Why Should I Choose You?
I’m not your average therapist, and I’m very proud of that. I’m Hannah Paskin and I’m an experienced Psychotherapist in the heart of Cheshire. I am the owner and sole therapist at Hannah Paskin Therapy, previously known as Awareness in Mind. Choosing a Therapist is hard, so I wanted to tell you a bit about me, and answer the questions – Why should I choose you?
So, what is it that makes me different?
A crucial difference, and the reason why most of my clients choose me, is I’m Straight-Talking.
Traditional therapy training actively discourages the giving of opinions and advice. The theory being that we should help guide clients to discover things for themselves in their own time.
But I’ve always had a major problem with this – we don’t know what we don’t know.
Many people I see will have had decades of symptoms building up, they’ve spent time trying to figure out what’s going on, a good percentage have also seen multiple therapists or coaches, and they still don’t know what the problem is or how to fix it. As an experienced trained professional, I can usually quite quickly figure out the root of the problem, I have opinions, I know advice, why wouldn’t I share it with someone that’s suffering?
A bit about my background
Prior to setting up my own business, I worked for 15 years in mental health for the NHS and various charities. I started as a volunteer and worked my way up to Clinical Lead. I loved my NHS work, but I also experienced huge frustrations. It felt as if I was firefighting – never being given the chance to properly tackle the root of the client’s problem; not allowed to look at their symptoms as a big picture; and a lack of opportunity to help fix the problem once and for all. Free to access healthcare is a wonderful thing, and I worked with some phenomenal therapists, but in my opinion, unfortunately the system is a bit broken. Working in private practice allows me the freedom to do therapy in a way that works best.
Training as a therapist was not my initial career plan, I studied Classical Music and the Arts at university the first time around. But anyone that knew me before I found this career would say that the job as a therapist fits me perfectly.
I chose this profession because I genuinely care. I’ve always been an empath and a helper, it’s who I am. I’ve always been a problem solver too, that annoying child that always asked – “but why?”
It really matters to me that my clients get to realise their goals and have a better future. I hate to see people suffer unnecessarily. This job is a genuine privilege, to have people trust me, to be able to share my knowledge, and to be part of a person’s journey in changing their life.
Helping you to help yourself
Another crucial difference in how I do things differently is my mission with clients is to make myself redundant. That means teaching you what I know, making sure you understand what the problem is and how to fix it, and then building your confidence in going it alone. I don’t work with people for years or months if it’s not needed. I’ve been told by other therapists it’s a bad business model by removing the opportunity for long term customers or return business. Maybe it is, but it’s what I’d want if I was a client, and it’s what my clients want, so that’s what I’ll continue to do. When that final session comes for each client I do a huge happy dance inside, knowing that they’re in a better place.
As a therapist my job is to get you better, and to do that as quickly as possible. As I said, I hate to see people suffer. My straight-talking approach really helps with this. My focus is on getting you to the point you can exclaim the commonly heard phrase in my therapy room “ah, it all makes sense now”.
Sometimes that means telling you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear. Sometimes it means pushing you and being tough. I’m upfront with my clients and tell them if you want the easy option, don’t come to me. I’m all about what’s most effective, not what’s easiest. I offer exactly the same in return, I’m not a passive therapist in session, I’m not going to just sit and listen to you talk without any active input and engagement from me. I work hard too in every session to give you the most benefit.
What I offer
Through Hannah Paskin Therapy, I currently offer one-to-one therapy sessions, as well as supervision and coaching for other therapists.
In recent years I have narrowed my focus to 2 client groups who I feel I connect with best:
1. Those in demanding jobs who are burning themselves out
2. Born helpers who struggle with boundaries
Both issues I’ve had personal experience with, which means I really do get what it’s like. I worked 80 hours a week in a previous job, I was experiencing migraines, hair loss, IBS and acne problems – all classic signs of corporate burnout. My perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies combined with high expectations from above created a toxic combination. I’ve also spent a lot of my life with friendships and relationships that offered me little, whilst I offered everything to them to my own detriment. I used to struggle to say no, didn’t know why I kept getting friends that would ditch me when they no longer needed me, and struggled to look after my own needs.
Thankfully, I’m out of the other side of both of these problems and am much happier and more relaxed as a result. Of course, I’m still human, so I’m not perfect and I never claim to get everything right all the time, I’ve still got things I’m working to improve. But I do know what the journey takes, and I’m passionate about showing you the way.
If a Straight-Talking Therapist who is willing to give you answers sounds like what you are looking for, get in touch and let me show you a new way forward.
You can book an appointment online using my up to date booking system here: Book Now | Hannah Paskin (hannahpaskintherapy.co.uk)
You can also follow me on social media: (1) Hannah Paskin Therapy – The Straight Talking Therapist | Facebook or @the.straight.talking.therapist
