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CITA STAFF

The service is supervised by Pam Armstrong who is CITA's Consultant and Trainer. Pam trained with the Centre for Stress Management, London, and has their Certificate in Anxiety Management. She in turn runs all training courses for CITA counsellors in both anxiety and stress management, and in tranquilliser and antidepressant withdrawal techniques.

All CITA counsellors are qualified to Diploma standard and adhere to the British Association of Counselling Code of Practice. All have an understanding of psychotropic drug addiction and work in GP practices, with support groups and on the CITA national helpline. Their training allows them to initiate and monitor benzodiazepine tranquilliser programmes, working actively and closely with GP's.

Some counsellors have particular skills in acupuncture and hypnotherapy both of which have a valuable role in withdrawing from mind altering medication, both prescribed and over the counter. CITA counsellors have been employed successfully for over ten years in GP practices on Merseyside, and in Wigan and Bolton, providing an anxiety reduction and general counselling service to patients in the practice.