Tinnitus Retraining Therapy in London & Hertfordshire

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Tinnitus retraining therapy is a multidimensional approach to help people with problematic tinnitus. The aim of tinnitus retraining therapy is to help people habituate to a tinnitus experience. Approaches we might use include: tinnitus counselling, psychoeducation, EMDR, tinnitus sound therapy, behavioural therapy, mindfulness based stress reduction, body psychotherapy, psychotherapy and practical advice.

What Is Problematic Tinnitus?

Problematic tinnitus is charaterised by a negative somatic and psychological reaction to a tinnitus stimulus. 10% of people who have tinntus, experience problematic tinnitus. This means 90% are not overly bothered by it. Risk of developing problematic tinnitus is linked to personality typology, the cause of tinnitus, historical experience of trauma, perceived tinnitus level and what level of support and advice you have been given in relation to tinnitus.

What Is Tinnitus Habituation?

Tinnitus habituation refers to having a neutral response to a tinnitus stimulus so that most of the time you are not aware of having tinnitus. Tinnitus habituation does not mean you never have a bad day and never experience intrusive symptoms ocasionally under specific circumstances.

What Is Tinnitus Retraining Therapy?

Our tinnitus retraining therapy uses a number of different approaches to help change the relationship you have with tinnitus, effectively changing a negative relationship with tinnitus to a neutral one. It might involve working on negative thoughts related to problematic tinnitus changing behaviour or working on a negative somatic reaction to tinnitus, befriending tinnitus, sleep difficulties, how to relax with tinnitus. We also work on tinnitus associated difficulties which include trauma, stress and anxiety.

Psychotherapist

Matthew Alderton - BSc, MA, Dip, Dip Psych. I trained at The Centre For Counselling & Psychotherapy Education in London to become a counsellor and psychotherapist. I am also an EMDR practitioner.

I regularly help clients with problematic tinnitus and support them on their tinnitus habituation journey. I utilise my personal experience of tinnitus, counselling, psychotherapy, EMDR and body psychotherapy. A psychological and somatic approach can be very helpful if you are struggling with problematic tinnitus.

I am approachable and down to earth helping you to feel safe and relaxed when working through tinnitus difficulties.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Approaches

Body Psychotherapy

Body psychotherapy can help you address the negative somatic reaction you might have in your body in relation to tinnitus. Tinnitus management requires a bottom up as well as a top down approach.

Counselling & Psychotherapy

Counselling & Psychotherapy provide the perfect base for tinnitus retraining therapy and support you through the process. It can help with addressing difficulties you have in relation to your reactive experience of tinnitus.

Behavioural Therapy

Behavioural therapy can help you to address the way your thinking is affecting your anxiety and stress levels in relation to tinnitus. This is an excellent compliment to somatic other tinnitus approaches.

Sound Therapy

Sound therapy might include tinnitus masking. Tinnitus masking enables us to cover over the sound of tinnitus with a more pleasant sound. It can be very beneficial as part of tinnitus retraining therapy.

MBSR

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is something you can do for yourself to help with tinnitus. Once you have practiced MBSR in therapy it can be a transformation tool for problematic tinnitus.

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing therapy for tinnitus can help desensitise your tinnitus trigger. We also use it to reprocess trauma which might have caused tinnitus and the trauma your experience of tinnitus might cause.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy Benefits

Tinnitus habituation

Neutralise the experience of tinnitus so that it is no longer triggering and you are no longer aware of it.

Control

Take back control from tinnitus so that it no longer dominates your experience of life.

Related difficulties

TRT can help you to work through problematic tinnitus related difficulties. This can make it easier to habituate to tinnitus.

Happiness

Feel happier in yourself. When we stop allowing tinnitus to control our lives we feel happier and restore balance.

Tinnitus Retraining Therapy FAQ's

What happens in a tinnitus retraining therapy session?

TRT is a multidimensional approach to tinnitus. Some of the things we might work on include: psychoeducation, tinnitus habituation blocks, desensitising the tinnitus trigger itself or finding ways to relax with a tinnitus experience.

How long does tinnitus retraining therapy last?

It is thought that on average with the right support it takes one year to habituate to tinnitus. Everyone is different and requires different levels of support. We will support you for as long as you need.

Will I always have tinnitus?

For some people tinnitus is a temporary experience. For others it sticks around for longer. Our primary concern is to help you habituate to tinnitus, moving you from problematic tinnitus to non intrusive tinnitus. When we do this tinnitus usually backs off and symptoms reduce.

Our Client's Experience Of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy

Hertford Client

" My tinnitus symptoms have backed off a bit making me feel there is hope moving forward"

Finchley Client

"It was really helpful to get support and speak with someone who really understands tinnitus. I now know what options are avaiable for me to help myself"

Windsor Client

"I have had a long struggle with tinnitus and finally feel like i am making progress with it"

EMDR Therapy For Tinnitus

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) is a relatively new approach for tinnitus. It works to help with trauma which might have caused tinnitus in the first place but also to help with trauma caused by the experience of tinnitus itself.