About Me

40 years clinical experience
Compassionate committed therapist
Chartered Psycholgist, Accredited Psychotherapist
Appointed fellow of BABCP for a 'significant contribution to the development of CBT and BABCP'
Advanced CBT and REBT practitioner
Consultant to the NHS, Police Forces and expert witness
Trainer and supervisor for future generations of clinicians
Expert in addressing depression, anxiety, panic disorders, OCD, trauma, complex mental health issues, relationship disharmony as well life progression/barriers
Published author of 'Strategies For Thriving,' 'Perfectionism - How We Live Today', and IBS - Learning about and Controlling IBS. [See publications and Posts below].

Dr. David Baker PhD, MSc(Lond),BA(Hons),DMS,PG. Clin. Supervision,C.Psychol,MAREBT.Accredited BABCP CBT Therapist. Senior Accredited Therapist AREBT. Chartered Psychologist BPS.

Humans are happiest when they establish important life goals and purposes and actively strive towards them. Anon.

Approach

“I have an aversion to using the term patients – which is for sick people, or clients, who are those seeking the service of a solicitor or an accountant. Therapees are those who like all of us become troubled, from time to time, by the problems of modern living.” This reflects the ideas of Dr Albert Ellis who wrote that of the 6 billion people in the world perhaps 5% suffer with some form of psychosis and need multi- discipline care. The rest of the 95%, he declared, are just nice neurotics!

Successful outcomes in CBT requires a fully committed therapist and a therapee who wishes to change and actually undertakes the work negotiated in the therapy sessions. Dr David Baker

Recommendations

My teenage son worked with David and he has become a different person; constructive, content and looking forward to the future
David was able to quickly establish the core of the issue and support me in moving forward from a difficult relationship
I have worked with David on two occassions - his never ending committment was central to improving the anxiety and panic disorders I experienced

Like Jung’s ‘pebble on the beach’ each therapee is uniquely special and must be treated as such. Whilst there are some general rules with which all humans disturb themselves, the committed therapist is hardly likely to succeed unless he or she summons up all their committed attention and knowledge to understand the therapee’s complexity and uniqueness. R.D.

Laing and D. Baker

Expertise

FACE TO FACE OR ON-LINE THERAPY

Most times I can see you for a first appointment within 24 hours.

I hate shoe-horning therapees’ problems into categories, as if you come with an anxiety problem and that defines you. However, it’s the traditional way of presenting things so here is a list of psychological and life issues I can help you with. It’s not exhaustive, so please remember if you are in trouble just ‘phone, whether you fit into the list or not.

Treatment and Specialisation Areas

Addictions - Adult Mental Health Care - Alcohol & Substance Misuse Anger Issues - Anxiety/Panic - Behavioural Problems - Bereavement Bipolar Disorder - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/M.E.

Chronic Pain/Pain Management - Depression

Eating Disorders and Weight Problems - Gender Issues/Sexual Identity - Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Medical Problems

Obsessive Compulsive Disorders - Occupational Issues

Personality Disorders - Phobias - Physical Health Problems - PTSD

Relationships - Self Esteem - Self Harm - Sexual Abuse

Sexual Health Issues - Sleep Disorders

Somatoform Disorders/Hypochondriasis - Stress Management - Trauma

RELATIONSHIPS

The cost of a failed relationship in terms of stress and other emotional disturbance is often incalculable. I practice a very active/directive form of CBT for relationship distress and disturbance, with often rewarding results.

Services

SUPERVISION

I’ve been supervising now for many years and

was awarded one of the first post -graduate diplomas in clinical supervision. Supervision is not just a re-accreditation requirement or just about case management, it should be a total package of support for you the supervisee.

As an ex-director of BABCP, retired Chair of AREBT, founder of the BABCP IPSIG I retain a great deal of experience which I can share with supervisees. I currently supervise MSc CBT (High Intensity Training) students, as an external supervisor at a number of universities.

MEDICAL-LEGAL REPORTING

I have been providing reports as an ‘expert witness’ for many different organizations for a considerable number of years. In my work as a clinician and in other occupations I have actually been involved in traumatic events as they have happened, managing my own reactions to the trauma, and in helping others manage their own reactions too.