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 extensively with children, adolescents and families, across a range of settings, including hospitals, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and education settings. I also have many years’ experience working therapeutically with adults, both as individuals and as parents. I have worked as a Psychologist with the British Red Cross and with a charity specialising in cancer care, in addition to many years in the NHS and in private practice.

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 supervision for medical/hospital staff, staff supporting asylum seekers and refugees, and mental health professionals. I have delivered teaching on psychological issues at several national conferences.

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; 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, particularly young people, in the context of their wider environment, so when we talk, we will consider family, education/work environment, peer relationships and your support system, including other professionals you may be involved with. Sometimes it is useful or necessary for me to liaise with other people/agencies involved. 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 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-based CBT, Compassion-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Brief-Solution Focused Therapy, Attachment models of understanding, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing). We will discuss which forms of therapy may be best suited to you. 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.

My Areas of Clinical 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/other (within client/family)

Unexplained medical symptoms

Low confidence and self-esteem

Bereavement, grief and loss

Trauma

Sleep issues

Stress management, including work-related stress

Attachment concerns

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

Parenting concerns

Motivation/decision-making difficulties

Session Structure:

The interventions offered will be tailored to individual circumstances and will therefore vary in number and frequency of sessions.  Sessions may be with the individual and/or family members. I offer remote (online and telephone) as well as in-person sessions.

Appointments are usually one hour long, and I work on Tuesday and Fridays.

Fees:

My fee for self-funding clients is £120.00 per one hour session. 

I am registered with major private health insurance companies, including BUPA, AXA PPP, Aviva, Cigna, WPA and Vitality Health.

Referral

View our Referral Form

Contact Us

0114 267 8613
info.cornerstone@gmail.com