THE CANTERBURY HOPE FOUNDATION LTD

Highly Effective, Professional and Recommended Counselling and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Services.
Call or message 07592 173862 or email canterburyhopefoundation@gmail.com.  Registered Member BACP & NCS Accredited. 
We also offer mental health training and consultancy to organisations and businesses.

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We work with you to understand and relieve suffering by talking through and helping you in solving problems.  A deep analysis improves the quality of your understanding of self and others.  This improves the quality of your life, your relationships, and brings lasting changes. 

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"Achieve a deeper understanding."

Some of what people say about us:

 I was in a situation where I was confused about what was occurring in my challenging situation. Chris enabled me to gain a perspective of my situation so that it became clear what was going on. Just knowing what is happening when you are in such a tangled circumstance can substantially alleviate the anxiety you may be feeling. I have previously spoken to therapists but have not achieved anything other than realising the scale of my problems. Chris helped me to see my circumstance in a much more healthy and positive way and that there is less to be concerned about than you may have previously believed. I will stay in touch with him as he is the first person I have met who understood what I was going through and helped me to feel equipped with what I need to manage my day-to-day life. Chris effectively tailors your sessions so that it works for you and works at a pace suitable to your circumstance; this is valuable because someone experiencing a similar issue to another can require vastly different assistance.

Mr. H, Canterbury, October  2022

I came to Christopher during quite a difficult time in my life where I really needed some help and guidance. He really makes you feel welcome and after a few weeks he felt like a friend I had known for years. I would strongly recommend Christopher just for that reason on its own, but his ability to take in what you have said and suggest things that make you think completely differently about your situation really makes you feel like you're making progress. Best decision I've ever made. Adam, August 2022.

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Chris is a talented practitioner that helped me to heal from past trauma by skilfully holding a mirror up to my unhealthy defence mechanisms. 

 Although, the process was at times uncomfortable I am grateful for the breakthroughs I was able to achieve at The Canterbury Hope Foundation.

Testimonial August 2022;  37-year-old female from Folkestone in Kent.  

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 ...It was one of the most interesting hours I've spent in a long time, and I did come away feeling a lot better.  Ms. R, Canterbury, Sept 2020.

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I was fortunate to have an opportunity to benefit from sessions with Chris.  He was a listening ear and gently guided our conversation so that we both gained a better understanding of where I am at and the things that happened in the past that impact on my ‘present’.   He encouraged me to think things through by asking simple but insightful questions that helped open up the conversation in a gentle and nurturing manner.   Chris has helped resolve a difficult issue in a non-confrontational way.  He has been impartial and as well as helping me on a practical level, also shared theoretical information about behavioural drivers which I found fascinating.  At the point when I started seeing Chris, my confidence was low despite the fact that I have always been a high performing employee in all roles I have worked in.  Chris has given me my confidence back form an employment perspective and also provided me with tools to moderate my thinking both at home and in my personal life.  This in turn allows me to understand where to draw the line in terms of scope of responsibility and to have better boundaries in my life.  Chris, I hope all is well with you and thank you for the value you have added to my life through our sessions. Best wishes. HD, Feb 2022

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My son and I have both seen Chris and both courses of therapy have had a profound impact on our lives.  With our son, Chris helped us understand how our son sees the world (through a mildly autistic lens  and how we could help him deal with challenges, friendships and expressing himself. Chris also helped "pop" some growing bubbles of unhappiness that a recent move had given our son and tools for us to help talk through sadness.  Chris basically helped us to become better parents to our fantastic child.  Chris developed a great relationship with our son and he would look forward to sessions as a way of feeling understood.

During our son's treatment it became clear that I also had unresolved sadness that weighed heavily on me and was holding me back in work and life. Chris used techniques that he would explain to me to help me uncover the (surprising) source of my unhappiness.  The phrase "life changing" is a big one, but here it completely applies. Our son is like a different child. His school also see a dramatic change in his behaviour and we now know what he needs at home to express what is going on in his head.    My happiness scale is now high and back to where it used to be. I should also mention that this was over 18 months ago and so is not a temporary fix, but lasting treatment.  As a family, we cannot recommend Chris enough and are so grateful to have found him.  He is kind, warm and non-judgemental. We still talk about how Chris helped us as a family. Catherine B and family, April 2021

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Chris is the best therapist I've worked with, and there have been a fair few. Its not that all of the others were bad (most of them anyway), but that what I achieved with Chris in a comparatively short amount of time, has allowed me to better understand myself and thus heal myself far better and quicker. I first approached Chris with my husband for marriage counselling, but it soon became apparent that I needed one to one therapy to stabilise myself before any marriage counselling could go ahead.  For years I felt different and that something wasn't right. I was given various possibilities of what I could be suffering from and was recommended different types of medication or antidepressants. None of which helped long term. However within a few weeks of working with Chris he hit the nail on the head and everything made sense. We then had something viable to work with.  He was fantastic at helping me to work on myself and I can honestly say that I have never felt this good in my life. He provides the tools one needs to continue self help long after the therapy sessions end... life long skills. I am also medication free now.   Once the therapy had stabilised me, I then continued to work with him alongside my husband to work on our marriage, which again was brilliant. We can owe the fact we are still together to him and his help. Of course we had to commit to putting the work in ourselves and my husband said his methods at the time may not have always made sense or been preferable to him, even strongly disagreeing at points, but looking back, Chris knew what he was trying to achieve and it worked for us. Unfortunately he can't just wave a magic wand, but things have changed for my husband and I in so many positive ways. Learning how to truly understand eachothers differences and working on them. I would thoroughly recommend Chris to anyone who wants to work hard and get to the bottom of their difficulties... whatever they may be. Tanya, 2020.

