Profile

I provide a high quality and personal service to individuals and organisations. Based in the North of England, and with over 25 years experience of working in the NHS and local authority organisations, I have been providing high-level Clinical Psychology Services since 1983. Over the last 10 years I have developed a private practice providing a service for Solicitors, insurance companies, General Practitioners’s and private healthcare insurers.

After working for the Social Services during the seventies I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Newcastle and then went on to postgraduate training in Hertfordshire with North West Thames Regional Health Authority. I have subsequently worked in County Durham since 1987.

In association with Newcastle University I have been actively involved in the training and professional development of clinical psychologists across the North East.  I have played a key role as convener of a large group of psychologists working with psychological trauma and have organised the trauma teaching for trainees completing the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Newcastle University.

I currently work for a number of Health Trusts working with adults referred by General Practitioners and Psychiatrists. I am also employed on a consultancy basis to provide supervision to individuals and organisations who deal with effects of trauma. Clinically, my work is trans-theoretical in that it draws on a range of theoretical models and I aim to help people find the best ways of coping for themselves without the need for lengthy therapy. I aim to provide information and advice to as wide a range of people as possible through this website, utilising material that I have produced myself and information accessible through the Internet.

Qualifications and Experience

Professional Positions and Memberships

• Consultant Clinical Psychologist in private practice, County Durham.
• Associate Teacher - Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
• Chartered Clinical Psychologist - British Psychological Society.
• Associate Fellow of The British Psychological Society.
• Member of the Division of Clinical Psychology, British Psychological Society.

Medico-Legal Experience

• Certificate of Expert Witness Accreditation 2005 ( Cardiff University Bond Solon )
• Preparation of court reports in relation to psychological assessment and provision of an expert opinion in respect of adults with psychological problems.
• Experience of personal injury claims, criminal proceedings and Child Protection proceedings, including court attendance and cross examination.

Private Practice

1999 - Present Private practice, training, consultancy, assessment, therapy and supervision to individuals, Social Services, NHS, Solicitors, and Employee Assistance Programmes.

1999 - 2004 "Waiting List Initiatives" have been undertaken on a private basis in Newcastle, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Bishop Auckland, Gateshead, Newton Aycliffe, Darlington and Barnard Castle.

2003 - Whilst I have been involved in the provision of reports to solicitors for several years, I have also been providing a specialist service in relation to the psychological assessment of adults involved in Child Care proceedings.

Previous Posts

1996 - 2003 Consultant Clinical Psychologist - Derwentside Primary Care NHS Trust.

1996 -1999 Clinical Tutor and Honorary Lecturer, School of Neurosciences, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (4 sessions).

Duties included selection, teaching, examining, tutoring, research supervision and supervisor training.

1988 - 1996 Senior, and then Principal Clinical Psychologist. General Adult Services, S.W. Durham Mental Health Trust.

1986 - 1988 Basic Grade Clinical Psychologist. Rehabilitation/Adult Mental Health, Barnet Health Authority, Napsbury Hospital, Hertfordshire.

1983 - 1986 Probationer Clinical Psychologist. North West Thames In-Service Training Scheme.

1981 - 1983 Psychology Technician. District Clinical Psychology Service, S.W. Hertfordshire Health Authority.

1975 - 1979 Residential Child Careworker. Social Services Department, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Formal Qualifications

1983 - 1986 Diploma in Clinical Psychology, North West Thames In-Service Training Scheme.

1979 - 1981 B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic.

Post Qualification Training

2005 Cardiff University Expert Witness Certificate, May - September 2005.

2004 Expert Witness Conference, Westminster, London. Bond Solon.

1993 - 1995 Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy - Personal/Training Therapy (3 times a week).

1989 - 1994 Psychodynamic Psychotherapy supervision from Dr Richard Cawthra,
Consultant Psychotherapist and Clinical Director, Regional Department of Psychotherapy.

1989 "Authority, Leadership and Organisation", (The Leicester Conference). 2 week residential event organised by the Tavistock Institute, Group Relations Training Programme.

1987 Introductory Lectures and Seminars, organised by The British Psychoanalytic Society.

1986 - 1987 "Psychodynamic Perspectives on Clinical Psychology", 1 year course organised by The Tavistock Clinic.

Training Others - Special Interest Groups

1998 - 2002 Convener of Trauma Special Interest Group.

1993 - 1999 Convener of Regional Special Interest Group in Primary Care.

1992 - 1995 Chair of Northern Region Supervisors Group.

Training Others- Workshops and Conferences

2000 - 2006 "Intervention and Formulation Workshop". A workshop package personally developed, designed and delivered to Psychology and Mental Health services in Gateshead, Durham, Darlington, Spennymoor, Newcastle Northumberland, and Newcastle University.

2003 "Managing Chronic Pain", Hartlepool MIND.

2002 "Managing Anxiety and Panic Attacks", Hartlepool MIND.

2002 "The Psychology of Innovation and Change". Presentations in Newcastle and Birmingham to local authority and business executives as part of a promotional tour for an international computer software company.

1998 Organiser and facilitator of Supervision Workshop for General Practitioners.

1990 - 1997 Co-organiser and group facilitator of annual 3 day residential Supervisors Workshops.

1996 Speaker at Joint Clinical Conference, "Trauma and Dissociation".

1994 Organiser and leader of a 1 day workshop on "Personal Issues in Supervision" for Supervisors in Northern Ireland at Queens University, Belfast.

1992 Co-organiser of "Joint Clinical Conference". A joint venture between Yorkshire and Northern Region Continuing Professional Development Committees.

1991 Facilitator and speaker at 3 day residential conference on "Multidisciplinary Teamwork".

1990 Co-organiser and facilitator of "Innovation and Change", an extended post qualification workshop.

Training Others - Teaching and Supervision

1986 - Present Various lectures to Primary Care Teams, nursing staff, medics, and others.

1988 - 2005 Clinical Supervision of Clinical Psychologists, Art Therapists, Nurse Therapist and Nursing Staff.

1988 - 1999 Contributions to Clinical Psychology Doctoral Course, Newcastle University. Including teaching and examining. Direct supervision of 23 regional trainees from the Newcastle Doctoral Course. Field supervisor for Teesside University Top-up Doctorate.

1990 & 1991 Team Building and staff training in Local GP practice.

Research Activities

1996 - Present Supervision of doctoral dissertations, undergraduate dissertations and various small-scale projects.

1992 - 1993 Clinical Advisor to a Department of Health funded study investigating Health Related groups and severity indicators.

1991 - 1993 Local needs assessment in relation to patients in the community and implementation of a categorisation system (paper presented at Joint Clinical Conference 1993).

1988 - 1991 Survey of long stay patients resident in Winterton Hospital. Findings disseminated to all user District Health Authorities and summary published in Nursing Times.

Publications