JoANNA Lynam

BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT)

Pro-nouns - She/Her

I have over 25 years’ experience of working with individuals with mental health difficulties within NHS settings and the private sector. I originally trained as a mental health nurse and specialised in working in the field of Addictions for 15 years before undertaking a BSc degree and a Postgraduate Diploma to retrain as a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. As part of my training I gained experience of working at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma at the Maudsley Hospital which specialises in treating Complex trauma.

I have worked within an IAPT service as a CBT Therapist for the past 14 years and have experience of working with all anxiety disorders and depression. I specialised in working with Birth Trauma and have a particular interest in working with Peri/Postnatal women.  

As part of my professional development I have undertaken further training in Schema and Compassion-focused therapy, amongst other third-wave approaches.

I have a particular interest in working on a deeper level with people to help them develop their understanding of how past experiences have shaped their sense of identity and self-esteem and how this is reflected in recurring cognitive processes and behaviour patterns. Developing a deeper understanding of the core beliefs and schemas that underpin how we think and feel in the present can help facilitate lasting, positive change. I integrate compassion-focused techniques into my practice to help promote a kinder and healthier way of relating to oneself and healing past trauma.

 

Jo’s areas of specialism include:

  • Addictions (including Pornography / Sex, Substance, Gaming, Gambling)

  • Eating Disorders - Anorexia & Bulimia

  • Eating Disorders - Over Eating & Weight Loss

  • Emotional Regulation

  • Depression - Low Mood

  • Depression - Major

  • Pregnancy, Prenatal, Postpartum

  • Birth Trauma and Post natal depression

  • Depression

  • Low Self-esteem

  • Trauma (Birth trauma and CSA),

  • Developmental Trauma

  • Anxiety

  • Anxiety - Stress

  • Anxiety - Generalised (GAD)

  • Anxiety - Health

  • Anxiety - Performance

  • Anxiety - Separation

  • Anxiety - Fears of abandonment

  • Anxiety - Social

  • Anxiety - Phobias (including tokophobia)

  • Emetophobia (Specific Fear of Vomit)

  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Body Image Problems

  • Menopause

  • Perfectionism

  • Trauma - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Trauma - Complex PTSD

  • Trauma - Road Traffic Accidents

Jo’s also had experience working with the following problem areas:

  • AHHD

  • Anxiety - Agoraphobia

  • Anxiety - Death

  • Anxiety - Panic / Panic Attacks

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  • Alexithymia - difficulty identifying/ expressing  emotions

  • Bi-Polar Disorder

  • Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder

  • Self Harm

  • Family Issues - Adoption

  • Family Issues - Blended families

  • Family Issues - Conflict

  • Parenting Issues

  • Carer Problems

  • Grief / Bereavement / Loss

  • Miscarriage

  • Loneliness

  • Personality Disorders

  • Problem with telling lies

  • Pain management

  • Health conditions - Acute / Long Term

  • Health Condition - Cancer

  • Procrastination

  • Skin/Hair picking (tricotillomania / dermatillomania)

  • Sleep - Problems

  • Sleep - Insomnia

  • Tinnitus

  • Relationship - Attachment issues

  • Relationship - Codependency

  • Relationship - Communication difficulties

  • Relationship - Doubt in relationship

  • Relationship - Infidelity, affairs & betrayals

  • Relationship - Intimacy

  • Relationship - Separation & Divorce

  • Life transitions

  • Work - General Problems

  • Work - Bullying

  • Work - Redundancy

  • Work - Stress

  • Long COVID

  • Anger

  • Menstrual Health

  • Trauma - Childhood Trauma

  • Trauma - Dissasociation

  • Trauma - Rape / sexual assalt

  • Trauma - Childhood sexual abuse

Therapy models & approaches Jo can use in her practice:

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

  • BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist

  • Exposure Response Prevention (ERP)    

  • Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

  • Schema

  • Inter Personal Psychotherapy (IPT)

  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Mindfulness

  • Schema Therapy

  • Solution Focused Therapy

  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Jo Works With

  • Adults (19-65 Years)

  • Elderly (65+ Years)

Feedback from Jo’s clients

Jo has transformed my understanding of depression.

"I can highly recommend Jo Lynam as a therapist and CBT specialist to anyone struggling with depression. I have suffered as long as I can remember and always felt it difficult to trust that someone understands my issues. Her expertise along with her friendly and compassionate approach have been invaluable and have helped me to understand the problems I have been facing for so many years in day to day life. Jo is really easy to open up to without making you ever feel self conscious, always being supportive. I always looked forward to my sessions.

Jo has been able to build my confidence in helping myself to cope, through providing and teaching me practical strategies and tools to manage my mood and feelings so much better. These were not something I was equipped with after my counselling. She has enabled me to understand how the brain works a lot better and why I feel the way I do, meaning I don't feel so isolated and alone. I now feel more empowered and capable of challenging negative thoughts and patterns of behaviour. I have some healthy coping mechanisms to turn to, which although challenging are becoming easier to use over time. 

I feel that since starting my therapy with Jo I have found somebody who listens, understands and helps in a way that is realistic and manageable, building my low confidence in myself and overall improving my well being. I really feel that Jo has proved to be everything I need to help me believe in myself and give myself some much needed self worth. It's work in progress but I now feel much more positive about my future than I have in so many years." Annonymous

Jo helped me regain control over my health anxiety and trauma.

“I worked with Joanna under the NHS and I am incredibly grateful for her support. I have had a few different therapists in the past but none who I have clicked with as well as Jo. I first saw Jo when I was feeling incredibly anxious about my health after having long covid for around 8 months at that point, as well as having a chronic bladder infection. I felt very low and out of control with my health conditions. Jo provided a space for me to talk openly about my fears and together we worked to find strategies on how to think about them in a way which didn’t dictate and control my life. Once I felt more in control we were also able to address past trauma from a previous relationship. I’ve finished therapy now and feel in a much better place mentally and more confident I can deal with whatever comes up with my physical health.” Anonymous

Jo's support has been a lifeline after trauma.

“I wanted to write and thank you so much for your help over the last months.

As you know, I felt in a terrible way following trauma after my son’s birth, and I am so relieved to feel ok. I know I still have work to do and miss the safety net of our sessions!

You are knowledgeable and remained compassionate and tuned into me and made me felt heard and understood as well as offering useful advice.  

Even on the days when things are difficult, there is no comparison to how I felt before.

Thanks so much” Katie

Jo’s Qualifications

  • Postgraduate Nursing Diploma in Mental Health

  • Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapies

  • BABCP Accreditation

 

Follow us:

 
Cart (0)