The number of sessions required and desired varies considerably between families. National guidelines for the gold standard treatments are generally based on around 6-12 sessions. That said, for some families, a few sessions of guidance followed by a self-directed treatment plan will be beneficial enough. Equally, some families prefer to work together over a longer term. I generally suggest thinking together about what feels best, over the first few sessions, and will review this with you periodically.

I generally advise families to seek help if they are experiencing difficulties that have persisted despite their best efforts, over a number of weeks or months. In practice, some of the families I see have been struggling for a longer time. Others choose to take a more proactive approach when things are going relatively well. In either case, at initial consultation we can explore together what I might be able to offer, and if it feels that another service may be more appropriate I will be happy to signpost you to it if you would like.

Clinical Psychologists are uniquely trained to draw on a range of theories and therapeutic models. This is one of the things I value most about my profession, and can be especially helpful when working with more complex difficulties and with all members of the family. For example, I may work with a family in which a parent experiences anxiety as a result distressing past experiences whilst their child displays aggressive behaviours. I may draw on trauma therapies to address the parent’s underlying distress alongside relational and/or behavioural approaches to understand and manage their child’s behaviours. Crucially, I hold professional registration with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) and adhere to the professional and ethical standards outlined by the British Psychological Society (BPS). In addition, I attend regular CPD and supervision to ensure my practice aligns with the most up-to-date research base.

As a psychologist, I am trained in a range of approaches. I sometimes work purely from one approach, and other times integrate aspects of more than one. My decisions are be based on gold-standards in the research literature, and based on an assessment of your individual needs. I aim to be as transparent about the approaches I am taking in sessions, without giving unnecessary detail. If you would like to know more in your sessions, then please do ask, I love what I do and I will always be more than happy to discuss.

You might like to attend sessions individually or as a couple if you are in one, and with or without your baby. Families also sometimes like to vary who attends across sessions. For example, some parents like to start individually, then their partner may wish to join at a later point. Similarly, I may begin working with a parent or parents, to support them to come together in their parenting, before bringing the child or children into sessions, to work with the family as a whole. As always, we can agree this together in the early sessions.

Some parents worry that if they ask for help because they are struggling, people may become concerned for their ability to care for their their child. This is rarely the case. 59% of parents of under 5s in England experience difficulties with their mental health, and 42% have been worried about the social or emotional wellbeing or behaviour of their child (UNICEF, 2022). Concerns are only raised in the most extreme circumstances, generally after a plan for safety has been discussed with a parent at length, without resolution. Asking for help means you are doing the best for your baby, and is a great sign for your parenting. Please don’t be afraid to reach out.

Whilst we often see mood and behavioural difficulties as existing within people, psychological science shows that we are shaped to a great extent by our relationships, both past and present. Given that 90% of brain connections are formed in the early years, this is a golden time to make positive changes.

Sometimes, relationship patterns can be passed down through generations and can show up as blind spots in how we see ourselves and others, including our baby (for example, we may find some behaviours, such as crying or hitting, particularly distressing, or perceive our baby to dislike us). These perspectives can sometimes affect the ways we feel about and respond to our babies. For some, therapy can be invaluable in picking up on these blind spots and working through them to enable a parent's relationship with their baby to be more peaceful and less affected by the past.

That said, I am by no means exclusively interested in relationships. We are a rich tapestry of biological, psychological, and social influences, and more, which is why I enjoy working from a range of approaches. At its core, one of my most fundamental tools in therapy is our relationship, and my priority will be working in a way that feels the right fit for you.

If you suspect your child may be autistic and would like to seek an assessment, this should involve a multi-disciplinary team, with careful consideration to the range of developmental complexities at this age. I will be able to discuss the options for this with you and offer support to manage any difficulties in the meantime. I strive to practice neuro-affirmatively, and oppose the use of ABA. Please do let me know if you have any further questions, I would be pleased to chat further.

ADHD is most often diagnosed in school-age children but the symptoms may be present before this, especially hyperactivity. It can be difficult to diagnose ADHD in pre-school children as they are likely to have a short attention span and bursts of activity, even if they don’t have ADHD. For this reason, as clinicians we are generally reluctant to assess at this age, however I am able to help in the meantime.

For children under 5 years old, the gold-standard first line treatment is parent training, not stimulant medication. Having a child with ADHD may mean that they have above-average needs so the aim is to help parents/carers learn techniques to support their child and manage the difficulties.

Yes. I work with families who are self-funded and those who are funded through private heath insurers. I am registered with Aviva, WPA, Cigna, and AXA. If you would like to claim sessions on your health insurance, you will just need to contact them for a pre-authorisation code prior to commencing sessions. Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will do my best to help.