Fox Psychological Services | Psychology Therapy Manchester Cardiff | Eating Disorders | Anxiety Depression Therapy

**All of this testimonials were Kindly written by clients once they have finished their therapy with John. Each person is asked at the end of their therapy and it is explained that they are under no compulsion to provide a testimonial and whatever they write will not be amended or altered in anyway. We really appreciate the time and effort that your clients have put into providing these testimonials. Thank you

• For years I have been battling with issues of self-worth. This resulted in several unpleasant and tiring behaviours. I strove to achieve in order to show people my worth whilst at the same time trying to hide any achievements as I thought this would make me look weak. I was unable to express my needs and ask others for help, whilst always acceding to others requests as I thought they would reject me if I didn't comply. Working with Dr John Fox has been extraordinary. He has helped me to understand how my early life experiences have led to these feelings and has shared methods for changing my thoughts and resulting behaviours. Dr Fox is a consummate professional, empathetic, focused and friendly. He has the enviable ability to help you to challenge yourself and face difficult truths whilst always maintaining a feeling of safety. The sessions were, at times, extremely challenging but he created an atmosphere that led me to believe the outcome would be positive and worth the struggle. This has proved true. Using the strategies created in the sessions and now having a much clearer understanding of how childhood events had affected me, I feel lighter and happier than I can remember. I was hesitant to start this process as it felt indulgent and needy. I am very glad I did and would Highly recommend Dr Fox to anyone suffering from similar issues. He guided me through a process that untangled the giant hairball of thoughts in my head. I could never have done this alone and will always be grateful for his thoughtfully applied skill and knowledge.
  

• Dr Fox helped me with my anxiety and work related stress over the course of about 3 months. During this time I developed an understanding of my emotions and more importantly developed strategies to manage and tolerate these emotions in the future. At the end of the sessions I felt happier and more able to manage my stressful work environment. Dr Fox has excellent communication skills, his methods are evidence based and up to date and for I felt comfortable and motivated during his sessions. Diolch Dr Fox._
  

• I wanted to say thank you so much Dr Fox. Therapy with John has enabled me to change my thought patterns and has given me the tools to deal with all sorts of situations. Before the therapy I did not think I would ever be free from my anxieties but 6 months on from completing my therapy, I am happy and moving on with a different, positive outlook. John was able to establish a trusting relationship with me and I was able to express emotions that had been supressed for a very long time. John was able to help me understand why emotions are important and why things need to be processed to move forward. Therapy with John felt very safe and I never felt rushed or pressured, only encouraged. Thank you, John!"_
  

• I can't thank John enough for how much he helped me to turn my life around. From the very first time we spoke on the phone I felt completely comfortable talking to him, and I know that if I had felt he wasn't the right person for me I'd felt completely comfortable letting him know. I saw John for around 20 sessions overall, and he really helped me and gave me the tools for me to turn my life around. Things have changed completely for me since I completed my course of CAT, it turned out to be exactly what I needed and I am now able to enjoy my life in a way I never have before. It wasn't easy and some sessions were harder than others but I always felt safe and I was never pressed to say anything I didn't want too - quite the opposite. For anyone on the fence about whether to seek help, it turned out to be the best decision I have ever made and I am very grateful for John for playing such a big part in my recovery. My perspective on things has completely changed in the most positive way and I will remember our discussions forever, even though the treatment has ended._
  

• In just a year things changed for me completely - from my very lowest to now, where I am happy and thriving. Comparing myself now to before my CAT sessions with John, I have been able to eliminate all of the toxic thought patterns and behaviours that were holding me back. I credit John massively with helping me to be able to do that. I'm hesitant to say he is completely responsible for my recovery because it's more than that - he gave me the motivation and power to enable my own recovery, and by doing that I've learnt things and techniques that I will benefit from for the rest of my life. The CAT therapy was exactly what I needed, and I can't thank John taking me through it._
  

