Alison W BSc (Hons), PGCE, MSc. C. Psych., D C. Psych., PGDip. Consultative Supervision PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERTISE Professional Qualification(s) Practitioner Psychologist, Chartered Counselling Psychologist Areas of Expertise Assessment of Adults, Adolescents and Children covering: Domestic violence Attachment Mental health Abuse and neglect physical, emotional or sexual Parenting Risk Eating disorder Transgender Same sex families Autism PTSD Depression and anxiety Self-harm/suicidal ideation Women s mental health Post-natal depression puerperal psychosis Personality disorder Complex trauma and abuse Deliberate Self Harm Ability to protect Ability to care/parent Ability to separate Non accidental injury Family dynamics Parenting Risk Behavioural problems Capacity to change Ability to work with Professionals I undertake independent assessments in a variety of areas and write reports for the courts relating to children and parents or other family members. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Over the last 11 years, I have worked therapeutically with adults, older adults, children, adolescents and, whole families themselves, in supporting psychological difficulties. I have also worked as a Consultant for Military Families. My current Locum role involves working as a Principal Psychologist offering a range of assessments and therapy to serving military personnel who are referred with various presentations and, which more often than not, include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) many of whom, have experienced the atrocities of war. My work with young people, adults and families has also involved working closely with the local authority, hospitals, education and Youth Offending Teams, in different capacities and settings for over the last 20 years. I have clinical skills which include being able to offer a variety of psychological / psychometric assessments (e.g. ADOS-2 and DISCO for Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Cognitive, WISC-IV etc). I am also able to recognise many related emotional and behavioural issues that can mask or identify ASD. I have held a senior management/clinician role within adult mental health within the NHS, and prior to this, spent 6 years working in a primary care setting providing assessments and therapy to people aged over 16 who presented with a vast range of presentations. I also have additional experience which has involved Looked after Children, adoption issues and safeguarding management procedures. I hold a Teaching qualification in Further Education and I have trained Nurses and GPs in Eating Disorder Management. I have offered other relevant training to Health Professionals including training in PTSD for both children and adults. I believe my skills and experiences allow me to assess and report on psychological difficulties of people and measure behaviours accordingly, in a fair and just way, that will contribute to the information required by the court. For full details of work history please refer to the attached Appendix. REPORTS I have prepared reports for the family courts, and a substantial number of clinical reports, that reflect the standards required in court report-writing. These reports have covered the following areas: Family law assessments of adults Clinical assessments / psychological reports of adults and children QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING & RESEARCH Qualifications 2012-2015 Post-Chartered Doctorate in Psychology, City University, London 2009 Certificate in Eating Disorders, National Centre for Eating Disorders (8 days) 2008 2009 Post Graduate Diploma in Consultative Supervision, University of Wales 2008-2009 Post MSc Counselling Psychology, Doctorate level, University of Wolverhampton 2006 2008 MSc Counselling Psychology, University of Wolverhampton 2002 2004 Diploma in Psychotherapy & Hypnotherapy, Regents College London
2000 2002 Post Graduate Certificate of Education, University of Wales 1998 2004 BSc (Hons) Psychology, Open University Training 2015 Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) 2014 Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2) 2013 Diagnostic Interview for Social Communication Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorder 2009 Expert witness training, BPS London Level, 1 2 3. I have an extensive Continued Professional Development log available for inspection. Research Therapist Views on the Therapeutic Alliance Clinical Competences: A National and International Perspective MEMBERSHIPS & PRESENTATIONS Professional Memberships Health and Care Professions Council member British Psychological Society member Presentations Adolescents - Identity Confusion Anger Management Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Deployment effects on Military Families Eating Disorder Management Group Supervision Psychodynamic Therapy PTSD in Adults PTSD in Children The Efficacy of Ritalin versus Psychotherapy in the treatment of ADHD Working with young people in schools OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION I hold personal professional liability & indemnity insurance and I am registered with the DBS update service.
CHRONOLOGICAL WORK HISTORY Appendix Mar 2015 Present Principal Psychologist Mind Professionals, Cambridge Providing assessments and treatment to military personnel. Aug 2011 Mar 2015 Senior Psychologist 2Gether Trust, NHS Hereford Providing assessments and treatments for those under 18 years, including eating disorders Providing clinical reports Care Coordinator Attending safeguarding meetings/reports Provide clinical supervision to psychologists, assistant psychologists and other healthcare workers Supporting management with service development Responsible for the Emergency Duty Rota Lead Clinician for Group Supervision Providing in-house training Representing the Trust on the Work-Force Planning Committee Aug 2011 Apr 2012 Locum Counselling Psychologist/Clinical Supervisor Cantilupe Surgery, Primary Care, NHS Hereford Providing counselling services to people over 16, including older adults as required, with a wide variety of mental health issues CBT and person-centred, psychodynamic, solutionfocused and systemic approaches Working independently requiring sound formulations and as part of a team with GPs and other health professionals, in line with NHS policies and procedures Developed staff on training courses Feb 2010 Jan 2011 IAPT Locality Lead Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust, Nuneaton, Warwickshire Managing and developing an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Locality Team of therapists, including: psychologists, counsellors and trainees Providing presentations to health professionals to market the service, and being pro-active in service development Working very closely with CMHT and Crisis Team in assessment and referral procedures requiring weekly attendance of CMHT Team meetings and daily links
Sep 2005 May 2011 Counsellor/Clinical Supervisor CLD Youth Counselling Trust, Hereford, Herefordshire Working in school settings with young people aged 11-16 and a family centre for disadvantaged families Undertaking assessments, formulations, counselling sessions, and record-keeping in line with policies and procedures Jul 2009 Feb 2010 Locum Counselling Psychologist / Practice Therapist Mind Professionals, Rugby, Warwickshire Offering clinical counselling mental health services, including: stepped-care assessments within an IAPT framework Applying a range of models including CBT, Person- Centred and Psychodynamic Providing clinical supervision to Practice Therapists and /IAPT therapists Sep 2002 Jul 2008 Sessional Lecturer Herefordshire College of Technology, Hereford Delivering counselling skills sessions to Diploma level and Foundation Degree level Health and Social Care students Teaching Psychology Access to Education Course Sep 2000 Sep 2002 Registered Care Manager Holmer Court Residential home for Older Adults, Hereford Oct 1986 Sep 2000 Management of residents, staff and visitors including those with dementia Working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary agencies including NHS and local authority Day Centre Manager Anchor Housing Association, Hereford Overall responsibility for Older Adult service users, staff and visitors Service care-planning and development of service, Multi agency working including within NHS