About Me
Why I became a Psychologist?
I was one of those people who knew what they wanted to do before I even left school. At the time there was an American TV series called Ally McBeal that was about a Boston law firm but it wasn’t the law aspect that took my interest. Instead the main character sometimes hallucinated a dancing baby and had a therapist that she regularly went to see. I kept thinking what an honour to be trusted to hear another person’s story, another person’s truth and distress. I knew from that time that I wanted to be able to offer a safe space like that to others and I just needed to figure out how to make that a reality.
This is where Psychology and becoming a Psychologist became my dream and a goal that took nearly 13 years of studying and training to achieve. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Through understanding what it means to be human and why we do the things we do, can help when understandable coping strategies don’t work for us anymore.
About Me
Experience
My experience covers a range of different services both within the NHS and Charity Sector. I currently work in the NHS as Lead Psychologist for an award winning Pain Management Service but also have experience working in Community Mental Health Teams, Drug and Alcohol Services and in the field of Intellectual Disabilities. I also have a special interest in working therapeutically with individuals who identify as being on the Autistic Spectrum or who are adjusting following a diagnosis. The list below gives an indication of the conditions that I have experience working with.
- Addiction
- Depression
- Anxiety including panic attacks
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Psychosis
- Trauma and PTSD
- Persistent Pain
- Long Term Health Conditions
- Health Anxiety
- Clients who identify as being on the Autistic Spectrum
- Stress Management
- Adjustment difficulties
- Relationship difficulties
- Bereavement
About Me
My Approach
I believe in working collaboratively with clients to find what psychological approach works best for them. Assessment and formulation are key to getting a good understanding of your difficulties and working out with you what changes you would like to make. I tend to work integratively using the most appropriate parts of different therapeutic models and am trained in the following therapeutic approaches.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
(CBT)
CBT looks at how our thoughts, feelings and behaviours interact and how alternative thoughts or actions can lead to alternative outcomes.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT looks at how our struggles with our emotions fuels our distress. Through understanding and accepting our experiences and taking committed action we can lead the lives we want to.
Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT)
CFT aims to help us find balance between our three emotion regulation systems (threat, drive and soothe) to reduce anxiety and self-critical talk using compassion.
Mindfulness
Techniques
Through paying attention to the present moment in our minds, bodies and our senses with non-judgement can help us to not get caught in unhelpful thinking and behavioural patterns.
Person-centred Counselling
Person-centred counselling puts the client as the driver of the therapy and through offering empathy, understanding, acceptance and honesty enables self awareness and independence.
Psychoeducation
& Pain Management
Often misunderstanding and myths about our minds and bodies can contribute to our distress, better understanding of psychology and the complexity of ourselves can help.
Training and Education
Qualifications and Affiliated Bodies
Doctorate in Counselling Psychology from City, University of London
MSc in Analysis and Intervention in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from the Tizard Centre, University of Kent
BSc (Hons) in Psychology from Cardiff University
Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society
Registered Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Profession Council
Contact me
If you are interested in finding out how I may be able to help you then please complete the form below.
or Call on: 07555 601324
