Welcome. I am Dr Wendy Isenwater
"Wendy was great with my 10-year old daughter, who was having night-time anxieties and was unable to sleep on her own. She had a developed a lot of (obsessive) rituals at bedtime to cope, but these were also worrying us. In just a few CBT sessions, Wendy helped her understand her worries, and taught her how to tackle them. The sessions were a lot of fun, and my daughter is now able to sleep peacefully in her room, most of the time!"
Mother of 11 year old girl
Someone to talk to...
As a parent myself, I understand how important it is for you to know what to expect on this journey of help. You might be wondering what to expect on your first appointment and the process and timescales involved.
Initially, I will discuss with you as parents what difficulties and issues you are experiencing with your child. You will have a chance to ask as many questions as you would like and have a good opportunity to explain how you are feeling. I will give you an idea of the process involved, and describe your options for next steps.
In the next session, I will meet your child (if needed), and then we can come to a joint understanding of what would be helpful as next steps. This might include weekly or fortnightly sessions, or a referral to a different professional or organisation. Sessions tend to last six to ten weeks, or for some people longer, depending on the nature and severity of the issues.For younger children (and younger siblings that might come along to family/parent sessions), I have a box of toys and drawing materials and I will make the session as relaxing and comfortable as possible. Each session will last about 50 minutes.
I have years of experience and have worked with many families like yours. Click on the icons below for their experiences:
"I met Wendy during a difficult period in my life where I felt there was no one to turn to and explain the reasons behind my behaviour. Not only was she incredibly approachable and easy to be around, she allowed me to be totally honest which was crucial for identifying the root cause and learning how to deal with it. Spending the time to reflect in a safe environment was something I didn't think I needed, but has changed the way I approach anything adverse I now face"
"Wendy had such a lovely, calm and warm manner, my son immediately connected with her and enjoyed his weekly sessions. She gave us both lots of time and support and had the right balance of empathy and practical help. Wendy was excellent at proactively engaging with the school to make sure we were all on the same page. I started to see really positive results in my son's behaviour and emotions after just a few sessions, which helped me to get my confidence back too. I am very grateful to Wendy"
“I found the sleep workshop with Wendy very useful. She explained the various methods of sleep training, and the theories behind them, in a clear way. It gave me the confidence to decide what was right for us and how I wanted to help my son learn to sleep through, without having to wade through parenting books whilst sleep deprived. It was a structured session that felt informal and supportive, and ultimately helped me to make positive changes in the way I was handling bedtime routines"
"Wendy was a great support for our son at a very stressful time. Her calm and friendly manner always put our son at ease. Wendy made a real difference in our sons life giving him the self-esteem and confidence that was missing. She reassured us as parents that everything was going to be ok. Wendy was and still is only a phone call away.”
"I am very grateful to Wendy for all her help and the beneficial impact she has had on our family."
"Wendy was great with my 10-year old daughter, who was having night-time anxieties and was unable to sleep on her own. She had a developed a lot of (obsessive) rituals at bedtime to cope, but these were also worrying us. In just a few CBT sessions, Wendy helped her understand her worries, and taught her how to tackle them. The sessions were a lot of fun, and my daughter is now able to sleep peacefully in her room, most of the time!"
“Wendy was a great support for our son at a very stressful time. Her calm and friendly manner always put our son at ease. Wendy made a real difference in our sons life giving him the self-esteem and confidence that was missing. She reassured us as parents that everything was going to be ok. Wendy was and still is only a phone call away.”
"Wendy's help and advice has been invaluable in helping us to support the complex needs of our child whilst at the same time helping them to understand more clearly their emotions, triggers and the consequences of his actions."