Qualifications and experience
I completed my BA Hons degree in Psychology at Manchester University followed by a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at Surrey University.
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) which regulates practitioner psychologists in the UK, and with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and adhere to their professional code of ethics.
For the majority of my career, I have worked as a clinician, mainly in the NHS and partly in private practice. I have had a broad experience of working across several client groups and across a variety of clinical settings including acute psychiatry, medical clinics and GP practices. I have been trained in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) a treatment which helps people to resolve traumatic experiences and memories, and which can be very helpful as an add-on therapy for helping people to address a range of longstanding difficulties.
Specialist experience
I have had a special interest in the eating disorders for over twenty years.
I have worked with individuals suffering with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and other difficulties involving a problematic relationship with food and weight. I have also run groups for people who struggle to control what they eat.
For the last twelve years of my NHS employment, I was joint lead of the community eating disorder service in Bedfordshire (South Essex Partnership Trust).
Teaching and supervision
My teaching experience has included lectures on psychology and behaviour therapy for nurses and health visitors, teaching health psychology to undergraduates at City University, a series of lectures on the psychology and treatment of obesity and eating problems to dietetic and nutrition students at King’s College London, supervising and teaching trainee psychologists, and running several workshops on understanding eating disorders for mental health staff and GPs.
Media work
I contributed regularly to Slimming Magazine from 1992-2000.
Other work has included consultancy for an internet diet site, advice to journalists on the subject of diet and eating disorders, appearances on radio and TV interviews.
Continuing professional development
I regularly update my knowledge and skills through attending relevant professional workshops and conferences. I have played an active part on committees of professional organisations of which I have been a member. For example, I was a member of the committee of the British Psychological society’s Faculty for Eating Disorders for several years. For three years I co-chaired a local group of therapists who practise EMDR. In summer 2018, I attended the European Conference on EMDR (Eye Movement Sensitisation and Reprocessing) in Strasbourg and my impressions were published in a short article: "EMDR within other therapy modalities" in the European Journal of EMDR Therapy (Summer 2018) Vol1 No1, pp. 10-11.
