Meet the Team

Catherine Taylor, Director, Senior Consultant Clinical Psychologist

BA Hons in Experimental Psychology (University of Oxford), M. Phil in Psychopathology (University of Cambridge), Diploma in Clinical Psychology – British Psychological Society, Chartered as a Clinical Psychologist (B.P.S.), Associate Fellow of British Psychological Society (30 years), holder of current practising certificate for Clinical Psychology (B.P.S. since 1994) and Health Care Professionals Council registered. Having enjoyed a career in clinical psychology now spanning over 30 years, I have worked in both Adult Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health and have been a senior NHS Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of two NHS services since 2001 until taking an NHS sabbatical to work privately full time (since 2009). I have clinically supervised many qualified clinical psychologists, trainee clinical psychologists and colleagues from other professional groups (in psychological therapies), regularly lecturing at UCL, UEA, ARU, Cambridgeshire Social Care organisations and the PCT and trained/ practising in a wide range of psychological therapies (CBT, BT, CAT, EMDR, systemic FT, behavioural FT, Neuropsych., IPT, psychodyn., play, IMH/ attachment). Throughout my career, I have assessed and treated PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, neurodevelopmental disorders (ASD and others) both on an in- and outpatient basis. I have consulted widely to other agencies and services. Within the NHS, I am proud to have set up, contributed as lead psychologist to, and managed a number of new services including Cambridgeshire Fostering and Adoption Clinical Psychology Service, neuropsychological assessment service, eating disorders and difficulties through the lifespan service, Feeding to Thrive, parenting support services and many more and contributed within a number of different NHS Trusts and locations areas - GOSH, CPFT, CC Trust, Beds, N.W. Norfolk. I work regularly as an Expert Witness in Court proceedings within my specialist areas and have published research in child development, severe mental illness and homelessness, mental health in fostering and adoption, post traumatic stress disorder and early onset eating disorders. I have good links with all specialist NHS services in mental health throughout Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and the surrounding counties and to continue to work part-time within the NHS. I have also set up and maintained a successful private practice since 1995.

Dr Helen Upright, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

I am a Chartered clinical psychologist registered with the Health Care Professionals Council. Since completing my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Leeds University, I have worked in the NHS child and adult mental health services. As well as my part-time CCPS work, I currently work as the Lead Psychologist for Cambridgeshire Office of Children and Young People where I manage and supervise clinical psychologists and also hold a clinical caseload. My clinical work involves highly complex assessments, the development of formulations and individual therapy in a variety of approaches. I also offer consultations to other professionals as well as teaching, training and supervision. I have worked with adults and children for many years in a range of settings and presenting with a variety of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety (generalised and specific), PTSD, anger, self harm and eating issues. I have worked with individuals, couples, families and schools/ institutions. I predominately employ a cognitive behavioural approach and have undergone further post-doctoral training. However, I also have a particular interest in attachment, trauma (and am fully qualified and competent to deliver all NICE guidance approved interventions including trauma-focussed cognitive therapy and EMDR for adults or children) and have co-authored a book about parenting children with challenging behaviour.

Dr Louise Watson

I am a fully qualified and experienced Clinical Psychologist, registered with the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC). I am able to provide high-quality, experienced, evidence-based assessments and interventions to support people of all ages, for a range of presenting difficulties.

I qualified from the University of Essex-Tavistock Clinical Psychology Doctorate in 2013 and have over a decade of clinical experience working with children, adults, families and organisations across East Anglia and London. Alongside my private practice, I currently work as the Principal Clinical Psychologist within the NHS, working with young adults aged between 16 and 25 years old. Prior to this, I worked within children and young people’s services for over 8 years.

I have worked within a range of settings including the NHS, Local Authority, and the private sector. My experience has included working with people who experience a range of emotional difficulties such as low mood, anxiety (including obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and generalised anxiety), post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, personality disorder, anger difficulties, and those that experience attachment and complex trauma difficulties. I also have specific experience working with looked after children and in both adult and youth forensic settings.

I am able to work within a number of therapy modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma Informed approaches, Systemic informed approaches, and Mentalization-based approaches. I am also experienced in providing neuropsychological assessments, risk assessments, and capacity assessments. In addition, I have significant experience in providing expert witness assessments within the Family Law arena, as well as providing consultation, training, and clinical supervision to a range of professions.

Dr Shani Langdon

I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. I obtained a BA Hons degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Oxford and gained my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology at Canterbury Christ Church University. Since 2003, I have worked for NHS services in London, Oxfordshire and Kent, with clients across the age spectrum with a variety of difficulties. My post-qualification work has been in older adult services in the NHS and I have considerable experience in neuropsychological assessment, pre-diagnostic work and post-diagnostic therapy. I have offered individual/couples therapy for people experiencing depression, generalised anxiety, panic disorder, eating disorders, and difficulties adjusting to changed life circumstances, including illness. I work using mainly mindfulness-based approaches, having done additional post-qualification training in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and draw on a number of other models including cognitive behavioural, systemic, narrative, and psychodynamic models. I have provided supervision to assistant psychologists, trainee clinical psychologists, qualified clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals. I have also provided consultation and training to other professionals, including mental health and care home staff.

