Specialising in mental health and educational support consultancy

I am a psychotherapist working with children, young people, parents and individuals up to 24 years of age. Along with offering support in a range of areas, anxiety, anger, depression, low self-esteem, abuse and trauma, I have in-depth experience of supporting children and young people with Specific Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Conditions and/or social communication difficulties. Having taught students with special educational needs for many years, I have developed a way of working with children and young people with neurological differences which embraces both an understanding of the nature of their difficulties and consideration as to how their difference might impact on a young person’s communication or interaction with others. I also offer support to adults who receive a diagnosis of neurological difference (e.g. Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism) in adulthood.

The educational support consultancy strand of my work offers parents and schools support when a child or young person is struggling in their educational setting. The scope of this work includes helping parents and schools evaluate needs, designing pathways and strategies to access the right support and connect parents and schools with appropriate professionals.

After completing my training as an International Montessori teacher in 2004, I taught in primary education and then trained as a Level 7 specialist in Dyslexia Assessment and Specialist Literacy Teaching. On completing this training, I joined The Harrodian School in London, where I worked as a one-to-one literacy specialist and then took on the role of Special Educational Needs Coordinator. In 2014 I co-founded The Independent School, a secondary school for children with additional needs, where I was Vice Principal and Head of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). I then went on to train at The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust as a psychodynamic psychotherapist working with children, young people, parents and young adults. I have found my background in education to be invaluable in understanding the needs of the young people with whom I work. In 2016, I co-founded The Child and Adolescent Development Centre.

In addition to my work in mental health and education, since 2015 I have worked in collaboration with law firms, offering expert testimony at tribunals to support families in securing Education, Health and Care Plans. I am also a freelance writer looking at issues in education and mental health.