Career Development - Psycan

I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist registered with the British Psychological Society and with the Health Professional Council (HCPC).  

Having qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1991 – in South Africa - and since have been actively engaged in clinical practice.

In 1994 I came to England to study Art Therapy to complement my practice and returned to South Africa and completed my Statement of Equivalence upon moving to England in 2001.

While in South Africa I practised across the complete age spectrum, initially working within a Child Development/Guidance Service setting.

I was invited to join a private practice towards the end of 1995. Alongside this I supported Child and Family Social Services with psychological assessment and intervention. Court assessments ran in conjunction with my practice.  I held down a full-time practice mostly consisting of an individual client base – across the life span. I developed strong working relationships with medical practices and legal professionals. I qualified in hypnotherapy and a number of developmental assessment techniques and supported my psycho-neurological interests alongside my techniques in Art Therapy.

Being British-born I had registered with the BPS in the early 90’s so on returning to England I completed the required Statement of Equivalence - after beginning my professional venture within the Luton and Bedfordshire NHS Trust in 2000.

I worked within the child development and child mental health arena.

In 2003 – after being offered jobs in New Zealand, Learning Disabilities (Bedford) and Children’s Services (Bedford) - I moved down to Canterbury to work with the South East NHS Trust – a dual role within Paediatric/Developmental Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

I also spread out into private practice taking on an assessment and consultation role with the Kent County Council Dual Diagnosis team – Stretching across childhood and late adolescence. In 2004 I began to work on a consultation basis at the Caldecott Foundation – which was a therapeutic residential therapeutic facility for severely neglected and abused children.

In 2006 I left my NHS post and took up a Consultant Clinical Psychologist post at the Caldecott Foundation – still continuing my links with the Dual Diagnosis Team and private work - which sometimes involved court assessments.

In 2008 I was employed as a Locum Consultant Psychologist within the field of Older Adults by the North West London Foundation Trust – the post of Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist became permanent towards the end of 2009. Towards the end of 2010 I took up the post of Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist within the South Essex Partner NHS Trust - sequestered out to Essex County Council – with the main purpose of compiling Expert Witness reports within the Family context. I still maintained a private workload in Kent.

At the beginning of 2012 I took on local court assessment work generated by The Canterbury Psychological Clinic.

I am currently now employed by SEPT on a part-time basis and actively involved in private Clinical practice.

I work as a lone practitioner under the profession guise of the PSYCAN Clinic.

While maintaining the more than required training and professional development in the areas of court assessment, psycho-neurological interests and behavioural/personality difficulties I am continuing to develop my interests in global behavioural patterns of development and pathology.

Due to my continued diversification and developmental approach I can confidently offer a comprehensive assessment and intervention package to encapsulate individual psychological needs and potential across the lifespan. Clinically I carry out all my own work. However – I am well supported by a very organised and experienced administrator.