• I have spent about two and a half years seeing John on and off, more and less frequently, and although it has been a bumpy road these therapy sessions have undoubtedly been the best decision I've ever made to try and help myself feel better as someone who has struggled with variously poor mental health for many years. John is incredibly warm and never judgmental, and will give ample space for me to talk into while also never being afraid to respond to things I have said or to offer a different perspective on something. From the very beginning, therapy felt like a project we were working on together, something that involved lots of discussion and activities like diagram-drawing rather than just me talking myself around in circles as I could sometimes end up doing when I spoke to friends and family about my troubles. I never once felt talked down to, or treated as though I didn't understand myself, rather we investigated together some of the aspects of my own thinking patterns and behaviours I perhaps hadn't looked at properly._
  

• John is adept at dealing with so very many issues but has been especially helpful in dealing with the underlying causes of my eating problems, problems that three years ago I thought were unfixable, or that I just had to 'wait out' until they left me alone. In that sense therapy with John has been quite genuinely life-changing in a way that I feared wasn't possible, for which I am enormously grateful. It has also been really important to me that John is someone who can laugh along with me at my telling him about something ridiculous I've done or felt, about my own frustrations with myself, and that there has been a level of kind humour throughout our sessions that has counterbalanced some of the times that I have felt the most awful and allowed me to feel supported even when I was at my lowest. I would definitely recommend John to anybody dealing with their own problems, no matter how 'unfixable' they feel, like I once did._
  

• It has been about a month since I finished my therapy sessions with John. Looking back and comparing myself to who I was before and who I am now, I can honestly say I have a very different perspective on things. Before I met John, I suffered from a great deal of anxiety, having frequent bouts of anxiety episodes and in a few instances, panic attacks. Given the nature of my upbringing, for many years as far as I can remember, I always lived in fear that something bad was about to happen. I always felt alone and unloved. I always strived for approval from myself and others but since I always set such high expectations of myself, I always ended up overwhelming not only others but myself as well, leading to constant disappointments and really bullying myself because I was not satisfied with my efforts. However, now I would confidently say things have changed a lot for the better. I have made a great deal of progress in such a short amount of time and I owe a great deal of that to John._
  

• With his support and commitment to the sessions, John really manages to effectively establish a very personal relationship starting from the first session of therapy. He approaches the relationship in a very caring manner and is very supportive when it comes to you disclosing your problems and issues. John will never try to make you feel overwhelmed or push you too far, being considerate towards you working at your own pace and most of all, ensuring that your personal wellbeing is the top priority._
  

• I very much appreciate the way in which John managed to approach the therapy. Although I came to John for CAT therapy, the way that he conducts it is very much tailored to you. For example, if you suddenly had a troubling or distressing event, circumstance etc. that you experienced, John will be more than accommodating to discuss it with you. These discussions were frequent throughout my therapy sessions and I was finding myself often deviating away from the structure of my therapy._
  

• Given that the very nature of the therapy is to help you overcome your problems, John does an excellent job at supporting you to be able to be aware of, understand and help you to start overcoming the problems that you face. Often, he will point you in the right direction to where you need to be going and in the instances when you truly feel stuck, he will take the time to explain things to you. In the case of my therapy sessions, there were times when I didn't know how to progress so John started discussing things with me by giving me some ideas and building a foundation with which to work from. From the bottom of my heart, I sincerely thank John for all of his help. Without his support, I would not have been able to make the progress and development that I have now._
  

