Psychological Services
Whether you are feeling frustrated with your teenager son's daily behaviour; you are concerned about your toddler's social skills; or you need help with a recent diagnosis you received for your daughter; or you do not know how to resolve your children's rivarly, no issue is too small or too big to talk about. The challenges we are facing in our role as parents are endless and no parent should be feeling alone or helpless in their role. Even though it does not feel like it at times, we are the most important person in our child's life, and our power to shape our relationship with them is enormous. Together we can work towards a more confident, skillful and satisfied version of you.
Teachers' role becomes more demanding by the year, and teachers are nowadays required to face a range of challenges that they might be unprepared for. Special educational needs, challenging behaviour, underlying learning needs, complex family backgrounds, difficulties in communicating with colleagues or even work conflict and bullying are some of the most common issues the teachers I am working with are facing. Whether you need to further your knowledge on a specific area; you want to improve your relationship with a student, parent or colleague; or you want some applied and simple strategies for your classroom, I can help you achieve these targets through consultation.
I support parents and teachers who need help about children and young people with special educational needs, such as autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), genetic syndroms, profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), sensory processing difficulties, language and communication disorders and other difficulties. Whether your child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or you are starting to suspect a significant need and want a second opinion, I can guide you through this process with practical strategies for application at home and school.
Am I going to be a good mum? Is it normal that my baby wants to be held all the time? Our baby does not stop crying and we have not slept in weeks, is there anything we could do to calm her down?
These and countless other questions worry future and new parents, in one of the hardest roles one might have. Research evidence suggests that the most crucial period for a person's neurological development begins at their conception and ends on their third birthday. In this unique targeted training programme we will cover topics that tend to worry and scare people, such as bonding with your baby whilst still a bump, breastfeeding, baby communication and loving through play. Not only will you leave this course feeling confident and knowledgeable as a parent, but you will also have developed a valuable network of other parents.
An innovative approach to problem resolution, inspired by Solution-focused Brief Therapy. People say that the most valuable source of knowledge can be found in our colleagues. Through this model and with my facilitation you can learn how to effectively resolve issues that worry you with your colleagues' or other parents' help. And all this within only 30 minutes.
Parents and teachers can ask my help for students with low academic attainment, literacy difficulties, memory, attention and concentration difficulties, and other learning difficulties. As part of my involvement I might need to carry out consultation with staff, parents and students; class and break observation at school; and direct assessment of the student's strengths and difficulties. The end product of my involvement will be a shared action planning with strategies for application at school and home.
Some of the most common difficulties in this area include emotional regulation difficulties, low self-esteem, outbursts of anger, peer relationship difficulties, low motivation, bullying, self-harming and sexually inappropriate behaviour. Such difficulties often mask themselves as learning, memory and concentration difficulties, or even as psychosomatic symptoms, for example headaches and stomach aches. Supporting the child's mental health not only leads to a healthier emotional development, but also to positive outcomes in all other aspects of their lives.
Brief therapeutic interventions for children and young people, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing and Solution-focused Brief Therapy. These interventions can be helpful to children and young people with exam stress, school avoidance, anger management difficulties, low motivation and low self-esteem. They can last between one and six sessions and take place on an 1:1 basis. The child's or young person's informed consent is required.
Another innovative approach that makes use of the latest media and software technology. Appropriate for any parent who wants to improve their relationship and communication with their children. Whether you have long-term difficulties in your contact with your child or simply a temporary crisis, this method can act as a mirror of your relationship and can help you identify what works well and what could be better. You will be able to set some targets for improvement with the facilitator and work towards them step by step. Results can be seen from the first session.
With over eleven years of experience in special educaitonal needs and seven years of experience in writing psychological advice for statutory assessments, I can help you out understand a complex recent assessment report that your child received, or implement psychological recommendations in the class in a manner that suits your timetable and specific setting.
In line with the HCPC and BPS practice codes and regulations, supervision is an essential requirement for every practising psychologist. Whether you are still in training, newly qualified or a seasoned psychologist, together we can unpick matters arising at work, reflect on your practice and your development and make informed decisions on difficult matters.
Available to all teachers and teaching staff. You can select out of a range of ready courses or get in touch with me to arrange a targeted programme on the area of need specific to your school. Either way the training day will be tailored to your needs and context. For some examples of such courses click here.
Teaching and pastoral staff face increasing challenges and decreasing time limits day to day. In a trusting and confidential group environment and with my facilitation, school staff will have the opportunity to express freely their concerns, challenges and victories. Whether you need support with students' behavioural difficulties, a recent diagnosis of special educational needs or a more systemic problem in or out of the classroom, you will be able to access help through applied strategies in our group supervisions.
Available to teaching staff and other professionals with the aim of improving your work efficacy, increasing your knowledge base and upskilling you in your practice. By discussing the issues your are facing at work, using updated coaching models, you become more confident and skilled at resolving your own difficulties, setting and achieving new targets and becoming the version of you that you want to be.
Few circumstances in a person's lifetime will resemble the pandemic humanity is experiencing since Winter 2020. As it tends to happen in crises, the impact of covid-19 is likely felt in every sector of our lives, including our mental health, our daily functioning and our relationships, to name a few. Our children and young people, being more vulnerable by nature, could be facing additional risk factors and are in greater need of our help. In this climate of insecurity and instability, together we can find ways to look after yourselves and your children's mental health, so that you are able to function as the protective shield they are so much in need of. Put your own oxygen mask first.