Finder

Specialises in

• Applied Relaxation
• Behavioural Activation (BA)
• CBT with Exposure and Response Prevention (CBT with ERP)
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

• Counselling
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Family Therapy
• Mindfulness based CBT

• Motivational Interviewing
• Solution Focused Brief Therapy
• Trauma focused CBT

Bupa specialist

• Child and Adolescent Mental Health services

Offers

• Face-to-face consultations
• Video and telephone consultations

About me

My Qualifications and Experience:
Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology
BSc (Hons) Degree in Psychology with Clinical Psychology
Registered Psychologist Practitioner with the Health and Care Professions Council
Enhanced DBS check

Since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist in 1998, I have worked primarily with children, adolescents and families, across a range of settings, including hospitals, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and education settings. I have worked therapeutically with adults, both as individuals and as parents, in both physical and mental health settings.

I have facilitated therapeutic groups for children and adults, and I have provided teaching, consultation and supervision around psychological issues to a wide range of professionals, including reflective practice group supervision for hospital staff.

I have worked as a Psychologist with the British Red Cross and with a charity specialising in cancer care. I have worked therapeutically with elite athletes from a range of sporting backgrounds.

How I work:
A therapy session provides a protected, confidential (within limits) and safe space for individuals and families to come and talk with a therapist who is not personally involved with their situation. Making the decision to seek support, and being able to talk openly and without judgement, are often the first steps towards change.

When we meet for your initial assessment, I will explain what will happen during the course of your therapy sessions, to help you to feel at ease and so that you know what to expect. Your concerns and worries will be explored and we will talk about what has led you to seek help. We will build a picture to establish what changes you would like to see and how these might be addressed through therapy. These may include: bringing about behavioural change; improving relationships and communication; developing strategies to manage difficult/painful emotions; managing the symptoms of anxiety and depression: and improving quality of life. The goals we work towards will be decided together and will be reviewed as we go along.

Difficulties faced by one person or within a relationship, can have a significant impact on other family members and on other relationships. I view any individual, and particularly young people, in the context of their wider environment, so when we talk we will consider family, education, peer/work relationships and other professionals you may be involved with. Sometimes it is useful or necessary for me to liaise with other people/agencies. We will discuss this together beforehand.

We will talk about your concerns, but also about other areas of life, such as family, friendships, school, work, hobbies/interests, general health, hopes and expectations of therapy, and about the beliefs and values you hold. It may be important to talk about experiences from the past that could be influencing what is happening in the present. As well as looking at what is feeling difficult, we will talk about your strengths, resilience and support system, and build on these so that when therapy ends, you will hopefully feel you have developed the skills and means to continue with the progress you have made.

My Therapeutic Approaches:
I draw on a variety of therapeutic approaches, including Systemic Family Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Narrative Therapy, Brief-Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Focused CBT, Attachment models of understanding, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). We will discuss which forms of therapy may be best suited to you. Alongside talking therapies, some people (particularly young people) find it easier to express themselves through play and creative techniques so we may use toys, role-play, sand, and art materials to encourage expressing and exploring emotions and relationships.

Areas of interest

I offer psychological assessment and therapy for a broad range of emotional and behavioural concerns experienced by children, adolescents, families, and adults, including:

Anxiety general, specific, phobias, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder;
Low mood/depression;
Chronic health conditions, such as chronic pain and chronic fatigue;
Coping with physical health symptoms or medical diagnoses, in self and in others (within client/family);
Unexplained medical symptoms;
Low confidence and self-esteem;
Bereavement, grief and loss;
Parenting concerns:
Attachment concerns;
Sleep issues;
Stress management, including work-related stress;
School/college related difficulties, including school refusal, bullying and exam stress;
Sports and competitive-exercise anxieties and motivation issues;
Visible difference concerns;
Difficulties within relationships;
Motivation/decision-making difficulties;

Frequency and number of sessions will vary based on individual need.

Specialist interests and expertise in the following physical conditions

• Pain management

• Psychophysiological disorders