• It has only been a few weeks since my therapy sessions with John have concluded but wanted to share with others how much my sessions with John have helped with my severe anxiety and depression. This was in fact my second time of seeing John in the last 3 years the first occasion also with an anxiety related condition. Most of my family, friends and colleagues would probably say that they would expect me to be the last person to be suffering with this condition and believe me I would not wish it on anyone but it is quite true to say that mental health issues can affect anyone and if you are not expecting them it is a terrifying thing to experience. The first set of sessions with John were for 6 months and these along with medication and huge support from my family got me to a place where I could resume my life both professionally and personally. However the whole cycle of anxiety and the awful related range of symptoms took hold again in December 2016. Fortunately I was able to recognise them much quicker and knew I needed additional support and without hesitation contacted John again. On both occasions the time spent with John in therapy has proved invaluable and provided me with a safe, secure and non threatening place to be able to address a number of issues. My second lot of therapy with John has been less in terms of number of sessions but they have been far more intense and challenging. Although I recognised the same triggers were causing my anxiety this time around we were able to work on them at a much deeper level and address not only causes but how I could view them differently and identify the strategies that would assist with my responses to them. I believe that the relationship we established in our first set of sessions enabled this to happen and John's knowledge, skills and patience made the whole process so much easier. I also really appreciated John's reading recommendations and still dip into 'The Compassionate Mind' by Gilbert when I need some reassurance and reminding about being kind to myself and that it's okay to take care of my needs before those of others. Thank you John for helping me feel calm and for enabling me to feel joy in my life again. I know I can contact you again should I need to but hopefully not!_
  

• Based on my experience I would highly recommend Dr Fox to anyone who is experiencing anxiety and depression._
  

• It has only been a few days since my final session with John. I have been seeing John for around 12 weeks and when I started this journey I was extremely scared, uncomfortable and a very reluctant 'patient'. My main issue was crippling anxiety that I have lived with for the majority of my life. Johns' manner, methods, compassion, insight and undoubted experience were so remarkably helpful to me. Although I realise that my struggle for mental health will continue onwards, I now feel equipped with the tools and strategies to deal with my demons myself; this is all thanks to John. I cannot thank John enough and nor could I recommend him too highly. He has truly given me a second chance to live a full and content life._
  

• It has been over a year since I stopped seeing John but every time I started to write a testimonial I was scared because I still couldn't quite believe that it was real. I felt like if I wrote down how much I have changed and healed something bad was bound to happen. Months passed by and each time I'd think "just one more month". When it got to a year since my last session I finally decided I'd put it off long enough!_
  

• Working with John quite literally changed my life. I never thought it would be possible to get to the point I am at now. For many years I struggled with an eating disorder, self-harm and other issues with no real coping mechanisms other than my well tried and tested destructive behaviour._
  

• With John's help I managed to turn everything around. I found ways of looking at situations and really understanding what I was doing to myself and why. John made me feel like change was actually possible, a feeling I had never had with any previous counselors/therapists. It took time and there were days when the last thing I wanted to do was sit in a room and "talk" but John always managed to make me feel at ease and gently coax me out of my shell. I never felt pressured to talk but somehow I always did!I laughed, cried, felt angry and every other emotion under the sun - something which I had never been comfortable doing before, but somehow that room was not like anywhere else. It was safe and comforting and somewhere I found that was just for me._ I used to read testimonials like this and think it was all made up, I couldn't understand how someone could "miraculously" be fine again. I now know it's not a miracle, it's a lot of hard work and can take time but with the right person it is absolutely possible! For me, John was absolutely the right person for the job and I thank my lucky stars that I found him.
  

• Having put up with personal and professional trauma issues for years, John helped me to release a lot of buried emotions. I had previously had counselling for this which helped but John managed to turn me round and to look forward to a decent life. Wonderful!_
  

• Through his skills he explained the way I was malfunctioning in a simple and obvious way. This enabled me to look at my self and change the way I was thinking and acting._
  

The depressions I was having have lifted, and I am beginning to have a rewarding social life. Thanks John, you're a star.

