Testimonials
“Rachel was extremely friendly and approachable from the start, along with maintaining her professional position. It is testimony that my son was happy to return to talk to her each week when talking to new people about his anxiety issues was not an easy thing. When he began seeing Rachel, the thought of going to school caused huge anxiety and negative emotions, when he finished his sessions along with a few other changes, his attendance was above 80% and he was just generally happier and more positive about life.
Rachel listened and was very perceptive when talking to my son. She offered a range of strategies using CBT and EMDR that he could use to help him when needed and he found them easy to use independently and extremely helpful. We also really liked her session structure of; review of feelings and how the week had gone, child 1-1 session and then post session including the parent. This also made having to switch to Zoom sessions an extremely smooth process. We would definitely recommend Rachel to others.”
— Parent. 12 Year Old Boy
“We have been extremely pleased with the amazing therapy our daughter has received. Over the year she has made an enormous improvement in her mental health. We can highly recommend Dr Rachel Sweetingham.”
— Parent. 18 Year Old Girl
“My daughter found it very easy to relate to Rachel. She appreciated the fact that Rachel was non-judgemental and friendly. Rachel’s cosy, welcoming clinic is based in her own home, and this comfortable environment helped my daughter to relax and feel able to talk to Rachel about her deepest worries and concerns. We learnt that a variety of mental health problems can be present at the same time and therefore overlap. Rachel’s treatment was flexible and was adjusted as we went along to accommodate for this which meant that the experience was really bespoke and tailored exactly to meet my daughter’s needs. In our particular case, the treatment consisted of a combination of a therapy called EMDR (Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing) and CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy).
As a parent, I found it useful to have the option to be included at the beginning of each session and to have the opportunity to explain the situation from my perspective as well. It was re-assuring to be part of the session as I then knew how best I could help and support my daughter in between appointments. Both my daughter and I found that the regular reviews as to how the treatment was going was helpful when assessing progress and setting next steps. I was also included at the end of the appointment each time so that I could receive feedback as to how my daughter had benefitted from the therapy. This arrangement suited us, and because my daughter was young, I think it was important for me to be aware of what was happening.
It took a while for my daughter to feel better and Rachel supported her throughout, and now my daughter is a happy, healthy and fun-loving teenager who is enjoying life again. I cannot thank Rachel enough for helping my daughter to get her life back on track. My daughter now has a “toolkit” of techniques and strategies that she can refer back to in the future if she needs them. Thanks to Rachel, my daughter knows how to look after her mental health going forward – what a wonderful gift to give a young person, thank you so much.”
— Parent. 14 Year Old Girl
“I would thoroughly recommend Rachel. She has been so helpful and put my son at ease straight away. We have truly benefitted from these session.”
— Parent. 8 Year Old Boy
“We really enjoyed working with Rachel and would thoroughly recommend her. Rachel is so friendly and understanding, which put myself and daughter at ease. She helped my daughter with her anxiety, OCD and self harm. Learning about critical thinking errors, EMDR and the OCD booklet were so helpful and informative. Our daughter is a happier and more confident girl after working with Rachel.”
— Parent. 14 Year Old Girl
“Over the last year I have really enjoyed my sessions, and I’ve noticed a huge improvement in the way I think. I like the structure of each session and the variation of activities we do. ”
— 18 Year Old Girl
“The sessions we have had with Rachel for us and our daughter have been brilliant. We started the year with a very unhappy, agitated daughter who was unable to function if she was out of a routine. Our family life was tortured with meltdowns, anger and, what felt like, constant tears. Choosing what clothes to wear, leaving the house and visiting unusual places were tormenting and often debilitating. A year later and having worked with Rachel's suggestions and 'home work' and changing the way we work as a family (alongside changing our diet), and most importantly spending more time together as a family without distractions, we now enjoy a normal family life. We really enjoyed working with Rachel, she's professional and knowledgeable but also makes the sessions fun and engaging for all the family.”
— Parent. 8 Year Old Girl
“From the moment we first met Rachel, I finally felt that we had met someone who actually ‘got’ my daughter and who understood what she was going through. Rachel instantly and effortlessly made my daughter feel at ease. Amazingly my daughter opened up straightaway to Rachel as she knew Rachel understood. Rachel is very thorough, hardworking and professional yet kind and warm. She was very helpful and supportive to both my daughter and myself throughout our time with her. She helped my daughter understand and challenge herself and ultimately helped her to overcome her issues. I would highly recommend Rachel.”
— Parent. 17 Year Old Girl
“Very friendly and welcoming. It has been so valuable to our daughter and to us as parents. We have learnt about her thoughts and feelings and skills that can help us with our other children. ”
— Parent. 10 Year Old Girl
“It has been a great help and has definitely changed the way I think. There are loads of strategies I can take from this, and this has made me fill a lot better. These strategies can help with any emotion and don’t take too long to complete. It has really helped.”
— 10 Year Old Girl
“We really enjoyed working with Rachel and would thoroughly recommend her. Rachel is so friendly and understanding, which put myself and daughter at ease. She helped my daughter with her anxiety, OCD and self harm. Learning about critical thinking errors, EMDR and the OCD booklet were so helpful and informative. Our daughter is a happier and more confident girl after working with Rachel.”
— Parent. 14 Year Old Girl
“Rachel has helped me so much from where I started, I feel so much less anxious know. She is really friendly and taught me how to overcome my fears.”
— 14 Year Old Girl
“Having Rachel has been really helpful. With her help I have been able to find who I am again and become confident in so many aspects of life. Rachel has helped me feel in control and recognise that how I think about things can change. Rachel has also helped me become more confident and independent to go out and try new things.”
— 18 Year Old Girl