About Therapist: in a Nutshell
My name is Ania Halls and I am a psychotherapist and a psychologist. I offer confidential therapy for adults experiencing stress, anxiety, depression and trauma, based on the latest research in the field. I work online with individuals across the UK and Europe.
I am also a fully accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (CBT), which means that I am registered with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP). BABCP is the only organisation in Britain which recognises CBT therapists who meet pre-set requirements of training and commit to continuous professional development. Please feel free to check my accreditation status by visiting the BABCP website.
I am also a fully trained and accredited EMDR practitioner (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy) and I have completed 2 levels of the official Internal Family Systems Therapy training as well as Brainspotting (Phase 1, 2 , 3 & 4).
Please read on if you would like to find out more about my training and experience.
A bit more about me
My psychotherapy journey began in 2001 with a BSc in Psychology and an MSc in Psychological Approaches to Health at The University of Leeds. After my studies, I moved to London to complete a post graduate diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBT) at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College. After completing my training in London, I worked in various clinical roles at the NHS - including senior cognitive behavioural therapist, clinical supervisor, service manager, and a clinical service lead in two large psychology services in York and London. During this time, I had the privilege of working alongside, and being supervised by world-renowned psychologists at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT). During my NHS time, I accumulated over 5,000 clinical hours of treatment. I also contributed towards the continuous development of other therapists by teaching and providing clinical supervision to therapists, trainees and clinical psychologists.
In 2015 I decided to step away from management roles and to concentrate fully on clinical work through private practice. I also began expanding my training by exploring new promising therapies such as Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Brainspotting and work by Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing. I became inspired by new developments in neuroscience and how these explained trauma and various psychological phenomena.
In 2020, as the pandemic hit, I shifted my practice to working online. Like many, I was sceptical about working this way, yet I was pleasantly surprised to find that none of the therapeutic value seemed to be lost, yet much was gained in terms of patient convenience and accessibility.
In my private time I am a mum to an energetic 5 year old. When I get time for myself I enjoy writing, hiking the British national parks and swimming in the sea. I also practice what I teach to my clients, by regularly engaging in meditation and personal development, as well as living in accordance to my own core values.