Tracy Avis and Associates
Hello and welcome to my pages where I’ve put together some more information for your consideration. I've tried to give an idea about the way I work and what to expect if you decide to start therapy with me, and also introduce you to the Associates I work with.
I have been lucky enough to have either trained with, supervised or worked alongside all 3 Associates on my pages, and over the years that I have known them, I have been able to get a clear idea of the way they work and what their special interests and areas of expertise are.
My wish is that the information provided will give you reassurance that when you contact me I will either be able to offer you an initial assessment myself or signpost you, with confidence, to one of my colleagues.
About me
I am an experienced and accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and have been working in mental health services (NHS and private practice) for over 20 years. If you are struggling with emotional, behavioural or relationship difficulties, I can offer compassionate and collaborative treatment to help you resolve problems and increase your sense of wellbeing. There are many different ways to address psychological issues, and I will work with you to find the approach, or combination of approaches, that suits you.
I encourage your active involvement at every stage of treatment, and I will provide a safe and supportive environment within which you can take on both the challenges and rewards of therapy.
As no two people are the same, I will work with you to develop an approach to treatment that is tailored to your needs and concerns. I am trained to use a variety of models and approaches, and we will talk about which way of working is most likely to help and suit you best. One of the most important components of therapy, regardless of theoretical basis and specific techniques, is a safe relationship with a therapist by whom you feel heard and understood.
I work with adults (18 years and onwards) - both individuals and couples, and can work with other family members if this would be beneficial.
What can I help with?
What can I help with?
- Depression and low mood
- All forms of Anxiety problems, stress and worry
- Panic
- Pre- and postnatal depression and anxiety
- Menopause/perimenopause anxiety and depression
- Trauma related to early experiences
- Post-traumatic stress
- Grief, loss and bereavement
- Emotional regulation problems
- Adjustment difficulties and challenging life transitions
- Low self esteem and self-confidence
- Relationship problems - both with individuals who are having problems within their various relationships with friends, family or significant others, or directly with couples who wish to explore difficulties within their relationship.
Who do I work with?
My work is with adults (18 years and up). I work with individuals and couples and can work with other family members if this is indicated.
If you are - or are looking on behalf of - a young adult under the age of 18, I work with a number of child and adolescent therapists who I would be able to recommend.
How do I work?
How do I work?
My academic background is in Applied Psychology and psychological research. I also trained as an Occupational Therapist in mental health and then completed post graduate training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). I am a fully accredited member of British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP). CBT is my primary therapeutic model - it has a robust evidence base, is very accessible, intuitive and practical type of psychological therapy. In addition to CBT I have completed further training in Schema Therapy (ST) a cognitive approach that evolved from CBT and I am a member of the International Society of Schema Therapy (ISST).
To ensure that I keep up to date I continue to complete professional training to maintain and expand my therapeutic approach. Recently I have attended training in Compassion and Emotion Focused Therapy and Body focused Therapy. All of the above have enabled me to use a range of approaches that I will work with flexibly and responsibly, drawing on different models according to your needs and preferences. All of these theories and techniques are only effective in the context of a strong therapeutic partnership.
In order to maintain the highest quality and standards, I undertake regular clinical supervision, continuing professional development and training. I adhere to the professional codes of ethics and conduct set out by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists and Health and Care Professions Council. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and my practice is fully compliant with GDPR legislation.
Associates
I am working with my colleague, Claire Vickers, who is based in Oxford offering therapy at a clinic in Summertown and/or she offers virtual sessions. I am delighted to be able to refer clients to Claire. Claire has worked with me in a supervisory relationship for over 3 years and graduated from Goldsmiths College with a distinction in her Masters qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in 2020 when she became an OTT Associate. Please see Claire’s profile for further information regarding her therapeutic approach and previous experience by clicking on her name.