• For about a two year period (aged 23-25), every few months I would have these overwhelming breakdowns which left me with crippling depression, sadness, loneliness and an overpowering feeling that I could not cope with my life, and I would feel like this for about a month at a time. The feeling of not being able to cope with my own life was utterly heartbreaking. These breakdowns seemed to happen every time I had any form of contact with an ex-partner. I had tried counselling the first time I had a breakdown, but it unfortunately it was no help. Last September/October, when I felt I was at the lowest point I have ever been in my life, I asked work for help, and work put me in contact with John.I have tried above to explain how bad these breakdowns were, but honestly, there are not enough painful ways to say how horrendous they were, and how much they affected my life. The first 6 or 7 sessions with John were very very difficult; we talked about things which I really didn't want to talk about! So it was a struggle for me. Due to the fact that these breakdowns happened every time I had contact with an ex partner, I assumed they were due my inability for get over her or find closure on the ended relationship. What came to light pretty quickly while working with John, is that I had more issues than I realised before. I realised that I had buried many things from my past, which were affecting my life today, that I had issues with my mother, I struggled with relationships and the fact that I had a massive problem with myself, with by body image!When I say I had issues from my past and with my mother, I didn't have the best of up bringing and childhood up until the age of 8 when I moved in with my Nan and Father. In short I had numerous stepfathers, who were hopeless, my mother in my eyes should not be a mother, I was constantly around, alcohol, drugs and violence, and what felt like constant neglect......I haven't spoken to my mother in over 3 years!! When I say I struggle with relationships, I don't mean I struggle to get them, or find women, I mean I struggle when I am in them. I manage to find a girlfriend very easily; I am almost never without one. But I would dive head first into a new relationship whether the girl was right for me or not, without a second thought. Then at some point in the relationship I would try push them away, and then when they are gone.....I would be distraught. I had a problem with my body image; I thought I was tiny, skinny, and weak! And this pushed me in the gym, I would spend at least 10-12 hours a week in the gym, I would eat religiously every 2 and a half hours. In the past I taken numerous steroids, fat burners, performance enhancers, at one point I weighed 200lbs and I would still think I was tiny! I would try on clothes and it would drive me mad if the didn't fit right. My body image was literally controlling my life!!!Every Saturday morning I would see John, and we would work on these issues, using numerous methods, which we simple but unbelievably affective. Every session got easier as time went by, and knowing I was seeing John at the weekend made my weeks started to get easier. Overtime things in my life started to make sense. I began to get closure and move on from my ex! This was fantastic as I had struggled with this for the best part of 3 years! I started to understand how my past and how it was affecting my current relationships. I realised I had a pattern in finding them, I would want a relationship in the fear of being alone and that I would push them away in the fear of them neglecting me. Realising this pattern with John made so much sense in my life! And also helped me with a couple of women (possible relationships), after figuring this pattern out. One of the major changes John has had on me is my body image. We did a lot of work on this, lots of idea's and theories as to why I was like this, I read lots of stuff on the internet, I read a book called "The Adonis Complex ", which basically could have been my auto biography! In time towards the end of my time with John, I felt myself start to gain control of my image. I went to the gym less and less, I was less strict with my diet, I started to feel much better about the way I look. In one session John said something about what I think of my body image which turned my life upside down.....It turned it the right way! I literally felt like a changed man when I left his office. Due to the time I spent with John, and the effort he has put into helping me, I can not believe how different I am compared to when I first met him!! Since I have met John I have not had a single breakdown!! I feel happy about my life! I am in a relationship which I am positive is right for me! I have managed to get full closure on my ex (this was a massive thing for me!). For the first time in a long time, I feel great about the way I look!!! I don't go to the gym because I need to go, I go because I enjoy it and I want to go. When I look in the mirror I don't see a skinny, tiny boy! I see a adult in good shape (again this is huge for me). In simple terms - John has made my life much much less scarier than it was before I met him, and I can not thank him enough._
  

