What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 6pm Tuesday 9am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 8pm Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 6pm

Future-edge Therapy

Home
United Kingdom
Bedford
Future-edge Therapy

We specialise in treating trauma and PTSD using fully trained licensed therapists. I work from my office at Bedford Heights, Brickhill Road, Bedford, MK41 7PH.

My name is Bonita Ackerman du Preez and I’m your qualified Registered Mental Health Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Hypnotist, TimeLine, Rewind, NLP, FLASH EMDR, Brainspotting, Kinetic Shift, EMDR and IEMT practitioner and I offer training and coaching in Confidence and Resilience from my base in Bedford, Bedfordshire. There is plenty of free and easy to find parking. I help you make changes to your pe

rsonal and professional life quickly, giving you the power to deal with mental, emotional and psychological issues. I specialise in trauma, anxiety, stress, PTSD, NLP, Kinetic Shift, EMDR, IEMT, grief recovery & I am a trained Brainspotting Practitioner. If you are committed to change and prepared to make the effort, I am the right person to help you now. I have a friendly, deeply caring and direct approach to therapy, helping you become accountable for your new self. I have recently launched The Anxiety Recovery School for women, a safe haven for women to talk about anxiety, stress, personal and professional issues. I will be Live in the group each week teaching tangible techniques and processes to help you learn to manage and control anxiety and stress. There will be guest speaker in the closed Facebook group each month bringing huge value to you. Please download my FREE workbook - five top tips to tame your worry monster using the link below. Check your email from me to download the link and to join the Facebook group. https://www.anxietyrecoveryschool.com/tame-your-worry-monster

Or join the group directly:

https://urlgeni.us/facebook/PawTheAnxietyRecoverySchool

Why my work is unique...

I use what I call an 'Integrated Therapy System' or 'ITS" developed by using the 1380 hours of trauma recovery experience working one to one with individuals and children! Anxiety and stress management:

We all feel anxious or stressed at times. If you constantly feel burnt out, tired or unable to make decisions, you are likely to be suffering from anxiety, stress or both. Do you wake up feeling overwhelmed, tight chested, agitated or dread leaving home? Symptoms may differ from person to person, but anxiety is high because of the way we live. It’s your body’s automatic fight, flight or freeze response. Anxiety is simply a state of mind. Most of the time these anxieties and stresses may never happen, but it feels real for you. Some people may experience temporary anxiety at some point in their life. It could feel like nervousness or fear with is a perfectly normal reaction to a stressful situation. However, other people are ruled by a constant heightened feeling of constant anxiety which is completely overpowering. Can you answer yes to any of the following questions? Are you constantly tense, worried, on edge, irritable or have mood swings? Does your anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities? Do you have difficulty concentrating on tasks or making decisions? Are you plagued by fears that you know are irrational, but can’t shake? Do you believe that something bad will happen if things aren’t done a certain way? Do you avoid everyday situations or activities because they cause you anxiety? Do you experience sudden, unexpected attacks or heart-pounding panic? Do you feel like danger and catastrophe are around every corner? Do you suffer from a lack of sleep or being kept awake at night with constant negative thoughts? Do you feel exhausted even though you have slept? Do you often feel restless or suffer with sweating or nausea? Do you suffer from muscular pain and aches (not relating to exercise)? Do you have panic attacks and you cannot understand why? The effects of anxiety on the body are profound and could have serious consequences on your health and wellbeing. These could include:

Weight gain even while “dieting”
Severe headaches or migraines
Breathing problems
Rapid heart rate or palpitations
Chest pain
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea or constipation
Depression
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Muscle aches and other pains
Extreme fatigue
Increase in blood pressure
Lowered immune system

