Services

A thorough assessment of the presenting concerns typically involves a range of sessions which may include a family session and/or a joint session between parent and child/young person, interviews with the child/young person on their own and a parent interview to collect background information and developmental history.  It may also involve you and/or your child completing some questionnaires to help inform the assessment.  The treatment I subsequently offer takes account of the assessment findings, particularly the underlying issues that may be maintaining the difficulties, the child's developmental stage and age, as well as the family system within which they live.  I draw on a range of evidence-based therapies, including:

​

• psychodynamic play therapy

• cognitive-behavioral therapy

• attachment informed psychotherapy (either with individuals, dyads or more)

• individual psychodynamic psychotherapy

• mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy informed interventions.

​

Alongside individual treatment of the child or young person, I may also recommend child-focused parent psychotherapy which aims to assist parents to understand more fully both their child/young person's difficulties and internal experiences, as well as explore and adjust unhelpful patterns in parenting and relationships with their children.   

Assessment also forms an important part of my initial sessions with the adults who see me.  These discussions focus on you sharing with me information about the concerns that have brought you along, your family background, current relationships, your perception of the areas you require assistance with and also your strengths.  I may also ask you to complete some questionnaires which can assist in our understanding of your challenges. Following these discussions, I will share with you my impressions and understanding of your difficulties, as well as what may help to address these, and together we will consider a way forward for treatment.  These early sessions also provide an opportunity for you to work out whether you wish to progress with treatment sessions with me.  Taking account of all of this, I can offer a variety of evidence-based treatments that can include:

​

• psychodynamic psychotherapy (time-limited or longer-term)

• cognitive-behavioural therapy

• attachment informed psychotherapy

• mindfulness and acceptance & commitment based interventions.

​

I also have a special interest in working with adults who are engaged in the journey of IVF fertility treatment. Depending upon your circumstances, this can be a particularly stressful period of time which can raise many feelings and anxieties within oneself, or within the couple relationship.  Having a space to think and talk with a non-medical professional about your experiences in this context may help to:

​

• put aspects of your IVF treatment into perspective

• develop ways to manage your stress levels

• address questions related to decision-making about how much IVF treatment is "enough"

• address relationship challenges

• process challenging emotions associated with your experience of IVF. 

​

Further areas in this context that I may be able to help with include assisting to prepare for and adjust to the unique challenges associated with becoming a parent to a donor conceived child, or a child conceived and born with the assistance of a surrogate. This work may involve parent sessions and/or joint sessions between the parent(s) and baby/toddler/child/young person.

As a clinical psychologist I have valued the training and supervision I personally experienced, and these relationships have served as a model for how I have approached sessions with those psychologists I have supervised. In particular, the centrality of the supervisory relationship between myself and my supervisee provides a strong foundation to focus on a range of issues depending upon your needs. Some of these may include: 

​

• a discussion of the clinical material and reflecting on it's significance from a theoretical and developmental perspective 

• consideration of evidence-based assessment techniques

• formulation skills 

• a focus on transference and countertransference

• treatment planning skills, including a consideration of evidence-based interventions in the context of individual clinical needs

• preparing for and developing skills in providing feedback and recommendations to patients

• developing intervention skills

• ensuring professional and ethical standards of practice are met by encouraging development of your "ethical antennae"

• discussing and processing challenging organisational issues and/or work relationship experiences

• reflecting on aspects of career development.​

​

I also have experience in the provision of secondary consultation to teams within a variety of welfare & mental health organisations.