Bev specialises in trauma (including PTSD and complex PTSD), anxiety disorders (such as health anxiety, social anxiety, panic, GAD and phobias), OCD, and depression. She also has extensive experience supporting clients with low self-esteem, perfectionism, grief and loss, sleep problems, perinatal mental health, and life transitions. If you're unsure whether your difficulties fall within her areas of expertise, the free 15-minute consultation is a good place to ask.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a psychological approach based on scientific principles which research has shown to be effective for a wide range of problems. 

CBT involves the client and therapist working together to identify and understand problems in terms of the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour. The cognitive component in CBT refers to how people think about and create meaning about situations, symptoms and events in their lives and develop beliefs about themselves, others and the world. It uses techniques to help people become more aware of how they reason, and the kinds of automatic thought that spring to mind and give meaning to things. 

The behavioural component in CBT refers to the way in which people respond when distressed. Responses such as avoidance, reduced activity and unhelpful behaviours can act to keep the problems going or worsen how the person feels. The aim of CBT to help a person feel safe enough to gradually test out their assumptions and fears and change their behaviours. For example, this might include helping people to gradually face feared or avoided situations as a means to reducing anxiety and learning new behavioural skills to tackle problems. 

Importantly the aim of CBT is to directly target distressing symptoms, reduce distress, re-evaluate thinking and promote helpful behavioural responses by offering problem-focused skills-based treatment interventions. The focus of CBT is usually on problems in the here and now, although it recognizes the importance of causes of distress or symptoms in the past. It relies on a shared model of understanding, using a psycho-educational approach, working towards a client’s own therapy goals.

The focus in CBT is in specific psychological and practical skills aimed at enabling the client to generate solutions to their problems that are more helpful than their present ways of coping. CBT involves the client using the time between therapy sessions to try things out, record information and bring this feedback to the next session. Outcome of interventions are continually monitored, evaluated and modified where required to gain the maximum effect. The approaches can be used to help anyone irrespective of ability, culture, race, gender or sexual preference.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) helps you understand the link between your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and gradually change patterns that keep difficulties going. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a structured therapy specifically developed for trauma, which helps the brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer feel as raw or intrusive.

Bev is trained in both. After an initial assessment she'll recommend the approach (or combination) most likely to help with what you're bringing to therapy. For some clients that's pure CBT, for others EMDR, and for many it's a blended approach - particularly where anxiety and past trauma overlap.

It depends on what you're working on. As a rough guide:

• Specific phobias or focused anxiety problems: often 6-12 sessions

• OCD, panic, health anxiety, social anxiety: typically 12-20 sessions

• PTSD from a single event: often 8-12 sessions of EMDR or trauma-focused CBT

• Complex PTSD or childhood trauma: usually longer-term, with regular reviews

Bev will give you a clearer estimate after your initial assessment and review progress with you throughout.

The first session is an assessment. Bev will ask about what's brought you to therapy, what you'd like to be different, and some background about your life and health. There's no pressure to share more than feels comfortable. By the end of the session you'll usually have a shared sense of what to focus on and an outline of how therapy might proceed.

Yes. There's now strong research evidence that online CBT and EMDR produce outcomes comparable to in-person therapy for most common difficulties, including anxiety, depression, OCD and PTSD. Many clients find online sessions easier to fit around work and family, and feel more able to open up from the comfort of their own home.

Yes. EMDR is routinely delivered online and Bev is experienced in adapting the bilateral stimulation techniques for video sessions. Most clients find it works just as well as in-person EMDR.

Yes - complex trauma (sometimes called complex PTSD) is one of Bev's specialist areas. Work in this area is usually paced carefully, starting with building stability and coping skills before moving into trauma processing. Bev's calm, compassionate approach is particularly suited to clients who've found trauma work daunting in the past.

Clients consistently describe Bev as calm, warm and non-judgemental. Her style is collaborative rather than directive - she works with you to make sense of what's going on, rather than telling you what to think or do. You can read what previous clients have said in the testimonials section above.

Yes. Bev works with adolescents from age 16, as well as adults and older adults (65+). For under-16s, please get in touch and the MTO team can suggest a therapist who specialises in younger clients.

Click "Start therapy with Bev" at the top of this page. You'll be asked a few short questions so the MTO team can confirm she's the right fit, and then you'll be offered a free 15-minute introductory consultation. There's no obligation to continue after the consultation - it's a chance for both of you to check the fit before committing.

Important - Add “Bev Stroh” in the “preferred therapist” section.

The MTO team will help you find an alternative therapist from our network of many practitioners. There are no waiting lists, and a qualified therapist on the team personally reviews every request to make sure you're matched with someone suited to your needs.