Kim Traicos Counselling & Supervision

21/10/2024

As a Psychologists we are trained in the ‘Third Wave’ psychological therapies- mindfulness, DBT (dialectical behavioural therapy) ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) amongst others. Many of which invite the idea of non judgement. How do you do this when your moments are filled with physical pain? How do you do this when your moments are filled with emotional anguish? There is no magic answer - even from me. You do the work and you keep trying. You keep meeting the pain and you keep practicing. You may not cure the pain but you accept it and you try to stop fighting it as you try to meet it and simply try to stop judging it. These exercises are meant to help you cope and help you find a world where you can find a life where you can find fulfilment and joy again.

23/01/2024

A 2009 article I wrote for the Your Family magazine was republished online in 2021 I see. Many others were also republished on News24 in South Africa I see which is satisfying as I gather my portfolio of published articles.

Awhile ago I had flu. So instead of cooking a healthy lunch for my children after school, I picked up a couple of pies and shoved my delighted daughters in front of the TV. For the rest of the afternoon I felt horribly guilty, lying in snotty misery

10/12/2023

Here is the link to the video on YouTube https://youtu.be/9uE04Blfd-Q?si=AnhQBGPep4sF5uNQ

04/12/2023

I have three daughters who are now young adults. As my girls were growing up we would do this thing where I would shout ‘Random Dance Party’ at unpredictable times of the day and put on loud music (normally JUMP AROUND by House of Pain) and we would all dance around like maniacs. I never really knew why I did it, fast forward to now and I’m reading around neurotransmitters (‘The Molecule of More’ by Daniel Lieberman and Michael Long) and listening to podcasts by lately and the penny dropped. This is the role of Dopamine. The lovely little hormone is released and is pleasurable but the behaviour that stimulates must be intense and novel – which allows the brain to access logical cognition in the prefrontal cortex and so dancing is exactly that! So dance the day away or at least incorporate a Random Dance Party In your day!

23/11/2023

I’m writing this with the creeping discomfort that I am being a bit of a hypocrite, as this week I have done sod all exercise. But doesn’t mean I can’t share information and really believe in it’s value.
Actually, I don’t have to ‘believe’ it, it has been scientifically proven that exercise does impact positively on mental health.
This isn’t just a zen glorified idea of gentle stretches, while you mindfully meditate. But of pushing your body intentionally.
Sweating and working out aerobically have been shown in studies to improve your mental health by regulating the neurotransmitters: norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline), serotonin and dopamine, as well as releasing endorphins, which are more publicised.
So get out your trainers and get moving to benefit your neurotransmitters in your brain, as well as give yourself a boost, body and health wise. Now that I’ve posted this, I know I have to!

20/11/2023

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming. The name comes from the bilateral eye movements clients are encouraged to do during this therapy. Although sometimes we do use other types of bilateral movements but essentially the idea is stimulating the different sides of the brain while a therapist trained in EMDR carefully guides the client through processing distressing memories and emotions.
So we can understand it as a type of brain therapy technique that is aimed at desensitising distressing memories and allowing these to be comfortably accessed by the brain. In doing so the client feels much relief of current symptoms. It appears to work faster than other more typical ‘talk therapies’.
Historically EMDR focussed on trauma and the relief of PTSD, however EMDR is now being used for anxiety, depression and a wide array of mental health difficulties. Here in England it is approved by NICE as an evidence based therapy showing positive scientific research results.
I am registered with the EMDR Association UK, which is a part of EMDR Europe and I encourage clients to look at their website to see the amazing therapy at work.

13/11/2023

I originally wrote this a few years ago but it remains as relevant today as it was then.

Why do we disregard the
advice to breathe So easily? | fell into that trap too. Scoffing that it sounded like new age nonsense. But then the research. Breathing really is the mechanism by which we stay alive. When we get stressed or anxious our breathing rate increases and we can breathe shallower or start to hyperventilate and trigger the panic response. The autonomic nervous system can pick up on this and the
cycle of anxiety continues. There are so many breathing exercises out there now! All with different counts and different descriptions- it's
important to find one that works for you. You don't have to sit in the lotus position, listen to zen music and burn insense (unless you want too). For me personally - I can stop anywhere, push my feet into the ground (sitting or standing) - which I find helps convince my autonomic nervous system that I'm safe and I put one hand on my chest and the other in my belly and breathe in through my nose and then push the air out rather forcefully from my mouth. I don't count because I found that distracting, but friends and clients have tried various counts and methods eg breath in for 4 hold 4 and out 4 (which is box breathing). In for 4 hold 7 and out 8. - it all depends onyou, after all it's your breath. Small children like to imagine a balloon in their bellies, blowing up with each inhale, this really helps diaphragmatic beathing. Either way regulating your breathing really works by regulating your emotions, your autonomic system and stress hormones.

10/11/2023

Welcome back to my professional page for my psychology practice.
Thank you to the followers who stuck with me (even if you didn’t realise you were still following this page) while I was so unwell last year and this year. I am doing much better and so happy to be working again and focusing my energy on my practice.
If you are new here below is a bit more information about me to kick this page off before I get going posting all the stuff I really want to post. You will soon hear from my accent that I was raised in South Africa but am originally German. So I grew up as something interesting called a ‘third culture kid’. Even more complicated I emigrated to the UK (so more about third or more cultures and social identities later!)

I trained as a Counselling Psychologist in the late 1990s.
I have particular clinical interests in trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic pain and illness. I myself experience a facial nerve pain condition (which is why I worked so little last year and early this year) and helps me understand the lived experience of clients.

As a counselling psychologist I delve into a variety of treatment modalities on a foundation of Person Centred Therapy. I use DBT, ACT and EMDR. I am a registered member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). I’m on the register with the The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Practitioner Counselling Psychologist. I’m a Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of EMDR UK (Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy) which is a part of EMDR Europe.

Keep watching this page for all sort of things mental health related!