Welcome
EMDR & CBT Psychotherapy in Rayleigh, Leigh-on-sea, & Southend-on-sea
We offer treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain, medically unexplained symptoms, life challenges and more.
EMDR & Psychotherapies in Essex & London
Experienced EMDR Psychotherapy
We offer expert EMDR therapy online and in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and in the City of London. Our sessions are confidential, non-judgemental, and gentle, utilising the most up-to-date EMDR approaches to help with a wide range of problems, such as PTSD, anxiety, phobias, depression, interpersonal challenges, attachment issues, and more. We work with a range of health insurers.
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful psychotherapy approach that has helped millions of people relieve many types of psychological stress. It is highly effective for trauma and PTSD, and also beneficial for anxiety, depression, and other emotional difficulties.
Research Supporting EMDR:
EMDR is backed by extensive research and is recognised as an effective form of treatment by numerous organisations, including the British Psychological Society (BPS), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Studies have shown that EMDR can produce significant and lasting improvements more rapidly than conventional therapy methods.
Our Approach
We offer high-standard EMDR psychotherapy, which can be delivered both online and face-to-face. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) has been shown to be an effective treatment for various common mental health problems, particularly for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Widely used in the NHS, EMDR is backed by a substantial body of research supporting its efficacy and safety. This novel psychotherapy method helps individuals process and integrate traumatic memories, leading to significant improvements in their mental health and overall well-being.
Our clinic is confidential, quiet and modern based near Leigh train station and is on the ground floor.
Health Insurance: We work with Aviva, Bupa, Axa and Vitality
About Chris
Chris Spanton is an experienced and accredited psychotherapist with a strong foundation in nursing, having begun his career in sexual health and psychology. With over 18 years of experience in mental health and 13 years in psychological therapies, Chris brings a deep and compassionate understanding to his clinical work.
He is the Lead Therapist at The Alvee Practice, where he provides specialist psychological therapy and clinical supervision. Alongside his private practice, Chris works as a subject matter expert for large health organisations, consulting on the design, implementation, and evaluation of psychological therapy services.
Chris also works as a Highly Specialised Psychotherapist at the National Persistent Physical Symptoms Unit, a specialist national NHS hospital service. His clinical focus is on supporting individuals with medically unexplained symptoms, including fibromyalgia, long COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional neurological disorder (FND). He has received advanced training from world-leading experts in these areas and receives ongoing supervision from a renowned professor specialising in EMDR therapy.
Chris has recently completed his EMDR Consultant Training, further deepening his expertise in trauma-focused work and enabling him to supervise and support other EMDR practitioners.
Qualifications & Training
- An Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist (BABCP)
- An Accredited EMDR Practitioner (EMDR Europe)
- A CBT Supervisor
- Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) trained at the Anna Freud Centre in London
He trained at several leading institutions, including:
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience – King’s College London
- University College London (UCL)
- The Anna Freud Centre
- University of Essex
Clinical Specialisms
Chris specialises in:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – including supervision, training, and lecturing
- EMDR therapy and complex PTSD
- Developmental and psychosexual trauma
- Persistent physical symptoms and functional disorders
- Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) for relational and emotional difficulties
He works with both children and adults, and is experienced in group therapy, clinical training, and evidence-based supervision.
Leadership, Teaching & Supervision
Chris is currently the Clinical Lead for one of the largest NHS Talking Therapies services in the UK, where he has held various leadership roles for many years. He is also a visiting lecturer on a master’s programme in psychotherapy and has delivered lectures on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) at universities across the UK.
He regularly trains psychotherapists nationally and provides clinical supervision to both qualified and trainee CBT practitioners.
About RIzwana
Rizwana
Rizwana Jawid is an accredited (BABCP) Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and CBT supervisor.
Rizwana is an experienced and dedicated accredited psychotherapist with over 10 years of experience working in mental health services across the NHS in inpatient and outpatient settings. Rizwana’s mental health career began in dementia care and progressed to psychological therapies over the last 7 years where she has supported individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, including Depression and Anxiety Disorders including PTSD. Her clinical practice is grounded in evidence-based approaches, compassion, and a strong commitment to improving mental health outcomes for individuals in a manner that is collaborative, safe and non-judgemental.
Rizwana currently works as a Psychotherapist and supervisor for an NHS service based in London and has a special interest in Anxiety Disorders such Social anxiety and Panic Disorder, Low-self esteem and PTSD. To further enhance her clinical practice and knowledge, she has also received training on supporting individuals experiencing complex PTSD symptoms from OxCADAT and specialist training in working with clients living with Long-Term Health Conditions from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London.
Qualifications & Training
Postgraduate Diploma: PG Dip Cognitive Behavioural Therapies, The Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London (2021)
Postgraduate Certificate: PG Cert Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, University of Essex (2018)
Undergraduate Degree: BSc Hons Psychology, University of Westminster (2013)
Trauma-focused Cognitive Therapy for PTSD, OxCADAT (2024)
CBT in the context of long term persistent and distressing health conditions, The Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London (2023)
Chairwork in CBT delivered by Dr Matthew Pugh (2025)
About Kathryn
Kathryn
Kathryn Budd
Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (BABCP Accredited) & EMDR Therapist
BSc Psychology, PGDip Mental Health Nursing, PGDip CBT, PGCert CBT for Eating Disorders, EMDR Europe accredited EMDR training.
Kathryn is passionate about supporting her clients through their mental health journeys. Her approach is warm, approachable, and empathetic, fostering a safe space for collaboration and growth. She believes in the power of a strong therapeutic relationship and strives to empower her clients to develop practical strategies that lead to meaningful change.
With over 10 years of NHS experience working with a range of mental health difficulties, Kathryn brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to her practice. She previously worked as a mental health nurse and, for the last 6 years, has been working as a cognitive behavioural therapist—most recently in a specialist NHS anxiety service with a particular focus on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Kathryn specialises in working with clients who are struggling with eating disorders, OCD, and trauma. She also has experience working with other anxiety disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. She generally works with clients for 6–20 sessions depending on their needs. The first few sessions are focused on assessing and understanding the problem before moving on to more active work. A relapse prevention plan is created at the end to ensure clients feel confident following therapy.
For eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, bulimia, and anorexia, Kathryn offers cognitive behavioural therapy via CBT-E or CBT-T. For ARFID, she also uses cognitive behavioural therapy. When working with OCD, she offers CBT alongside ERP as the gold standard for OCD treatment. For trauma and PTSD, she offers EMDR or trauma-focused CBT. For other anxiety disorders, low self-esteem, or depression, she offers CBT.