Until recently, Kasia Jablonska has been on placement at Oxford Talking Therapies and I have been supervising her caseload whilst she completes her advanced clinical training in CBT. We have worked closely for 2 years and Kasia has been providing outstanding treatment for clients at Ptolemy House as well as virtual therapy. I am very pleased that Kasia will be joining me at Oxford Talking Therapies as an Associate, continuing to hold face to face clinics at Ptolemy House as well as virtual clinics.
Should you be interested in finding out more about Kasia, click on her name for further information regarding her approach and previous experience.
Recently, Oxford Talking Therapies have been lucky enough to engage Dan White as an Associate. I have known Dan as a colleague and friend for over 10 years and we have worked together as Teaching Supervisors on the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre training courses. Dan is an outstanding trainer, supervisor and clinician and will be providing face to face therapy at Ptolemy House as well as virtually, from November 2022. Please see Dan’s profile for some further information on his approach and experience by clicking on his name.
Placement and work experience for therapists in further training
Placement and work experience for therapists in further training
I work with therapists undertaking further training and provide them with a supervised caseload for their placement. If you are interested, please contact me via the contact page to see if this option is available and to discuss suitability etc.
Supervision for therapists in training
Supervision for therapists in training
I provide supervision to those undertaking various levels of training in CBT from certificate to Phd level as well as for Cognitive therapists working privately or in the NHS. I offer clinical supervision in my private practice as well as working as an Associate at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre training course as a teaching supervisor.
What to expect when you are thinking about therapy
What to expect when you are thinking about therapy
Most people refer themselves but I am very happy to accept referrals from GPs and other healthcare professionals.
The first appointment is primarily an information-gathering session. I will ask you about what has brought you to see me, how you make sense of it, and what you might wish to change. We will talk about how therapy could be able to help, and whether it feels like the right time for you to be embarking on this process. This first meeting is also an opportunity for you to begin to get to know me and to get a sense of what it might be like to be in therapy. There is no obligation to commit to any further sessions at this stage.
Therapy works best when there is a commitment to attending regular sessions. If you decide you would like to go ahead with treatment, we will talk about how often it makes sense to meet. We will review regularly to check that you are finding therapy helpful.
The clinical space
The clinical space
As you can see from the location page, our head office is in Wallingford. There are 4 clinical rooms in this building and you are likely to see myself or my Associates Kasia and Dan on the first floor in either room 1 or 2. Both rooms are comfortable, calm and quiet and provide a peaceful atmosphere for the work of therapy. There is a separate waiting area in the building.
Claire offers face to face appointments from The Practice Rooms in Summertown, Oxford. www.thepracticerooms.co.uk
All of us offer on-line therapy for those who would prefer to use this method, just mention this when you are making your enquiry.
Appointments, Fees and Medical Insurance
How to make an appointment with myself and my associates:
In the first instance email me with a few brief details at the address below and I will reply to let you know about our availability and send you some further information. If you have a preference for a therapist, please let me know.
Email
Phone 07792524591 (usually an answerphone where you can leave a message for me to call you back)
Following receipt of your message, I will try to respond to your enquiry within 2 working days and either contact you by email or phone for more information if this is needed. If you are seeing me I will send some possible dates for a first meeting or if you are seeing either Kasia, Claire or Dan, they will contact you directly to arrange the same. Prior to your appointment, we will send you an email confirmation of the appointment with an attached copy of the client agreement, a registration form, and some brief questionnaires for you to complete and bring with you to the first session.
Fees
Tracy and Dan charge £110 for a standard 50 minute session for individuals.
Whilst waiting for full BABCP accreditation, Kasia and Claire’s fee is £100.
When therapists are on placement and can be considered ‘in training’ we are able to offer their service at aa reduced fee of £65.
Couples and family groups generally need a 90 minute session and these are charged at £165.
Any liaison with outside agencies or report writing etc - that requires more than a few minutes - will be charged pro-rata.
Insurance
If you are planning to fund your therapy via medical insurance, please let me know when you make contact to see who is registered with whom. Currently Kasia and Claire do not work with any insurance companies and I am limiting my remit to AVIVA, but would consider registering with individual insurers in certain circumstances. Dan is registered with several insurance services.
