My Professional Journey

I thought it might be helpful to introduce myself in a little more depth by sharing more about my professional background and the path that led me to working in private practice as a CBT and EMDR psychotherapist in Norfolk.

People often want to know a bit about the experience and training of the therapist they may be working with, so I hope this gives you a sense of the kind of work I’ve done over the years and the experience I bring to my practice.

2000 – 2004: Psychology Degree and First Clinical Experience

I completed a BSc in Psychology at the University of Surrey in Guildford. During this time, I also completed a placement year as an Assistant Psychologist with the Croydon Community Forensic Team.

At that stage, my original career plan was to train and work as a Clinical Psychologist.

2004 – 2007: Working with Older Adults

I then worked as an Assistant Psychologist in Guildford, supporting older adults with a range of mental health difficulties. My role included:

• Running psychoeducational groups

• Offering one-to-one CBT-based sessions

• Assisting with research into anorexia in older adults

• Conducting psychometric assessments in a dementia clinic

• Working on a dementia medication trial

This role gave me valuable experience of working with people across different stages of life.

2007 – 2008: CAMHS and Paediatric Psychology

Next, I worked within CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and a Paediatric Psychology department.

Again, my work involved providing CBT-based interventions and assisting with psychometric assessments. Working with children, young people, and families further broadened my clinical experience and understanding of mental health across the lifespan.

2008 – 2010: Training as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

Around this time, I decided to change direction from pursuing Clinical Psychology and instead train as a psychotherapist. I realised that I was much more drawn to the one-to-one therapeutic work, and less interested in the leadership and service development aspects that Clinical Psychology often involves.

At the same time, IAPT services (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, now known as NHS Talking Therapies) were just being established. I trained as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner in Cambridgeshire, offering CBT-based guided self-help for people aged 16+ experiencing depression and anxiety disorders.

I really enjoyed this work and loved supporting people in one-to-one sessions.

2010 – 2024: CBT Therapist, Supervisor, and EMDR Training

I then trained as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist while working within an NHS Talking Therapies service in Norfolk.

This allowed me to work more in depth with people experiencing:

• Depression

• Anxiety disorders

• OCD

• PTSD and trauma

• Low self-esteem

  
  

From 2015 onwards, I also began supervising other CBT therapists, including both qualified therapists and trainees. This role became formalised in 2017, and for several years much of my work focused on clinical supervision alongside one day per week providing therapy sessions.

In 2017, I trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), which became an important additional approach within my therapeutic work, particularly for trauma and PTSD.

2024 – Present: Moving into Private Practice

In 2024, partly due to itchy feet, a desire for something new, and changes within my NHS Talking Therapies service, I decided to move into private practice full time.

I wanted more freedom to focus on offering high-quality CBT and EMDR therapy in a way that felt sustainable, thoughtful, and helpful for clients.

And here I am! Two years later, I work Monday to Thursday as my own boss (apart from the cats), offering CBT and EMDR therapy both face to face in Norfolk and online across the UK.

I still feel very privileged to do this work, and I continue to value the opportunity to support people through difficult periods in their lives.

Want to talk?

If you're interested in speaking to me about how my training and experience might help you with your difficulties, read more here and here, and contact me to book a free intro call!