Dr Ellie Atkins

I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with extensive training and experience. My career includes 30 years working with children, young people and families, and I work both in the public sector and privately seeing children and families in distress. My NHS work for the Neonatal Operational Delivery Network and prior to that, in the Paediatric Psychology Service at St George’s Hospital in London and in CAMHS services compliments my private practice, and ensures I keep up to date with the evidence base, literature, access training and work alongside colleagues of other professions.

 

In my current NHS post, I am responsible for psychological care in neonatal units across the London region, covering 27 hospitals across a wide area. I was an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and and the current chair of the children, young people and families network for the Association of Clinical Psychologist (ACP-UK).

I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I regularly attend training events to ensure I am continually developing and updating my practice. I also use supervision to think about my work and ensure that I am offering the best possible service to anyone who comes to see me. I abide by the British Psychological Society’s professional practice guidelines.

 

I regularly teach a range of professionals including doctoral trainees, medical staff, local authority and care staff and allied health professionals and in schools as well as training in voluntary and business organisations. I provide training and supervision to Clinical Psychologists and allied professions of counselling and psychotherapy.

 

Qualifications:

  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Clinical Psychologist. Registration number PYL25975. You can check my registration here.
  • Member of the Association of Clinical Psychologists (ACP)
  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (University of Surrey)
  • Masters degree in Psychology and children with special needs – Passed with distinction (University of London)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology (Buckinghamshire Chilterns University)
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Development (University of London)
  • BA (Hons) – First Class with Honours and School Commendation (University of Exeter)

Training courses completed includes foundations in neurodevelopmental care (FINE), Sensory beginnings, Infant Mental Health (University of Warwick), Complex Trauma (UK Trauma society), Parental Mental Health (ACHIP), CBT for trauma in young people (British Psychological Society), Complex grief (Child Bereavement UK), EMDR (a treatment for trauma; EMDR works), Compassion Focused Therapy, ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy; BPS), Narrative Exposure Therapy (A treatment for Trauma), Perinatal Mental Health (British Psychological Society), Sleep difficulties (Association of CAMHS practitioners), Mindfulness in child settings (British Psychological Society), Interpersonal Therapy training (University of Surrey), Working with parents and very young children (Tavistock Clinic), Safeguarding children Level 3 (St George’s NHS trust), Narrative therapy (AFT), Schema therapy (International Schema therapy), Working with deaf children (NDCS), CBT for complex problems and Mindfulness with children and young people.

 

I set up and run the Surrey Psychology book club and am involved in the Psychologists for Social Change movement. I feel passionately about supporting people who are struggling because of the challenges life has thrown at them and regularly blog on mental health, big feelings and managing life.

 

I set up Headspace Guildford 13 years ago and manage the practice as well as seeing families. I offer most of the telephone consultations and do the day to day running of the practice.

Dr Holly Thompson

 

I am a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist and have over nine years experience working with individuals across the life span with a wide spectrum of psychological difficulties. I have worked in a variety of settings including social care teams (with looked after children), education settings (in a pupil referral unit), the private sector (inpatient and forensic secure settings) and in community services (e.g. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

 

In addition to private practice, I work in a local Child and Adolescent Mental Health service offering psychological assessment and intervention for children, young people and their families.

My approach is to deliver a compassionate, personalised service drawing on evidence based interventions to reduce psychological distress and enhance resilience. I remain up to date with the evidence base and UK policies and frameworks that may impact those I work with.

I am a member of the British Psychological Society and am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). I work in line with the British Psychological Society’s professional practice guidelines.

 

Qualifications:

 

  • Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Clinical Psychologist. Registration number PYL37593. You can check my registration here
  • British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Clinical Psychologist
  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (University of Surrey)
  • Master’s degree in Mental Health Studies – Passed with distinction (Kings College London)
  • BSc Psychology – Upper Second Class with Honours (University of Southampton)
  • Registered with the British Psychological Society as a Clinical Psychologist.

Training courses completed recently include Compassion Focused Therapy (Balanced Minds) and Systemic factors in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre).

 

 

Dr Anna Shipton

 

I am a Principal Clinical Psychologist and have been working in the NHS and schools to support children, teenagers and their families since qualifying ten years ago. I worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for a number of years, supporting children with a broad range of difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, and low self-esteem. 

