Psychological consultation and/or therapy may be useful for a range of concerns. I offer specialist psychological services for problems experienced by scuba divers. All services are offered via online video call and available throughout the UK.
Support or therapy following a diving incident:
- Underwater panic with significant impact
- Distressing equipment problem
- Responding to problems: out-of-air / entrapment / entanglement / rapid ascent
- Coping with distressing or traumatic diving incidents
Specific scuba diving issues:
In the majority of cases the best way to address difficulties with scuba diving skills would be to find the right instructor. A safe, effective learning environment to develop scuba diving skills and confidence is often enough. But sometimes it isn’t. I therefore offer consultation on the following issues.
- Problematic anxiety or repeat episode of panic
- Specific fears / phobias
- Trouble with particular scuba diving skills (e.g. mask)
- Difficulty regulating stress reactions hindering diving
- Distressing or intrusive thoughts hindering diving
Non-diving issues that are impacting on psychological/behavioural or physical fitness-to-dive
For people that would like to scuba dive, or progress further in diving, and are experiencing barriers to diving or training. For example:
- Mental health concerns (e.g. excessive and problematic anxiety, low mood & depression).
- Chronic stress & burnout
- Confidence & esteem issues
- Lifestyle concerns, (e.g. physical fitness and diet, poor sleep)
This service is for psychological guidance, information and skills training. Not for scuba diving tuition.
Where fitness-to-dive is a concern, divers are directed to seek a medical opinion from their own doctor or consult a doctor with dive medicine expertise.
Where dive training is required, and the diver is fit-to-dive, divers are directed to seek the services of a scuba diving instructor.
Dr Walton 