Alongside my clinical work, I am a doctoral researcher with a particular interest in autistic workplace burnout. This research is closely informed by my therapeutic work, where I see how harsh self-judgement can pervade all areas of life for autistic and ADHD adults. I have a particular interest in supporting clients to understand and lessen the impact of this self-criticism, given how often it contributes to burnout.
I also have a keen interest in working with people as they move through further or higher education, or who are considering returning to education after earlier difficult or invalidating experiences.
Qualifications:
- Psychology BSc (Hons)
- Diploma TA Counselling
- Diploma Integrative Psychotherapy
- MA Autism Spectrum
- CBT Cert.
- Mentoring Cert.
Current training & study/research:
- Autism Spectrum -post-grad. research via PhD
I am registered Member of the
British Association for
Counselling & Psychotherapy.
I work to their ethical and
professional standards.
A brief overview of my professional training and experience:
- I first began working in mental health in 1999, as a psychology undergraduate, initially in a psychiatric inpatient setting.
- I went on to work on an acquired brain injury unit alongside behavioural psychologists, before beginning training in Transactional Analysis in Edinburgh.
- During this time I worked with Hearing Voices Network and the National Schizophrenia Fellowship Scotland, supporting individuals and groups of voice hearers. I also ran a city centre mental health drop-in and was supervisor of a telephone support line.
- After moving back to England, I managed projects for mental health charities in the north-west, recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and staff supporting people with experience of severe and enduring mental ill-health.
- I worked for a number of years at Understanding Autism Northwest, a specialist autism counselling charity which has now sadly closed.
- I have worked for a number of years, and continue to work, in private practice, based in Helmshore, Rossendale, East Lancashire.
- I am a doctoral researcher at The Autism Centre in Sheffield.