• All my life I have felt like a little girl trapped in a woman's body. I survived an extended period of sexual abuse as a child. All my life I lived in the shadow of this abuse, and felt to a large degree paralysed by my past. I've had periods of anxiety, depression and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder - nightmares, flashbacks and intrusive thoughts I tried very hard on my own to overcome this. In October 2012 following the Savile revelations, I felt my world falling apart. Everyone in the world, it seemed, was suddenly talking about child abuse and I felt like I was about to be exposed as a "victim", because I just could not stop crying and feeling sick all the time. I spoke to my GP initially who really did not know where to turn, or direct me, and I set about looking for someone to help. I was guided, after a couple of false starts, to Dr Fox. I was immediately struck by his warm nature, and felt safe, and able to finally start working on my dark secret and the impact it has had on my life. Dr Fox always listens without prejudice, asks thoughtful questions, and most importantly provides practical tools and advice that I can apply to my daily life. Some sessions were very difficult, but I always felt supported and Dr Fox made sure I had a good self care plan in place and support around me. Therapy has been so beneficial but as he warned right at the beginning, things did all get worse before they go better. After now completing my therapy, we hope, I feel a different person, more complete, more confident, and less in the shadow of my past. I have worked on correcting some faults in my thinking and for the first time can see that I have a bright future that I am in charge of, no one else. I have some big changes to make moving forward, but I know I have the tools in place now to help combat my flawed thinking and the patterns that have built up over the years. I can't thank Dr Fox enough for his skill, professionalism and kindness, and also his humour as well. Therapy isn't all hard work, there is joy along the way too. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Dr Fox to anyone requiring psychological support._
  

• I worked on my depression with John for most of 2013. I came to him through recommendation of CAT by a friend after many years of struggling with depression and a crisis at work finally persuaded me to take action. Throughout my therapy John was supportive, challenging - and flexible. Jointly we re-wrote some of the CAT 'rules' in a way which worked for me. He helped me to identify how and why I was thinking in long established patterns and supported me with practices and encouragement as I went on my journey. I would recommend John to anyone who wants to change their patterns of thought and mood, is prepared to work at it and who is willing to trust in the process. Good luck to you."_
  

• Following a prolonged period of anxiety and unhappiness, I contacted John in July 2012. Although I was acutely aware that I needed help, I was really apprehensive that my anxiety was so entrenched in my daily life, and that I wouldn't be able to break my destructive behaviour. Upon meeting him, John immediately made me feel at ease, and comfortable with the process. He explained fully the format of the sessions, and proposed a combination of Cognitive Analytical Therapy and CBT, and his reasoning behind this suggestion. John put a clear structure in place regarding sessions, ensuring I was aware of what we hoped to achieve from the sessions, and what we would look to be focusing on in the sessions ahead. I found some sessions to be overwhelming emotional which could be difficult, however I left every session with a new insight and a greater understanding of myself, and why I did the things I did. As the sessions progressed, this sense of understanding my behaviour and why I felt the way I did, led me to feel more comfortable with myself and made me feel that I had the tools and insight to act differently in situations, which ultimately has left me feeling happier and more in control. Upon completing my therapy, which lasted for 6 months, I feel I have made real progress and no longer feel dictated to by anxiety in my daily life. Through John's extensive help and support, I feel excited about what lies ahead for the first time in many years. I owe my current state of mind and optimism for the future to John and his time and guidance, and for that, I cannot thank him enough.
  

• Life, it has to be said, is hard for me. I struggle. More than most, at any rate. I would often think 'Will I ever be happy?' When I found John, that question seemed to have a definitive answer. I was lost in the saddest, bleakest and most isolated of places. I had given up on my career, everyday chores seemed pointless. The only motivation I had for doing anything was to keep face and I was only barely achieving that. And, although this was the worst I had ever felt, retrospectively, I had been living like this for years. Therapy felt contradictory at times. Initially, because I was hoping for a quick fix, to walk out of the office on week two with a skip in my step. Later, as things became clearer, realising the things that were holding me back, it was difficult not to feel worse about them. How silly to have wasted all this time on something so simple! Therapy requires, for want of a better word, faith. If not faith in the therapy or even faith in the Therapist, faith in the possibility that things can change. Not that a person has to change, but that a person's experience of life can be altered. And at this point, I put my faith in John. I can't tell you when things started to get better, they just did. I was simply doing more, wanting to do more. I found myself working again. Hard decisions that had needed addressing for years made themselves. Problems that I've had for as long as I can remember stopped bothering me quite so much. I'm the same old me - I'm just OK with that now. I thank John for helping me get here._
  

