Michaela Thomas
Cognitive Behavioural Therapist in London

Is this your story?
You're really busy, from a yearning to succeed and do well, in work and in life. But you often put a lot of pressure on yourself to perform and achieve to a high standard. You might fear that you'll fail, and you are often hard on yourself for your flaws and mistakes. With all that pressure to be perfect, thinking that you're not good enough, no wonder you might feel tired and unhappy at times, from the lack of rest, recovery and balance in your life. You might feel like you have lost your sense of direction. You used to be fun, right?
To be able to create a more meaningful, balanced life, we need to let go of the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves - as people, as parents, as partners. We need to take time out to pause for long enough to connect with our values and purpose, to move forward with intention towards a more playful and pleasurable life.

If this is the story you've been living, there is still hope.

My name is Michaela Thomas and I am an experienced and qualified Clinical Psychologist and CBT Therapist with a specialist interest in helping people cope with depression, anxiety, perfectionism, stress and couples difficulties. I have 15 years experience of working with mental health problems, in inpatient and outpatient settings, in primary and secondary care settings, in Sweden and in the UK.

I help ambitious people let go of the pressure of perfection, to find their purpose and the permission to create richer, more meaningful lives.
I can guide you individually in one to one therapy or you can spend the day with me and a small group of others, on one of my Pause - Purpose - Play day retreats outside Bedford.

My private practice company, The Thomas Connection, can be found on www.thethomasconnection.co.uk - where you can see myself or my associates for one to one therapy, coaching or book us for speaking events.

I also run online courses - the Compassionate Couple is a 90 day course in building the relationship skills you need for a lasting connection with your partner, by developing a more compassionate way of being with your partner and yourself

My keywords for my practice include compassion, effectiveness and innovation - it is important to provide a high quality care with a warm touch.

Background & Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Qualifications

I am a qualified Clinical Psychologist and experienced Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. I have double qualifications in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy from Uppsala University in Sweden and from Royal Holloway University the UK. I am also trained in Behaviour Couples Therapy through Royal Holloway University. Furthermore, I am a trained supervisor for other CBT therapists.

I hold full accreditation with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).
I am registered as a Clinical Psychologist in Sweden and the UK (The National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden & Health and Care Professions Council, UK).

My Specialisms

INDIVIDUALS:
I love transforming the lives of those who feel like they are crumbling under the weight of their own high standards, feeling exhausted, burnt out, anxious or depressed from the need to be perfect.
So I work with depression, self-esteem issues, stress, perfectionism and all types of anxiety problems.

Here is a list of some of the problems I treat using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT):

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder / excessive worry
• Perfectionism
• Self-Esteem
• Panic
• Social Anxiety
• Stress Management

I only work with adults (18+), whereas my associate Hanna Foconi also works with adolescents.

COUPLES:
I am trained in Behavioural Couples Therapy, which means I work with helping couples with relationship problems, health issues, infidelity or mental health problems in one or both partners. I blend Behavioural Couples Therapy together with Compassion Focused Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which is the basis of my couples book called The Lasting Connection.

WELLBEING / CORPORATE:
I have a special interest in wellbeing and preventative measures to manage daily stress and worries with physical and psychological exercises. These skills can be applied both to individuals coming for therapy and organisations trying to promote productivity and wellbeing of staff.

Approach to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy & How I Work

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy works best if done openly and through working together as a team between therapist and client. Building trust and confidence in a therapist's skills is important, so I offer a free consultation over the telephone for everyone who wishes to work with me, as a way to "try it before you buy it".

I work according to the NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines, which means that my practice is informed by science, research and expert guidelines .

I also use social media as a way to reach out to people who cannot access private therapy. You can follow my posts and videos on www.facebook.com/TheThomasConnection or www.instagram.com/the_thomas_connection

Therapies & Rates

Please note the rates detailed below are there to give you an idea of the therapists standard rates, we strongly advise you contact the therapist for more detailed rates and any offers they may have.

Therapy	Appointment Type	Rate
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy	In Person	£160 per 50 minutes
Relationship Therapy	In Person	£180 per 60 minutes