Education and Professional Registration
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Clinical Psychologist – Number: PYL25973
- BPS Accredited Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – University of Surrey
- Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Mental Health Studies – University of Southampton
- First Class BSc(Hons) in Psychology with Clinical Psychology – University of Kent
Professional
In addition to private practice, I have been working in the NHS since 2005, providing a range of psychological treatments to people who require support for their distress. I am very experienced in the practice of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which the government recommends as the first line of treatment for the majority of psychological difficulties.
I have a specialist interest in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and have been utilising this model in my work for the past 115 years. ACT is a what we call a third wave cognitive behavioural therapy, and focuses on acceptance of one’s internal experiences (thoughts, feelings, memories etc.) in order to move forwards and start living a life that is vibrant and meaningful. When I was undertaking my doctoral training I completed my thesis looking at the processes of change that occur in ACT, and I was particularly interested in its use with people for whom other treatments have been unsuccessful. Since qualifying as a clinical psychologist, I have developed ACT across my local NHS Trust, writing treatment protocols and providing training to other staff members. I have recently won an award within the Trust for the work that I have undertaken to roll ACT out across local services.
In 2013 I undertook Foundation Level training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) with the British Isles training group (the sole licensed providers of DBT training in the UK).
I am committed towards ongoing professional development and regularly attend relevant workshops and training events. I have also presented my own research at the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) conference and I regularly provide training to other mental health professionals.
Personal
My personal interests include cooking, writing, photography and painting. I believe that this flair for creativity is highly relevant to my work as a clinical psychologist and that an imaginative outlook increases the capacity for flexibility. In the past I have worked alongside clients to produce collages, storybooks and paintings to explore and make sense of their experiences. This has been particularly beneficial in my work with children and adolescents.