Anxiety & Trauma, Christoper Semmens, Clinical Psychologist - West Perth

A trauma-informed orientation; a philosophical change emphasis; & a skills based learning agenda. Click the Facebook icon below (which is above the map, on the left), for details of how I practice clinical psychology. 

A trauma-informed orientation - a consideration of the role that unresolved life issues, if they exist (most of us have them, to a greater or lesser degree), in the maintenance of the actual psychological problems we want fixed.

In essence the trauma-informed practice orientation to clinical psychology approaches the task of assisting a client with the question: “What has happened to you?” as opposed to the conventional medical model characterised by the question: “What is wrong with you?”

A philosophical change emphasis in clinical psychology is consistent with working towards a bottom line of “having a good life” while operating with the full realisation of the realities of an imperfect world populated by fallible human beings that necessitates the unavoidable and inevitable experiencing of frustration and adversity (to a greater or lesser degree.)

A skills based learning agenda, which includes assisting clients to be optimally equipped with knowledge and understanding about the psychology of emotional management and the ability to implement strategies consistent with limiting or eliminating the interfering effects of the problems we want changed. 

I conduct a private practice in clinical psychology focusing on anxiety disorders; traumatic stress; PTSD; chronic pain management; and general emotional management amongst other concerns (e.g. non-specific infertility; weight management; smoking cessation; and psychosomatic issues - including cardio and gastrointestinal). 

I have considerable success in applying evidence informed clinical hypnosis approaches to irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and Virtual Gastric Banding hypnosis approaches to weight loss. In addition to these hypnosis approaches to these disorders, close attention is paid to any unresolved life issues of trauma, disruption and loss - and childhood parenting experiences - that can often be implicated with these gastrointestinal disorders.

The clinical psychology techniques that I routinely utilise are: REBT (rational emotive behaviour therapy); TFT (thought field therapy); hypnotherapy; and general CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy.) I have been conducting very well received training courses both in REBT (since 1991) and TFT (since 1998.)

TFT is the original form of many variations which have really only re-arranged the original discoveries of Dr Roger Callahan who originated TFT in 1979 and has continued to elaborate it. The re-arranged variations include EFT (emotional freedom technique) and practices covered by the generic term simply "tapping."