Anna Keen - Integrative Counselling

29/06/2026

Hi Everyone,

POTENTIAL WORKSHOP - APPEARANCE AND SELF-ESTEEM

I'm sending out some information about a potential workshop to take place in Maidstone on a date to be confirmed, to see who might be interested in attending. See below for further information and email me to be added to the list so that I can update you when we have more information.

It's for people who worry too much about their appearance and want to feel less defined by it. If you are someone who feels this way and may also be self-critical about your appearance then this workshop could be great for you to help with self-esteem and just starting to feel better about yourself.

See Anita's website here: https://www.anitabhagwandas.com/

FOR WOMEN AND FEMALE-ALIGNED PEOPLE

HOSTED BY:
Anita Bhagwandas, author of the book “Ugly: Why The World Became Beauty Obsessed and How to Break Free”; and

Anna Keen, a counsellor who, through working with people on self-esteem issues, understands how much appearance shapes how we feel about ourselves, often more than we realise.

FOCUS:

This would be an immersive group experience and guided space to begin unpacking it for yourself.

The day would gently explore:

– How appearance became tied to your sense of
worth
– The origins of negative beliefs about how you
look
– Why those beliefs can feel so hard to shift
– Practical ways to start loosening their hold on
your life

This wouldn’t be about “fixing” you or telling you not to care about how you look. It’s about understanding, reclaiming, and creating a bit more freedom in your life.


REGISTER YOUR INTEREST by emailing Anna Keen – [email protected]

No commitment at all - just a way for us to understand if this is something you’d be interested in potentially attending. We are just gauging interest for now.

If this feels like something you’d want to be part of then contact us and we can send you an update.

Speaker Author Journalist Broadcaster Consultant Section Styles sticky-header I’m an award-winning journalist who explores beauty culture and questions the power that pretty privilege has over our lives. I’m so passionate about this topic that I’ve written a book on it called UGLY: Giving Us B...

23/06/2026

The HEAT!

So for anyone coming into the Maidstone Community Support Centre this week - just to let you know that I am keeping my rooms as cool as possible for you - blinds down, fans on and chilled water dispenser at the ready. We will all be working at the Centre to try and keep it as comfortable for visitors as we can.

23/06/2026

NOW OFFERING INFERENCE-BASED CBT for OCD or OCD-TYPE PRESENTATIONS

This is NOT your traditional cognitive-behavioural therapy - it’s “Inference-based”.

I am pleased to announce that I have completed and passed the training to be able to offer Inference-based CBT and was awarded my Certificate in May 2026 by The University of Pittsburgh (USA) School of Social Work.

Wow - what an amazing way of working with OCD and OCD-type issues! This is the first time in my many years of working as a counsellor where I have come across what I feel is the missing piece when working with these issues. One of the main reasons is that it works in a way that prevents you getting into an OCD “battle” with yourself or maybe feeling like you are with your therapist!

The “anything is possible” mind creates all sorts of possibilities and often people can get into a battle when working with traditional CBT approaches as it can feel like someone is trying to disprove a possibility or try to convince you that it’s generally untrue

I’m definitely not saying that other approaches don’t benefit people - I have offered cognitive-behavioural therapy for many many years and it’s worked really well for lots of different issues.

BUT Inference-based CBT recognises that anything is possible but it widens the picture, helps people to stay in the present rather than being taken by their mind into the future and looks at how trusting our senses (which we automatically do with other things in our lives) can alleviate the anxiety and help people to manage their “WHAT IF’S??????”.

That’s just a snapshot - there’s a lot more to it.

As with all types of therapies, it’s not a magic cure or a quick fix - it’s a structured way of working each week, most of the time with clients completing worksheets in-between sessions. If people want to, they can book two sessions per week as long as they feel they have the time to complete the worksheets before their next session and subject to my availability. It does require a regular commitment of time.

I see many people who either come to me saying they have OCD and may or may not have had a diagnosis. Or they may report it as “anxiety” or a behavioural problem. Often OCD forms a component of another condition - e.g. Emetophobia (an intense fear of vomiting), and therefore it is important to identify whether OCD does exist alongside other issues.

I know how much OCD can quickly gather pace and just get completely out of hand. A condition that makes you feel you have control but you feel completely out of control of the actual OCD itself! As soon as you’ve conquered one compulsive behaviour, another one emerges.

There are a lot more types of OCD than you may imagine and that’s why it can be difficult to really know if what you’re experiencing falls into an OCD category. You may not even think you carry out any compulsive behaviours and therefore rule out OCD.

In all my years of working as a counsellor and working with people coming to me with OCD or OCD-type presentations, this is the first time I have come across a way of working that focuses on the possibilities we create in our minds that lead to anxiety, fear and behaviours we feel we need to carry out to deal with all this.

You can contact me by email - [email protected] or through my website www.integrativecounselling.co.uk for more information. Or simply telephone 07738 197739.

I offer in person sessions at my offices in Maidstone, Kent, or if you prefer, we can work together remotely online by video sessions.

Integrative Counselling: Counselling, Psychotherapy & EMDR in Maidstone, Kent and online with experienced BACP psychotherapeutic counsellor Anna Keen. Anna also offers counselling supervision for Maidstone, Medway and surrounding areas.

19/05/2022

Another short webinar from Action for Happiness on 25th May -

Join us for a special event with Oliver Burkeman about how to focus on the things that really matter and let go of "getting everything done"

17/05/2022

Are you happy at work or would like to improve general happiness in your organisation? The upcoming event tomorrow evening may be of interest to you?

Join us for a special event with happiness expert Nic Marks on how to find happiness and fulfilment at work and in life.

10/02/2022

So tonight is this webinar about stress. Stress can fuel adrenalin and help us feel motivated and achieve things. However, too much can cause pressure and feeling overwhelmed. It will be interesting to hear what Modupe covers in this webinar tonight.

Join us for a special event with Professor Modupe Akinola about rethinking stress and how you can develop a positive "stress mindset".

20/01/2022

This is a great video to watch if you are just wondering about counselling/psychotherapy, seeking therapy or in therapy at the moment. Alice McGurran, who works at "Welbeing.org" speaks to trainee psychotherapist and author Jo Love about her therapy journey, advice to others seeking therapy, and what inspired her to train to become a therapist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VWWJEPapRA&t=16s

Alice McGurran speaks to trainee psychotherapist and author Jo Love about her therapy journey, advice to others seeking therapy, and what inspired her to tra...

20/12/2021

Santa Therapy

04/05/2021

I've booked up on this short webinar - looks interesting - presented by Sian Williams. Free of charge or you can choose to make a donation.

Join us for a special event with renowned broadcaster, author and therapist Sian Williams about resilience and recovery from trauma.

18/11/2020

If, like me, you are wondering what "Emotional Intelligence" means ..!? Then Action for Happiness have an Event taking place on the evening of the 24th November - just for one hour - might be of interest? I believe you will need EventBrite on your device to link to watch the webinar. There's an option of either a free ticket or you can choose to make a donation. I'll be attending.

Join Dan Goleman to learn how Emotional Intelligence can help us live happier lives and contribute to a better world.