Trauma & PTSD

What is trauma or PTSD? Trauma is a response to a deeply distressing or disturbing frightening event which overwhelms the body’s natural coping mechanism, causing feelings of helplessness, diminished sense of self and the inability to feel a full range of emotions. Trauma is a normal reaction to a horrible event; however, the effects can be so severe they interfere with a person’s natural ability to live a normal life. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder which can develop after being involved in, or witnessing, traumatic events. The condition was first recognised in war veterans and has been known as 'shell shock', but it's not only diagnosed in soldiers. Trauma therapy involves using various process and techniques working directly with the subconscious mind, the amygdala - a small part of the brain responsible for our feelings, emotions and reactions, the pre-frontal cortex and the hypocampus. It is directly linked to how we act and react. A traumatic event overloads the brain's normal stress management ability and our memory of the trauma becomes fragmented and filed in the wrong area of the brain. Trauma is person specific as we all think and feel differently. What causes trauma? Catastrophic illness or injury
Childhood abuse (emotional or sexual)
War
Childhood neglect or abandonment
Rape
Domestic abuse
Natural disasters
Birth stress for both mother and infant
Invasive medical and dental procedures
Accidents such as car crashes and falls
Witnessing an act of violence

How can trauma affect you? When you experience a traumatic event, your body’s defence system – fight, flight or freeze creates a stress response, which can make you feel a variety of physical symptoms, behave differently and experience more intense emotions. When suffering trauma, the body produces a chemical reaction can lead to symptoms such as:

Raised blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Increased sweating
Reduced or loss of appetite
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Flashbacks
Unwanted feelings & thoughts
Sleeplessness
Hopelessness
Eating disorders
Nightmares
Anxiety, fears and feeling stressed
Memory loss
Headaches/migraines or muscle pain
Anger
Emotionally unstable
Uncharacteristic behaviour

Grief recovery

Grief is an overwhelming feeling of emotion that stops your body and mind functioning on a daily basis. The simplest task become unbearable. Grief affects our coping ability and overwhelms the bodies immune system increasing inflammation in the body creating health problems. The heartbreak of grief causes an increase in blood pressure and puts strain on your whole body. Grief causes the body and mind to disconnect and brings on immense feelings of loss. Overcoming grief is a step for step program that must include the body and mind reconnecting. Grief has 5 stages of recovery and an individual who is suffering from grief, must be taken through each stage carefully. Fears and Phobias

Is your phobia keeping you from doing the things you like to do? Do you recognise you have a fear or phobia, but you are uncertain of how to deal with it? Do you feel your fear is irrational, yet it’s difficult to keep control over it? Is the fear automatic and completely overwhelming or hugely over exaggerated? Understanding your fear or phobia is the first step to overcoming it. Fears and phobias could include:

Fear of flying
Fear of spiders or insects
Fear of birds
Fear of snakes
Fear of needles
Fear of clowns
Fear of public speaking
Fear of heights
Exams stress or taking exams
Fear of vomiting
Fear of the sight of blood
Fear of open spaces or buildings
Fear of heights
Fear of dogs
Fear of the dentist or doctor
Fear of the dark
Fear of motorway driving
Fear of social situations

The benefits of working with me? I help to change thinking patterns using which addresses anxiety
Feel and see change within yourself immediately
Experience deep relaxation
Have instant control and confidence during and after each session
Allow your subconscious mind to function on making the connections links it needs from the suggestions made during the session. Feel and see change within yourself immediately
Experience deep relaxation
Have control and confidence during and after your session allowing your subconscious mind to function on making the connections and links it needs to from the suggestions which were made during the session

How long will it take? Effective treatment usually takes between 3 – 9 sessions but in some cases could continue for some time. Alongside hypnosis, I use a combination of several techniques to quickly dissipate your unwanted strongest negative feelings and emotions. Once these are under control, changes happens rapidly. I work differently, using my skill set to move your mind and focus forward. For the brain to repair and reconnect it needs to set goals and see value in the future. Using these as my guidelines we work together to create your new direction quickly. Sessions are one hour long and at times it may be necessary to ask to complete additional work and exercises at home to guarantee continued success

Sessions are priced at £95 per session, however packages of 7 sessions can be purchased at a discounted rate. Book a free DISCOVERY CALL here to find out how I can help you further. Find in depth detail on my full website at www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk. Contact me for a FREE 30 min no obligation chat to see if I can help you. I would love to help. WHY NOT MEET ME ON Youtube? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJPzm5DR4E4

For a more comprehensive explanation of each technique please visit

http://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk

23/04/2026

This is what long-term stress really does to your body

Many people underestimate the impact of long-term stress on the body.
They push through and keep going. They assume that feeling tired, run-down, or constantly under pressure is just part of life.

