Working with Chronic Health Issues in Counselling with Dr Sula Windgassen, specialist Health Psychologist
22nd October 2026 7.30pm-9.45pm
£20 per place. Live Via zoom
The Training
This training will explore how to use the biopsychosocial model as a broad framework to help individuals with chronic illness towards goals of reduced symptom impact, improved emotional wellbeing and improved interpersonal and relational experiences. The training will cover:
- Goals in chronic illness
- Views of illness and impact on support
- Socialising clients to a biopsychosocial model
- Formulating using a CBT framework adapted for chronic illness and long term conditions
- Behavioural foundations in therapy for chronic illness goals
- The importance of interoceptive awareness
- Belief systems activated by illness & how to support updates
The Trainer
Dr Sula Windgassen PhD MSc is a leading health psychologist who has dedicated her career to understanding the intersection between physical and mental health. An internationally recognised researcher with over 30 published academic papers, she regularly collaborates with institutions worldwide. She has been published in Women's Health, Psychologies magazine, Red magazine, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph and the BBC. Her debut non-fiction book, It’s All In Your Body challenges the stigmatising narrative of ‘it’s all in your head’, providing a practical roadmap for healing using the mind-body connection. Dr Sula hosts the podcast, How We Really Feel, interviewing medical, science and patient experts exploring health experiences from a biopsychosocial perspective.
Dr Sula is director of specialist health psychology clinic, Mind Body Blossom, founder of the online community Body Mind Connect and Trustee of the Endometriosis Foundation. Sula is a visiting lecturer at UCL and is currently undertaking research work at both King’s College London and University College London. Sula holds five degrees and has a growing online community on Instagram (@the_health_psychologist_) and through her newsletter.
To book a place please contact Mary Jones on
mary@nationalcounsellingtraininginstitute.co.uk
CPD certificates are issued
Limited places so advisable to book early. £20 per place
Accredited Certificate in Working with Eating Disorders
Accredited by CPD UK
2-Day CPD Workshop live via zoom
Led by Eating Disorder specialist Angelique da Silva
19th and 20th September 2026 9.30am-4.30pm both days
About this Workshop
This intensive two-day certificate is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, and mental health professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of eating disorders from a therapeutically informed perspective.Drawing on a range of therapeutic approaches—including psychodynamic theory, attachment theory, CBT-E, and interpersonal models—the training explores the complex relationship between body, mind, and interpersonal experience in the development and maintenance of disordered eating.Participants will examine the psychological meanings that can underpin eating disorder presentations, including themes of control, shame, identity, autonomy, and emotional regulation. The workshop combines theory with practical application, supporting practitioners to assess risk, work safely, and respond effectively to a range of eating disorder presentations, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other related conditions.Through case discussion, experiential learning, and reflective practice, participants will develop greater confidence in working with both the individual and relational dynamics present in eating disorders. Particular emphasis is placed on cultivating a thoughtful, attuned, and ethically informed therapeutic stance when working with this complex client group.Learning Outcomes By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand key psychological theories relating to eating disorders.
- Recognise the emotional and relational dynamics underpinning disordered eating.
- Assess risk factors and work safely within professional boundaries.
- Apply therapeutic understanding to a range of eating disorder presentations.
- Develop confidence in working with complex clinical material.
- Integrate reflective and relational practice into their therapeutic work.
The Trainer
Angelique is a psychodynamic therapist practising from a psychoanalytic perspective, with a particular focus on how early relational experiences—beginning as early as the prenatal stage—shape emotional development. Her work centres on the unconscious mind, supporting clients to understand the origins of their relationship patterns in order to foster healthier connections and create meaningful, lasting change.
· Over the past decade, Angelique has undertaken extensive professional training across a wide range of specialist areas. These include sexual abuse and domestic violence, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, infant loss, advanced rainbow baby counselling, infertility, group analysis, and ex boarder psychotherapy, alongside numerous continuing professional development (CPD) courses.
· Angelique is particularly attuned to the growing prevalence and complexity of eating disorders in contemporary society. She recognises the alarming increase in cases across all age groups and believes there is a pressing need for greater awareness, earlier intervention, and more open dialogue around these often-misunderstood conditions. In her view, eating disorders are not only about food or control, but are deeply rooted in emotional pain, relational dynamics, and unconscious processes that require careful, informed therapeutic attention. As such, she advocates that practitioners today must be increasingly well-equipped—both clinically and psychologically—to work with eating disorders, integrating specialised knowledge with sensitivity and depth. Through her work, Angelique is committed to contributing to this growing need, supporting both clients and the wider therapeutic community in responding more effectively to this critical area of mental health.
· Since qualifying, she has developed a successful private practice in Bristol, which now includes five consulting rooms and a team of over 35 counsellors with diverse specialisms. In addition to her private work, Angelique has contributed to the charitable sector, providing counselling support for organisations working with women affected by trauma, asylum seekers, displacement, trafficked women and self-injury.
Qualifications/Teaching Experience/Professional Memberships:
MBACP (Accredited)
Iron Mill College - Tutor on the PQ Diploma in Eating Disorders
Psychodynamic Therapist - Wessex Counselling and Psychotherapy
Postgraduate Diploma in Eating Disorders - Iron Mill College
Diploma in Eating Disorders and Body Dysmorphia - The Tavistock
Group Analytic Training - Group Analysis South West
Advanced Rainbow Baby Counsellor - Foundation for Infant Loss
Infertility Counsellor - Foundation for Infant Loss
Ex Boarder Psychotherapy - Boarding School Survivor's Network
To book a place please contact Mary Jones on
mary@nationalcounsellingtraininginstitute.co.uk
CPD certificates are issued
Limited places so advisable to book early. £349 per place
Thursday 24th September 2026 7.30pm-9.45pm
Working with Survivors of Narcissistic Abuse. Live via zoom
This training is designed to support therapists in developing greater confidence and clarity when working with individuals who have experienced narcissistic abuse. It offers a balanced, clinically grounded overview of how this form of relational trauma presents and how therapists can respond effectively in practice.
We will cover:
- What is meant by “narcissistic abuse” in a therapeutic context
- Common signs, patterns, and client presentations
- The impact of popular online narratives: benefits, limitations, and risks
- Evidence-informed therapeutic approaches and what supports recovery
- Survivor experiences and examples of therapeutic progress
The session will combine psychoeducation, reflective discussion, and practical insights that can be integrated into a range of therapeutic modalities.
The Trainer
Zoë Ross is a UK-based psychotherapist and counselling psychologist in training specialising in the treatment of complex relational trauma, including narcissistic abuse and attachment-related difficulties.
Zoë is trained in a range of evidence-based approaches and her clinical work focuses on helping clients understand and recover from the psychological impact of relational trauma, supporting them to reduce symptoms, rebuild a sense of self, and thrive in their lives moving forward.
Alongside her clinical practice, Zoë has contributed to BBC discussions on narcissism, where she shares evidence-informed perspectives to help challenge misinformation and improve understanding of this important topic.
To book a place please contact Mary Jones on
mary@nationalcounsellingtraininginstitute.co.uk
CPD certificates are issued
Limited places so advisable to book early. £20 per place