Finding a therapist can be a baffling process…

…I would always recommend the following steps to help you identify someone that you would like to work with.

Firstly, look for someone who is registered and/or accredited with reputable governing bodies. I am an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), an accredited cognitive behavioural therapist with the British Association of behavioural and cognitive psychotherapists (BABCP) and registered as a practitioner psychologist with the healthcare professionals council (HCPC). I am accredited by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) as a practitioner coach. Unregistered and unaccredited practitioners may not have the qualifications or experience they claim they do – any competent therapist you are thinking of working with should be happy to talk about this and their qualifications and experience. 

Secondly, look for somebody’s qualifications and the weight of these qualifications. In addition to a specialist degree in psychology with clinical psychology, I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology,  studied for two years to attain a postgraduate diploma in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and spent a number of years accrediting with the BABCP. I trained in, set up and led Sheffield’s first dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) program for adolescents over the course of a year and I have also undergone numerous other trainings in a variety of different other therapies, particularly what are called ‘third wave’ therapies; mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, DBT. I also underwent significant training and study in the field of attachment.

Thirdly, Look for someone’s experience. I have spent 17 years in the NHS in a variety of different positions, including leading a team of 40 clinicians, supervisor, line manager, honorary teacher and lecturer. I have expertise in working with presentations associated with anxiety both in adolescents of 14 years and over and in the adult population. I spent seven years working as an expert witness in child and family courts, and for the last four years, I have run a thriving private practice working with adolescents and adults.

I do hope that the above will reassure you that I could be the right therapist for you. I am happy to have a free initial 20-minute consultation with you, where you can feel free to ask any questions you would like and for us to agree on initial areas to work on.

Supervision

I can offer supervision on a monthly basis to clients working towards accreditation with the BABCP, therapists looking for a multi-faceted approach to supervision that draws on different models of working and also for those starting out in private practice.