But over time, the body starts to show signs.
Low energy. Poor sleep. Feeling worn down. Getting ill more often. Struggling to feel balanced. It is your body carrying the load of long-term stress.
When the nervous system stays in survival mode, the body spends less time repairing and restoring itself. That is why trauma recovery is not just about emotional well-being.
It is about your health.

At Future-edge Therapy, we help people move out of survival mode so their body can begin to recover properly.
If you feel like your system has been under pressure for too long, this is something you can change.
Book a discovery call with one of our specialist trauma therapists and take the first step toward feeling better again.
Contact us here: https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

21/04/2026

We discuss what long-term stress and anxiety really do to your body, including symptoms like low energy, poor sleep, and frequent illness. We explain how staying in survival mode prevents your body from repairing itself, and why trauma recovery is essential for your future health. We invite you to work with us at Future Edge Therapy to move out of survival mode and begin proper recovery.

20/04/2026

Super excited to be hosting our second Future-edge Therapy Development Day for our therapy team. Delivering outstanding trauma and PTSD therapy means we have to keep up with training and development.

16/04/2026

If your brain won’t switch off at night, this is why

Sleep is not just about routine. It is about safety.
You can have the perfect bedtime routine, reduce screen time, drink herbal tea… and still struggle to sleep. Why?
Because your brain will not fully switch off if it believes it needs to stay alert.
This is something we see often in trauma recovery work. People are exhausted, but their nervous system is still scanning, still watching, still preparing.
Sleep becomes:
• Light
• Broken
• Unrestful

This is not your fault. It’s your brain trying to protect you, but it has not yet learned that it is safe to power down.

At Future-edge Therapy, we help retrain the nervous system so your body can begin to feel safe enough to rest again.
If sleep has been a struggle for you, it’s worth understanding what’s really driving it.
You can book a discovery call with one of our therapists to talk it through.
Contact us here: https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

14/04/2026

We explore why you might feel exhausted during the day but experience racing thoughts and restlessness at night. We discuss how your nervous system stays active as a protective mechanism and explain that the issue isn't your brain refusing sleep, it's actually trying to keep you safe. We discuss how sleep requires feeling secure enough to power down, and when your nervous system believes it needs to stay alert, your brain continues to monitor the environment. We introduce how understanding and retraining your nervous system can help you feel safe again and improve your sleep quality.

09/04/2026

Your stomach might be telling you more than you think

If you struggle with bloating, discomfort, or unpredictable digestion, you’ve probably been told to look at your diet.
While food matters, it’s not always the full picture. Your digestive system is directly influenced by your nervous system.
So when your body feels stressed, pressured or unsafe, digestion can slow down or become disrupted.
That’s why you might notice:
• Symptoms getting worse during stressful periods
• Your stomach reacts to certain situations, not just food
• Digestive issues that don’t fully resolve

Your body is not being difficult; it is responding to signals.

At Future-edge Therapy, we help people understand the link between trauma, the nervous system, and physical symptoms like these because when you calm the system, the body often follows.

If you’ve been trying to “fix” your digestion without success, this could be the missing piece.
Book a discovery call and let’s explore it together.
Contact us here: https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

07/04/2026

We explore why your stomach reacts instantly when you feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed—showing up as bloating, nausea, or digestive issues. We discuss how changing your diet often doesn't fully resolve these symptoms because the real problem isn't your food, but your nervous system. We explain how the digestive system is highly sensitive to stress and how your body shifts energy away from digestion into survival mode when under pressure. We introduce how calming your nervous system can help your body return to a balanced state and resolve ongoing digestion symptoms.

02/04/2026

Feeling exhausted but unable to switch off? Read this

One of the biggest frustrations we hear from clients is this:
“I’m tired all the time… but I still can’t relax.” This isn’t a contradiction but a very important clue.
When your body has been living in a constant state of alert, it uses huge amounts of energy just staying prepared.
This leaves you feeling exhausted at the same time, your system has learned to stay switched on. So, you can’t relax.
This is why:
• Your mind keeps going
• Your body feels restless
• Small things feel overwhelming

Your system is doing exactly what it was trained to do - protect you.
The problem is, it hasn’t learned how to switch off. That’s where trauma recovery work comes in.