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I have been working with Chris over the last few months and felt respected and heard. Chris is one of many therapists I have seen but the first I have stayed with. Our work has challenged me to grow emotionally and I feel stronger for it. I would and have recommended his service.  Hannah, Oct 2020. 

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Chris has a warmth and empathy that really puts you at ease, and together with his extensive experience, we felt safe working through a complex issue.We wouldn't hesitate in recommending Chris to others Tracey and Jonathan, 2019

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Working with Chris has been an important part of my healing from long-term trauma.

When I'd first been referred to him by a friend, he immediately understood how urgent my situation was, and generously agreed to take me on as a client on short notice, despite having a very busy schedule. He did his best to accommodate me, taking into account my very alternative worldview, and always showed the deepest compassion and patience.  In one of our later sessions, I had a breakthrough that has helped me immensely.

I would highly recommend working with Chris Saskia, 2021.

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It’s a massive step to come to terms with the fact that you need help & even more daunting to work out who best to turn to for that help! There are so many people offering their services in this field & they will vary in how effective they are depending on their approach & ability to connect with you. Chris doesn’t sit with a clipboard making copious notes, he focuses on YOU. He provides the clarity that you need to help unpick the mental blocks that have consigned you to the dark place you’ve reached. In my case the fog was well and truly lifted enabling me to start rebuilding my life & positively tackling the demons that led me to the comfortable chair in front of Chris! I’m very grateful for the sessions I had & can’t speak highly enough of Chris & the relaxing surroundings where the sessions took place.  Alex P, Nov 2020

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We were in desperate need for some help for my adult daughter. On my very first telephone conversation, I had with Christopher I was put at ease by his empathy, kind and caring nature and when he said he definitely knew what was wrong and he could definitely help the relief I felt was indescribable.  For the first time in such a long time I felt there was hope for the future; for my daughter who had been suffering so much.  My daughter booked a block of sessions, and he helped bring out her trauma which he helped her contain, and the severe anxiety she was experiencing.   He helped us as a family and was always on the other end of the phone, if we needed him.  My daughter is doing so much better now because of Chris being there.  I would definitely recommend Christopher  as a councillor.  His insight into these matters are excellent.  Helped us all as a family we are very grateful to him.   Janet, Sept 2020.

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Chris has provided me with long term care and support after suffering with PND. He very quickly identified other underlying issues that were preventing me from being happy. He helped me to come to terms with an eating disorder that i've been hiding from myself and the people who care about me for a long time. Sessions with Chris were sometimes very difficult but they were always insightful and thought provoking. He listened without judgement and taught me to recognise unhelpful and unhealthy ways of thinking. He showed me strategies to be able to communicate better and coping mechanisms for when difficult situations arise. Chris helped me to rediscover the things I love and the person (and parent) I want to be. I have gained the self-esteem and confidence I needed to make long-lasting, positive changes in my life. Although I no longer need regular sessions, I am comforted knowing that I can call on Chris if I ever struggle in the future.  Rhi, October 2020

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I never considered myself someone who would require any form of therapy, I’d always been of the opinion that therapy was for ‘other people’. Chris took a very measured and steady approach to encourage me to open up and delve deep into my past, and to challenge and assess things that had occurred in my life that was having a significant, negative influence in my current standing. I’d have never thought to conduct anything like this on my own volition, which is why Chris’s help has been truly invaluable.  To me, therapy has proven to be a double-edged sword. It is extremely difficult to face down past issues, as sensitive and delicate as they may be, yet the benefit of doing so far outweigh any negativity associated with therapy. Chris is a true professional, but it was nice that we’ve enjoyed a few laughs along the way also - I’d highly recommend him  Lee, Aug 2020.

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Chris helped me find my way out of my depression. We worked together for the better part of a year, starting with weekly sessions and then slowly reducing the frequency of the sessions. Chris’ knowledge of psychology and psychotherapy, ability to ask important questions and consistent encouragement and patience gave me the room and safety I needed to untangle unhelpful habits. With his guidance, I was able to look at some of my most sensitive sore spots, healing some and learning to live with others. Through Chris’ combination of experience, deep academic knowledge, and intuition, I learned to navigate my life with much more confidence and hope, regaining a more proactive and relaxed perspective. After each session, I felt a bit lighter and like I could see things more clearly again. Knowing that a session with Chris was coming up was extremely important in the worst weeks of my depression and even now my life is so much better thanks to the advice and therapy that Chris provided. I highly recommend him Dana, Aug 2020

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Thanks Chris for guiding me to the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.your thought provoking sessions have helped me gain confidence in myself and given me the tools to resurrect what I felt sure was a situation I was unable to turn around.  Wholeheartedly recommend.  JB, South Canterbury 2020.

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From the moment we arrived for our first session it was immediately clear that we had entered into an environment where we could feel 'safe' while talking through the problems we had encountered within our relationship. My partner in particular was nervous and suffering with anxiety, this was handled by Chris with great care and understanding. Chris possesses considerable social perceptiveness, and using this skill he was able to tailor an approach that was appropriate for us and our situation. He has within his repertoire as a therapist a great amount of tools which help to aid understanding and demonstrate the key to good communication with a partner, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Something I found particularly helpful was the support Chris provided for us even outside our sessions, on several occasions I was able to message him and ask his advice, I thought this was remarkable especially considering his workload. I would definitely recommend Canterbury Hope Foundation and would return myself if I needed the support again. Couple, Canterbury 2019-20