Anita Duke

Welcome to Anita Duke Therapy.

Practice closed until Monday 6th January, 2025

Usual practice hours: Monday - Friday (8am - 6pm).

Please see website for details of any current availability.

Feeling confused? I offer a calm space for both mind and body plus years of experience to support you to find balance, understanding and move forward in life. If anxiety, stress, trauma or loss impacts your wellbeing and relationships might I help?

Hello, I’m Anita, an accredited integrative counsellor, trauma therapist and breathwork coach in well-established practice.

Maybe life’s experiences or relationships have left you struggling. Perhaps you feel constantly anxious, tense, overwhelmed or disconnected. You might not know what the problem is, you just feel stuck and lost, with low confidence, energy or self-esteem. Sound familiar?

These very human experiences significantly impact our health and wellbeing, how we are in the world, and our relationships. Modern life is tough enough without the extra challenges and difficulties we meet on our path, so it's okay to need help - but finding the right person isn’t always easy.

As an experienced practitioner I take an intuitive, compassionate and creative approach to therapy. I look to support you to understand the difficulties that are impacting and impeding your life, relationships and connection to self, and find the healing and changes you seek.

First and foremost, however, I offer a welcoming, consistent and respectful space to talk - and feel really heard. Time dedicated to gently exploring, unravelling and making sense of what has happened for you, whilst supporting connection to the innate natural resources and resilience of your mind, body and breath.

Most importantly, I aim to create a therapeutic space that feels trusted and fair and supports a feeling of safety and calm.

I offer both short-term and open-ended therapy (in-person and online) working within my capacity and remit with whatever you bring especially:

• anxiety/phobias

• stress

• trauma

• bereavement/loss

• relationship difficulties

• women's mid-life challenges

• confidence/self-esteem

• rural/agricultural pressures

• personal development

• general wellbeing

As an integrative therapist I draw from a range of counselling and psychotherapy approaches according to your needs and preferences.

My practice is informed by understanding of the impact of anxiety, stress and trauma on the autonomic nervous system. As such, I use both ‘top-down’ talking therapy (exploring thoughts, feelings and behaviours) and ‘bottom-up’ somatic, body-based approaches (working with the body, breath and felt-sense).

If working longer term, I may use deeper, relational or creative approaches to identify any unconscious processes or parts of self keeping you stuck.

I also practice in EMDR, Clinical Hypnotherapy, NLP and Tapping Therapies which can be integrated into sessions if suitable.

When working with trauma I champion wellbeing and resilience, inviting gentle, paced exploration of your experiences only when a sense of internal safety and grounding can be established. This phased approach safely supports healing, release and repair, whilst helping you find new meaning and purpose, and reconnect with life and relationships.

I work within diversity making reasonable adjustments to ensure my services are accessible. I value individual responsibility and choice whilst acknowledging the impact of social inequities. Our life stories, skin colour, identities and abilities may present differences and similarities, but I endeavour to stay open, curious and attuned to your lived experiences and needs, supporting you to access your personal power to the best of my ability.

• I work with individual adults of all ages whether new to 'adulting' or in or near retirement.

• I offer in-person therapy in Bury St Edmunds from my private therapy room off the A134 Sudbury Road close to the A14.

• I offer online therapy.

• I practice Monday - Friday (8am - 6pm) subject to capacity.

• I work exclusively in the UK in accordance with English law, adhering to the BACP and GHR ethical frameworks.

• The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

I am a firm believer that the therapeutic relationship is key to a successful outcome, so it is important you find a therapist you feel comfortable with - but this can feel quite daunting, confusing and even overwhelming when starting therapy. 

To help, I offer a FREE initial, no-obligation consultation (20 minutes), by your choice of telephone or Zoom, subject to availability and capacity.

This short discovery session is for us to discuss what brings you to therapy, whilst getting a sense of our ‘fit’ and how we might work together. I will never pressure you to decide immediately but, when you choose me as your therapist, we will agree a regular weekly time and day to be your 'space'. I understand that life happens around therapy so may have some flexibility around this.

You might only need a few sessions for a specific problem or coping strategies, or may benefit from longer, deeper exploration. Together we’ll find what’s right for your needs and circumstances and make space for this.

During our first full intake session we will discuss important ethical considerations, including confidentiality, data protection and general session information. I will also ask a few health and wellbeing questions and invite you to complete a short clinical assessment. This helps me identify your therapeutic needs and supports ongoing reviews.

If you are distressed or anxious, I'll sit alongside you until the thoughts, feelings or sensations reduce, perhaps supporting you with a guided calming or balancing practice. As we begin gentle exploration, you may be surprised to find yourself talking more than expected, and noticing that already something starts to change, but if it takes longer to open to the process that’s fine.

Together, we’ll find a pace and working style that feels right for you, undertaking regular reviews along the way - because this is your therapy, and you are at the heart of what I do.

Further details and current availability can be found at: www.anitaduketherapy.co.uk