Misophonia is a relatively new condition, gaining a lot of attention in the media. Misophonia is the intolerance of sounds caused by others, including eating, breathing, sniffing, tapping pens, whistling, clocks ticking and many more. The person suffering from Misophonia often reports extreme levels of anger, frustration, rage, sadness and anxiety. Children may find it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork or even be in the classroom whilst adults may avoid work situations, and both adults and children may struggle being around family, especially at mealtimes. Due to its recency in the clinical world, sufferers have previously been told to “deal with it”; however, there are newly developing therapies for how to manage the distress. Although there is currently no cure, I am one of the few qualified clinicians to have worked with adults and children with Misophonia and understand the disorder. I will be able to assess, offer psycho-education and techniques for managing you or your child’s Misophonia.
In March 2020, I was featured in the Observer magazine’s article: Please be quiet – my search for a noise free life.
Hyperacusis is another sound sensitivity but related to objects that sound overly loud and cause pain, such as hand dryers, hairdryers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners/hoovers, sirens and alarms, children crying and noisy environments. I have worked with many adults and children in helping to manage this intolerance to noise.
Tinnitus is the presence of noise internally to our ears, which can be distracting and often occurs at quiet times, such as in the classroom/workspace and at night, affecting people’s ability to concentrate/sleep. I offer assessment, psycho-education and treatment for this difficulty.
I work with other audio-vestibular medical (AVM) difficulties, including migraine and dizziness, that may either have a psychological element or can be managed using a psychological intervention.
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Please note that I will always suggest you are assessed by an audiologist for any organic causes for hearing difficulties.