Positive psychology is a science of positive aspects of human life, such as happiness, well-being and flourishing…. and it can be found in abundance in the soul of Annette Boden. Johanna Bolhoven went along to meet Knutsford-based hypno-psychotherapist and counsellor, Annette, to find out more.
Annette Boden is an emotional well-being and stress management consultant with more than twenty years’ experience in a wide range of therapeutic interventions.
Annette at the entrance to Knutsford Business Centre where her practice is based.
It goes without saying that she is fully qualified and she works to the code of ethics of her professional association(s) to ensure she offers the highest standards of customer care and, after spending just an hour in her company, I very quickly realised there’s something very special about Annette.
Her work has a particular focus on positive psychology, working with a person’s strength and resources; and transpersonal psychology, working with the whole person spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically.
She also includes mindfulness, and compassion-focussed therapy, resulting in an integrative counselling approach.
Integrative counselling, as the name suggests, is a combined approach to psychotherapy that brings together different elements of specific therapies.
Annette takes the view that there is no single approach that can treat each client in all situations. She said: “A therapist’s primary tool is their emotional sensitivity. I am exactly where I should be in my journey; one that has afforded me a high degree of self-awareness and personal wellbeing, and because of these experiences I can help people make their own positive changes.”
She is open and honest about her own life experiences: “With every life stage comes emotional uncertainly.”
In 2016 she moved her practice from Derbyshire back to Knutsford, where she had spent so many happy childhood years exploring Tatton Park with her father. “My father was a constant source of support to me throughout my career and development, a journey that I feel has finally brought me home,”
Johanna Bolhoven talking to Annette about her work.
Sitting in Annette’s safe and cosy consulting room in Knutsford Town House on King Street, I experienced a true moment of calm.
My own busy life means that I very rarely ‘stop and smell the flowers’ but, simply by speaking to Annette, I suddenly understood why I should.
“Self-care can take many forms and can include going through therapy.” Annette told me. “Being a psychotherapist has meant helping other people improve their lives significantly. I have always known this was my path to take. This is my life’s work and my soul’s purpose.”
She specialises in stress management and emotional well-being and her insights are well sought-after; you may have heard her on local and national radio, or you may have read one of her articles that regularly appear in the local and regional press.
She is also writing a book that has been “three years in the making”.
From Monday to Thursday Annette offers individual therapy sessions at her central Knutsford-based practice. She also offers a clinic at Park Lane consulting rooms in Macclesfield, Priorslegh medical centre in Poynton, and The Regency Hospital in Macclesfield.
As a trained Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher, Annette teaches a Mindful Self-Compassion programme and runs relaxation master classes, well-being workshops and seminars, for both corporate clients and individuals.
Annette has found her soul’s purpose and, if you feel that you might benefit from any of the therapeutic interventions she provides, then I encourage you to find out more by visiting www.annetteboden.co.uk
We ALL need to ‘stop and smell the flowers’ once in a while!
Annette will show you the way.
