My work experience
My name is Michelle and I am a psychotherapist working in Brighton, Hove and online. I've been working in the health and social care field since 1984, and have specialised in mental health since 1996. Over the years, I've gained extensive experience working with a diverse range of individuals, including those with disabilities, older adults, children, young people, and people with physical and learning challenges.
I have spent a significant amount of my career supporting students’ mental health at a university. This allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the broad range of difficulties faced by young people dealing with emotional and mental health issues; including neurodiverse people, those living with complex and persistent mental health issues and those who have used psychiatric services.
I have been working in private practice since 2009. In 2018 I completed advanced training as a psychotherapist at the Minster Centre, London.
Specific areas of interest and expertise
I specialise in working with people who have experienced trauma or distress stemming from challenging early relationships; especially those involving childhood physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and neglect.
I have an interest in working with dissociation including DID, OSDD (Other specified dissociative disorder) or partial DID. This is the lesser known but much more common form of complex dissociative disorder; similar to dissociative identity disorder but with less distinct parts and/or no amnesia.
I have worked extensively with disabled people, including those facing mobility, physical, and sensory challenges, chronic health conditions, mental health issues like psychosis, complex trauma as well as neurodivergent individuals (Autism, ADHD, developmental coordination disorder (Dyspraxia), and Dyslexia
I have experience supporting people to come to terms with family estrangement or for those who are thinking of ending abusive or untenable relationships with family members.
I warmly welcome therapists, both experienced and in training, as well as professionals working in the health and social care sectors.
What to expect
In the first phase of therapy, I will work on understanding your needs and clarifying your goals. As part of this I will seek your feedback about how you feel the sessions are progressing so we can decide if the therapy is having a positive impact and meeting your expectations. From there we will decide on a way forward together which may involve working on a specific targeted goal or something less structured and time defined.
Therapy involves a significant investment of resources: time, energy and finances. It may become one of the most important relationships in your life, at least for a time.
I am deeply dedicated to my profession and devote a considerable amount of time to training and honing my skills; ensuring that I offer the most up to date treatments.
Trauma therapy
Many people who have been chronically abused and neglected have symptoms that may include:
Difficulty regulating emotions and impulses
Dissociation such as spacing out, feeling unreal, losing time, internal voices, and amnesia
Self-harming behaviours or addiction issues
Problems forming or sustaining healthy relationships
Feeling terminally stuck and unable to move forwards
Unexplained symptoms, persistent or recurrent pain, chronic fatigue, headaches
Enduring fear, guilt, anger or sadness and/or chronic feelings of emptiness, numbness or shutdown
I am offering a new form of trauma therapy called TIFT (Trauma Integrating Flow Therapy)
TIFT therapy is specifically designed for individuals who have experienced complex trauma, including pre-verbal trauma and neglect that may not be accessible through traditional talk-based therapies due to the absence of words or images. TIFT places great emphasis on creating a safe environment and restoring a sense of safety, dignity, and trust within the client's whole system, encompassing the body and mind.
Tift is grounded in the present moment and utilizes minimal exposure to traumatic events. Instead, the therapy works with the implicit imprints of the trauma which often create distress and can be difficult to resolve using traditional talk therapy.
Over time, clients often report an increase in self-compassion, a general decrease in troubling symptoms such as addictions and dissociation, and an overall sense of moving forward in life with greater clarity. Life makes more sense because the internal system feels more coherent.
I have found this approach both gentle and profound, aiming to facilitate significant and lasting changes, even for individuals who have previously undergone therapy with limited success.
Get in touch
I offer a free 30minute online chat if you have any questions about how I work. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of coming to counselling, whether it could be helpful for you and whether I am the right therapist to help.
You can also email or text me on 07552 236738. Please do not ring me as I am not usually able to answer calls. However, I am happy to discuss any queries or questions you may have prior to arranging an initial appointment
All enquires are usually answered within 24 hours, and all contact is strictly confidential and uses secure phone and email services.
Resources
Please note:
The following resources are not endorsements. Please use your own judgement when taking advice
My location
Sessions are generally 50 minutes and can take place either face-to-face in a comfortable room in Brighton, East Sussex, or via Zoom. Some early morning appointments are offered but please note I do not work in the evenings.
Fees & availability
I charge £85 for a 50 minute psychotherapy session. Supervision is £100 for an hour. Please be aware that I ask for 1 week's notice of any cancellations. Where a cancellation is unavoidable I will try to offer an alternative where I am able.
I am registered with AXA health insurance and can register for other UK based insurers on request
Availability
Monday 8-4pm
Tuesday 9-5pm
Wednesday 8-4pm
Thursday 9-5pm
© Michelle Butler
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