I am a full member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists which is regulated by the Professional Standards Authority.

After completing my initial post-graduate studies, I worked extensively with children and families across sectors such as Early Years, Education, Health, Social Work and the Third Sector for over 24 years. During this time, I worked with children with a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. This period includes over 14 years’ experience in working with children, young people and their professional networks who were Care Experienced, in Foster Care, Kinship care, Residential Care, in Secure Units and babies whose parents were incarcerated.

After gaining a deeper understanding of trauma and its effects and eager to learn more, I joined the Integrated Professional Doctorate Training Programme in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy delivered by the Scottish Institute of Human Relations (now Human Development Scotland), in partnership with Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and the Association of Child Psychotherapists, where I completed a 5.5 years full time intensive training in the Department of Child and Family Psychiatry (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) in Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS. During this period, I had the opportunity to develop my understanding and skills further within Tier 3 Services at the Department of Child, Adolescent and Family Psychiatry and Tier 4 Specialist Children’s Services in the Complex Trauma Pathway Team at The Royal Hospital for Sick Kids. During this time I developed a special interest in Autism and other neuro-developmental disorders.

I offer highly specialised trauma-focused, attachment-based psychotherapy treatment to children and young people (0 to 25 years) presenting with a wide range of moderate to severe mental health difficulties. The range of my clinical work includes working with depression, anxiety, self-harm, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, phobias, supportive psychotherapy for Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders, Eating Disorders, issues related to gender and identity but especially a wide range of neuro-developmental difficulties associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders/Conditions, where the child may have complex difficulties with multiple diagnoses. My research interests are neuro-developmental and I am in the process of finalising my research question.

Besides short, medium and long-term treatment, I offer specialised assessments such as School Observation, pre-diagnositc autism assessments, State of Mind /emotional state/internal world assessments to help with planning for children and young people, as well as supervision and consultations to staff teams and organisations working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties where the situation may be stuck, challenging, complex or puzzling. I also offer support to potential adoptive parents, foster carers, kinship carers and parents who may be struggling to manage or make sense of their child’s behaviours