you for helping (client). He is so much better. He is smiling now, much more sociable and more confident thanks to you. I would recommend you to anyone and I have so there might be a few getting in touch with you. There are so many people struggling with mental health problems as you know. I hope you are keeping well yourself and thanks again for all you have done for my family.
- Mrs B, Thornton-Cleveleys (client's name also anonymised) -
Having suffered with anxiety for many years I have tried various remedies that didn't work and I honestly didn't think talking or CBT would be of any benefit, how wrong I was! Mel has not only taught me techniques to help calm my mind but has also changed my way of thinking without even realising it. I cannot thank Mel enough for her guidance, she has studied and worked in this field for years and her experience really shines through. Thank you Mel I just wish I had contacted you sooner!
- Miss C, Blackpool -
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I can't thank Mel enough for what she has done. She makes you feel warm and welcome on the first session. Mel has made me feel so much better about myself and I can’t thank her enough, she truly is the best.
- Mr. B, Thornton-Cleveleys -
We cannot thank you enough Mel for what you have done for our family. Our teenager was going through a really difficult time and having your support has been life changing. You have been kind, patient and professional at all times. Our son thought you were wonderful and looked forward to the sessions. The strategies you taught him he now puts into practice. I always remember you saying you were going to teach him to be his own therapist and you really have! Depression can be something you need to manage rather than cure and you have given our son the tools to do this now and in the future. I also want to thank you for supporting me as a mum, a very worried mum. There is nothing worse that seeing your child suffering and not being able to make them better. You reassured me I was doing the right things and let me know about plans and progress. This meant such a lot and helped me cope too. So once again thank you you are truly wonderful!
- Mrs B, Lytham St. Annes -
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Just wanted to say thank you so much for all you have done to support my son. The improvements have been really noticeable in these last few weeks particularly. He seems much more confident and happier in himself and as a parent, this is all I ever wanted for him. He says that he really enjoys his sessions and that he gets on well with you. Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all you have done to support him. I really thought at one time that I may lose him but thanks to your support I don’t feel like that anymore.
- Mrs M, Cheshire -
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I just wanted to say the biggest thank you Mel. You’ve been the biggest support to me over the past couple of months and I honestly can’t explain how grateful I am to you for listening to me. You’ve saved my emotional life and I honestly don’t know how I would have managed to continue on carrying around the weight of life without being able to confide in you. I feel like a different person and have such a different outlook on life and what I stand for. I’m forever grateful for your support.
- Miss H, Thornton-Cleveleys -
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I tried for years to find support for my mental health and felt like I had never made any progress or got the resources I needed. After having sessions with Mel, I was not only given support and help from a lovely person but I had also been taught how to then overcome similar obstacles and situations we had talked about when the sessions ended; I am now doing activities that I would have normally put off and saying positive comments towards my body which I used to hate. Mel helped me find the confidence I needed in down to earth and comfortable conversations to learn how to do simple tasks which I felt that everyone else was already doing in life and I can’t thank her enough for that.
- Miss B, Blackpool -
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About twelve months ago, I was advised by the Family Court in Chester to go and see a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. As I had relocated to the Fylde Area, I focussed my search on local service providers and having viewed feed-back on several therapists, the great reports on the Lancashire Therapy Lounge led me to make an appointment to see Mel. I phoned Mel and she gave me time to give her a brief synopsis of my issues and then explained what would happen at the first session. Knowing that I needed help, I eagerly booked that session and a couple of weeks later, sat nervously outside the door to her office. Let’s be honest. I need not have worried! Mel is smiley, approachable and empathetic. As such, she is aware that her clients are nervous and does everything in her power to put you at your ease. Although the sessions are clearly structured, they are informal and I quickly grew to look forward to going to the sessions. What I found to be particularly impressive was that Mel listened to me and gave me the opportunity to talk and let off steam when I needed to, adjusting her session content accordingly, as my mood dictated. I was given ‘home-work’ type tasks to complete but these were very much tailored to my current thought process, far from overly taxing and my notes then fed into the next session.
In all I had around twenty, hour long sessions with Mel. Firstly, let me say that I feel so much better. This is largely down to Mel and her ability to help me to reframe my thought process. My first thoughts are no longer to blame myself or others for an occurrence but now I largely see the positives first, rather than purely focussing on the negatives. In short, I cannot recommend the Lancashire Therapy Lounge highly enough. After my course, I am now able to function and have had the confidence to change career at the age of 52. Please seek out Mel if you need her. I know that she can help you, as she did me!!
- Mr B, Hambleton -
I chose to see Mel about 6 months ago after getting very little help from my GP practice and I felt at a loss at what to do about my mental health. I was worried that going to a therapist would be awkward or embarrassing, but I honestly had nothing to worry about as Mel made me feel absolutely at ease. Her bubbly and warm personality makes you feel comfortable talking about all your problems, and even having a little cry feels totally normal and okay. Since seeing Mel I have felt much more confident in dealing with my anxiety, and together we identified the main reasons why I was feeling the way I did, and she gave me the confidence to change the things in my life that were causing me anxiety and distress. I know for sure without Mel, I wouldn’t be in the position I am now, back at university and studying a degree in what I’ve always wanted to do! If anyone is debating about whether to see Mel or not, I would 1000% recommend! I’m so glad I did, she truly listens and tailors the therapy to what you want and need, not a one size fits all approach I felt like I was getting from my local GP.
- Miss B, Fleetwood -
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I approached Mel after she was recommended to me by a family friend. I struggled with low self esteem and confidence , self worth and anxiety/ depression. All of which affected me in every day life, from being exhausted all the time, to getting ready for a night out, or just seeing friends and family. I had been struggling with these feelings for many many years, seen numerous therapists, tried hypnotherapy and also tried to manage it myself, all of which failed and only got me so far. Mel taught me to essentially learn to love myself again, see the qualities I have and the person that makes me, me! But more importantly she has taught me, guided me and helped me to control these feelings if they decide to rear their ugly head. After feeling that way for so long I struggled to ever think I would start to feel ‘normal’, happy and not be consumed by these awful thoughts, but it’s worked. I have work to do myself and still have a little way to go but the difference is life changing. Mel is so warm, understanding, approachable, bubbly, I could go on, it never ever felt like a therapy session but more like you were going to have a chat with a friend and have a laugh at the same time. This to me played a huge part in my recovery, it wasn’t a chore to go to my sessions or I didn’t get that sense of dread before even if I was having a bad day!
- Mrs W, Poulton-le-Fylde -
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When I began therapy I struggled a great deal with anxiety and it impacted my everyday as well as restricted what I felt was possible for the future. With Mel's insights, advice and weekly tasks, thoughts and feelings I thought were to be expected and unchangeable became easier to challenge and in time I was able to face problems I had been afraid to face for a long time. Though at first it did seem daunting, Mel was always supportive and responsive to my concerns. Through Mel's help I have now put in an offer on my first home and begun driving again, both of which I wouldn't have imagined possible when I started!
- Miss T, Preesall -
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