• I have struggled with the issue of food and my weight for many years now. This has had a drastic effect on all aspects of my life not least my family and sporting passion. Being diagnosed with atypical anorexia in the early part of 2012 was a major down point in my life and came as a massive shock as the realisation of such a severe condition set in. All I could think about was food; when and what I would eat next. I lived a life of a fat free diet to ensure my weight would remain low. It was a demoralising position to be in and one I thought I would not break out of. I was subsequently advised to seek psychological help and began meeting with John on a weekly basis. From the first meeting John was extremely friendly and had a resounding calming effect which significantly contributed to the effectiveness of the therapy. Importantly for me John always explained everything fully and ultimately left any decisions in my hands. I was always the one in control of the sessions and it was up to me where and how we progressed along with his guidance. Initially we looked at how the disorder manifested itself and the reasons why. We then worked on a very practical basis where I was able to challenge my thoughts by testing them with different food stuffs. This was an extremely effective approach for me which really allowed me to push myself. I found it extremely easy to speak with John and fully explain the problems I was experiencing. Every time we met I left feeling so much more positive and upbeat about how I was going to progress in the upcoming week. His expertise and knowledge has really helped me overcome this debilitating condition. I have succeeded by increasing my weight and I feel so much happier within myself. I can't thank John enough for his help and support. I would definitely recommend his service to anybody suffering with eating disorders.
  

• I decided to seek help following a period of anxiety in July 2011, which left me feeling overwhelmed, unable to cope and generally unhappy. I commenced weekly meetings with Dr Fox in Sept 2011. Initially I had no idea what to expect, but from the very first contact I was put at ease immediately and even more so following the first appointment. Dr Fox was incredibly friendly, really easy to talk to and explained everything to me thoroughly. After a couple of meetings we discussed and decided upon the right therapy for me which was Cognitive Analytical Therapy, which I had never heard of before. However, after further explanation of what the therapy entailed I was convinced that it was the right approach for me. Admittedly some weeks were incredibly emotional and left me totally drained but looking back now it was worthwhile to experience the end result. The weekly meetings really helped me understand who I was and why I felt and behaved the way that I did. It was incredibly reassuring once I started to feel better and I have continued to utilise the tools that this therapy has provided me with. I now feel much more able to cope on a day to day basis, I recognise feelings and put in place exit strategies prior to them becoming problematic. I would highly recommend Dr Fox to anyone experiencing anxiety. My therapy lasted 6 months and I can not thank Dr Fox enough for the help, support and guidance that he has given me through what feels like the most difficult time of my life. I am actually proud of myself for facing up to this situation and dealing with it. I now look forward to the future and remaining in this happier, calmer state of mind.
  

• Before I began my therapy sessions with John, I was in a dark place. I always felt depressed, upset and lost. I had no motivation and found every day to day tasks impossible, and I found trying to do anything a real challenge. My mind and thoughts were constantly clouded and I did not feel in control of my own mind. I felt as though I could never concentrate or relax. I truly believed that I would never be able to feel 'normal' again. Along with my depressed state I also struggled with my issues around my body and appearance that had began around 3 years ago that also needed to be addressed. However week by week as I attended each therapy session, I began to slowly feel happier and more in control. Using different therapy principles and techniques, John helped me to understand the reasons behind my low mood and thoughts. As the therapy went on I felt more in control as I actually understood why I felt the way I did. Now on completing my therapy, I am a completely different person. I am so much stronger and happier, and I do feel 'normal' again. My mind is also relaxed and I feel in control. I know I would not be feeling the way I do now without the huge amounts of help and support that John gave me throughout the therapy. Before I began therapy I did not really understand how it could help me, however I know I could not feel the way I do now without it. I would like to thank John so much for all the help and support he gave me, I owe my happier, stronger state to John and his therapy sessions.