A warm welcome to our mental health and neurodiversity service. As clinical director of the practice, I hold overall responsibility for ensuring the service is the best it can be for our clients, staff, and clinicians. However, the vision and values of The St Andrews Practice are very much driven by our passionate multi-disciplinary team, who collectively bring a diverse range of specialist skills and experience to their work across our mental health and neurodiversity services for adults, children, young people and families. You can read about each team member individually in our team bios.
In terms of my own professional background, I completed an undergraduate MA (Hons) degree in psychology at Glasgow University in 2007, a Masters Degree in Public Health (MPH) at Dundee University in 2011, and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 2015. Before opening The St Andrews Practice, I worked in the NHS for ten years in a range of general adult and specialist mental health services, across three different health boards in Scotland. I am trained in a range of psychological treatments including Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), and Schema Therapy (ST). I have a long-term interest in ADHD in females, and have two publications on quality of life in ADHD in peer reviewed journals.
Most of my post-qualification NHS experience involved working within Community Mental Health Teams and inpatient services, undertaking individual and group interventions with adults with moderate to severe mental health difficulties, such as complex trauma. Whilst I have always worked with neurodiversity, moving to independent practice has allowed me to build and develop a service with strong neuro-affirmative values. Many of our team are neurodivergent themselves, and we recognise the widespread public and professional mis-conceptions that can impact on the wellbeing of our neurodivergent clients, in addition to their increased risk of experiencing trauma, psychological distress, and addiction. Our multi-disciplinary team is committed to improving mental health outcomes and quality of life for neurodivergent individuals across the lifespan by providing high quality diagnostic assessments, safe and effective prescribing, holistic post-diagnostic supports, and adapted evidence based psychological therapies.
The scope of my role as clinical director is wide ranging. It involves driving our strategic and service development goals, maintaining high clinical standards across the service, and recruiting team members that align with our vision and values. From a business leadership perspective, I prioritise financial sustainability and a positive workplace culture, so that our team has a strong foundation from which to support our clients. I continue to maintain a small caseload of clients, where I utilise a range of evidence based approaches to provide a personalised and flexible therapeutic approach that aligns with individual needs and goals.
Sustainable innovations for mental health & wellbeing
Treating the whole person, emphasising the connections between the mind and the body.
We believe passionately in connecting with people to build relationships that enrich lives.
Strategic, purposeful approach to effective collaboration, partnership, and support that furthers the organization’s mission beyond profit.
To help you inhabit your strengths, cope with life’s challenges, and thrive in your unique way
The cultivation of learning, resilience and adaptability, viewing problems from multiple perspectives.
We are not afraid to be different. We try new things and embrace progress. We are committed to being and staying on the cutting edge.
Advocating for the human rights, dignity, and diversity of every person, with respect and compassion.