At Future-edge Therapy we help you retrain your nervous system so your body no longer feels like it has to stay “on” all the time. If you’re stuck in this cycle, it can change.
Book a discovery call with one of our therapists and we’ll help you understand what’s really going on.
Contact us here: https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

31/03/2026

We discuss why many people living with trauma feel completely drained yet unable to relax, experiencing racing thoughts and a restless body simultaneously. We explain how unresolved trauma keeps your nervous system in a constant state of alert, draining your energy and creating a frustrating cycle of feeling both wired and exhausted. We share how Future Edge Therapy helps break this cycle by working directly with your nervous system, helping you understand your triggers and patterns, and guiding your body out of that constant state of alert.

27/03/2026

When your body won’t relax, it’s not random.

Most people think relaxation is a choice. They believe if they just try harder, slow down, or calm themselves, their body should follow.
But if you’ve ever sat in a quiet room and still felt tense, on edge or unable to fully relax, you’ll know it doesn’t work like that. This is because your nervous system does not respond to logic. It responds to what it has learned.
If your body has learned that the world is unpredictable, overwhelming or unsafe at some point in your life, it will stay in a protective state.
That means:
• Your muscles stay slightly tense
• Your breathing stays shallow
• Your brain keeps scanning for problems
This happens even when nothing is wrong. You may feel this is a mindset issue, it’s not.
It is a nervous system pattern and patterns can be changed.
At Future-edge Therapy we help you understand what your body has learned and how to retrain it so you can finally experience what real calm feels like again.
If this resonates, you can book a discovery call with one of our specialist trauma therapists and start understanding your next steps.
Contact us here: https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

25/03/2026

We discuss why many people experience constant tension and alertness in their bodies even when life is calm and safe. We explain how trauma shapes the nervous system to stay in protection mode, and how this becomes exhausting over time. We introduce how nervous system retraining at Future Edge Therapy can help your body learn to feel safe again, rather than forcing relaxation.

02/03/2026

Why teenage boys are struggling and how parents can help

Across the UK, 2.5 million children are growing up without a father figure. In a recent Sky News report by Jason Farrell, one teenage boy described feeling abandoned and questioning whether he was enough when his father left. That quiet self-doubt is something many boys are carrying today.

The wider picture is concerning. Boys are falling behind at school, more young men are out of education and employment, and they make up the overwhelming majority of the youth prison population. At the same time, family structures have changed, community youth spaces have declined, and social media has become a dominant influence in shaping identity. When strong, steady role models are missing, boys look elsewhere for guidance and belonging.

That is why figures with extreme or misogynistic views gain traction. They offer certainty, strength and a sense of belonging. For boys who feel unsure of their place in the world, that can feel powerful. But if masculinity is shaped by anger, dominance and disrespect, we risk raising young men who suppress emotion and struggle to build healthy relationships.

Our boys do not need louder voices. They need stronger leadership. They need adults who model respect, responsibility and emotional regulation. They need spaces where they can talk about anger, rejection, identity and belonging without shame. They need consistent boundaries and emotional safety at home, even when family life has changed.

At Future-Edge Therapy, our dedicated Child and Family Trauma Therapy Programme focuses on exactly that. We do not just work with the child in isolation. We support the parent and the wider family system, because teenagers grow within relationships. Our specialist child and family therapist works closely with families to strengthen communication, rebuild trust and provide clear, steady leadership. We help boys develop resilience, self-respect and healthier beliefs about relationships before harmful narratives take hold.

Raising teenage boys in today’s world can feel overwhelming, especially for single parents or families navigating separation, absence or breakdown. You do not have to manage that alone. If you would like support for your child and your family, we are here to help.

You can contact us through the Future-Edge Therapy website by completing the contact form, and a member of our team will be in touch.
https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/contact/

Address

Bedford
MK417PH

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 8pm
Thursday	9am - 7pm
Friday	9am - 6pm

Telephone

+447970011235

Website

https://www.future-edgetherapy.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Future-edge Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Bedford?