 

I then worked in Paediatrics at the Evelina Children’s Hospital for six years, specialising in working with young people affected by neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and learning disability. As well as providing diagnostic assessments, we also offered therapy for common associated difficulties, such as anxiety and low mood, learning, challenging behaviour, and sleeping and feeding issues.

 

I worked for 2 years as the resident Clinical Psychologist for a local independent girl’s school, where I worked with students across both the primary and secondary sites. As well as offering individual therapy to girls struggling with mental health difficulties and support to parents, I also worked more broadly with the pastoral team to support and promote emotional wellbeing across the whole school.

I now work in the NHS leading the neurodevelopmental assessment service in Surrey.

Throughout my career to date, I have always liaised closely with schools and local services to help think about the best ways to support children holistically, and have provided teaching, training and consultation to parents and professionals in a variety of different contexts. I think that it is important to work with the system around a child, as well as the child and family themselves, to help better understand and support them with the difficulties they may be experiencing. 

 

I work in an integrative way, drawing on a range of evidence-based approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy and mindfulness. I am also experienced in creatively adapting these approaches for children with neurodevelopmental differences. Through attending training events and conferences, and having my own supervision, I have regular opportunities to reflect on and develop my practice and keep up to date with new research and developments in the field.  

Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Clinical Psychologist. Registration number PYL25914. You can check my registration here.

 

 

Dr Liz Beckingham

 

I am a Clinical Psychologist with over eight years of experience working primarily with children, young people and their families seeking help with a variety of psychological difficulties. I have worked in a broad mix of settings including NHS health and mental health teams (both inpatient and community services) as well as in education settings (in a Multi Academy Trust of nine schools).

 

In addition to my private practice at Headspace Guildford, I work in a Child and Adolescent Mental Health service offering psychological assessment and intervention for children and young people. I have a special interest in Systemic Theory, which has led me to think especially about how children’s family, school and community settings may be impacting (positively and/or negatively) their psychological wellbeing. In my NHS work I intervene with families and with individuals, depending on client preferences and what is needed. My research interests have focused particularly on children’s peer relationships and friendships.

 

My approach is to deliver a warm, relationship-based interaction drawing on evidence which informs ways of reducing psychological distress and enhancing child and family resilience.

I am a member of the British Psychological Society and am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (Reg. No.: PYL040701. You can check my registration at http://hpc-portal.co.uk/online-register//.)

I work in accordance with the British Psychological Society’s professional practice guidelines.

In line with my registration I have regular supervision, adhere to the BPS code of ethics and regularly attend training events to refresh and update my skills.

I have a full CRB check for both children and vulnerable adults.


Phoebe Edwards

I am the Practice Assistant Psychologist at Headspace Guildford. I am a Final Year Psychology Student at the University of Surrey, with optional modules including Clinical Psychology, Language & Communication and Psychology & Education. I completed my placement year working as a Learning Support Assistant at a local primary school. Here I assisted children with conditions such as ASD and ADHD, as well as developing techniques to understand and support children with behavioural difficulties. This experience deepened my understanding of the complexities children face and the role psychology plays in addressing them. 

 

After graduation, I aspire to continue on my educational journey to explore the areas of Clinical or Educational Psychology.

 

Gemma Darling

 

I am an Assistant Psychologist for the ASD assessment pathway at Headspace Guildford.

I studied at the University of Surrey where I gained a First Class BSc with Honours in Psychology. During my degree, I completed a placement year at a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service offering ASD and ADHD assessments and subsequent support, as well as psychological interventions for young people and their families under the supervision of a Clinical Psychologist.

I have also gained invaluable experience working in Residential Children’s Homes as a Therapeutic Care Worker to young people with social, emotional and behavioural needs, many of whom have diagnoses of ASD, ADHD or Global Developmental Delay. I support both the physical and mental wellbeing of the young people, working closely with Clinical Psychologists to implement supportive strategies in order to best care for each individual.

I frequently attend training courses in order to continually develop my practice. These have included Introduction to Therapeutic Parenting, Introduction to Trauma Informed Practise, Self-Harming Behaviours, Psychological First Aid for Children, amongst many others