Dr John Lambie

I am a qualified Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. I have a psychology PhD from Cambridge University. Over the past 10 years, I have worked intermittently as a CBT therapist in a hospital setting (Broomfield Hospital) and in private practice. My clinical work has been with adults focusing on anxiety (including worrying and panic), depression, OCD, and chronic pain. In addition to CBT, I have some training and experience in mindfulness-based approaches, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and Compassion-Focused Therapy. I have also run parenting classes for helping with children’s emotional development (Wisbech Family Centre), and advised carers’ groups (Cambridgeshire Adult Eating Disorders Service) on emotional communication and emotion coping skills. I have had experience as part of the pain management team at Broomfield Hospital, offering both individual and group therapy for chronic pain.

I also work as an Associate Professor in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University. My research focuses on emotional awareness and emotion coping skills and I have published many papers on these topics. I also authored an award-winning set of books and toys called My First Emotions, based on my research, which focuses on training parents in emotional validation skills in order to help with their children’s emotional awareness and emotion coping skills.

I am on the editorial board of the journals Psychology, Health, and Medicine, and Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies.

Dr Anita D’Urso, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Since completing my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, I have worked in both Cambridge University Hospitals as a Paediatric Clinical Psychologist as well as Lead Clinical Psychologist within Paediatric Liaison services in Bedford Child and Adolescent Mental Health service (CAMHS). I currently work as Lead Consultant Clinical Psychologist for the East Midlands Neonatal Network. Following completion of my doctorate degree, I have completed further training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, Narrative therapy, Systemic Family therapy and Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (a gold-standard behavioural intervention for the treatment of Tic Disorders and Tourette Syndrome).

Within my role, I have worked with children and young people experiencing difficulties around anxiety (including phobias, generalised anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder), low mood, trauma, anger and low self-esteem. I have also worked jointly with my medical colleagues to provide treatment for a number of health symptoms including headaches, medically unexplained pain and Tic Disorders. I am keen to utilise research evidence to provide the best possible interventions for the children and young people that I see and have published and presented my work in a number of academic journals and at medical conferences.

Dr Amy Shayle

I am a clinical psychologist registered with the Health Care Professions Council.

I completed my clinical doctorate at the University of East Anglia in 2015. Since fully qualifying, I have worked in the paediatric psychological medicine service at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. I have predominantly worked with children, young people and families with chronic respiratory health conditions, though have also had opportunity to work with other physical health presentations including cardiac conditions, those experiencing persistent physical symptoms and in the acute inpatient medical setting. Prior to completing training in Clinical Psychology, I completed a PhD in applied developmental psychology looking at the cognitive, behavioural and psychosocial profile of children with a diagnosis of Russell Silver Syndrome.

I have experience working with people who experience a range of emotional difficulties. These have included, but are not limited to, anxiety, OCD, eating disorder, low mood, trauma and low self esteem. I have delivered direct one to one therapy with children, young people and with parents, as well as working more systemically with the both families and professionals to achieve optimum care for the young person who is being supported.

I am experienced in using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), have completed additional training in CBT for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and regularly offer input utilising these skills to clients accessing input. I used an integrative approach to treatment incorporating systemic and narrative approaches into the treatments that I deliver. I also have experience in delivering neuropsychological assessments and make use of standardised measures to inform assessment and formulation.

Dr Vanessa Shearing

I am a Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years of experience of working in the NHS and privately. I completed my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Oxford University in 2008 and then worked in the NHS with a specialism in working with people experiencing psychological difficulties associated with physical health conditions, illness or disability. I have a current particular interest in helping people to overcome the impact of traumatic experiences that continue to have an impact on their lives.

Working with me may be right for you if you are and adult who is;

· finding it hard to manage stress or anxiety

· struggling after a traumatic experience, or experiences

· finding it hard to cope or adjust to changes in your health or life circumstances

· experiencing depression or low mood

· finding that certain patterns in your relationships, or other areas of your life, are causing you distress

I can draw upon a range of therapeutic approaches to help you to address your goals, and have undertaken additional training to enhance my practice. In particular, I may recommend Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT) to help you to understand and respond more effectively to your current difficulties, or trauma-focused therapy such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Therapy will often include aspects of developing self-compassion and mindfulness techniques as well as drawing upon models of coping and adjustment.

I am registered with the healthcare professionals’ council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society and engage in regular continuing professional development.

Dr Sally McMullen

I am a Clinical Psychologist registered with the HCPC. Alongside working at the CCPS practice, I work part-time within the NHS as Principal Clinical Psychologist of an inpatient unit for young people with complex mental health issues. This role involves me overseeing the work of the psychology team, offering psychological assessment and therapy, and providing supervision, training and consultation to other professionals. Although I have worked with children, young people and families for the past 10 years, prior to this I gained experience working with adults with a range of presenting issues, in community, inpatient and forensic settings. My therapeutic work tends to follow a Cognitive Behavioural or Cognitive Analytic approach and I try to work collaboratively with those I am seeing to find an approach that fits with their goals and what is most likely to make a difference to them. Since completing my doctorate in clinical psychology in 2013, I have undertaken additional training in areas of interest to enhance my skills and clinical work, such as Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and clinical supervision. I have also completed training in assessment for neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism Spectrum Condition, and have offered psycho-educational groups and support to individuals and families as part of a previous role within an autism assessment clinic.

Dr Nicola Marshall

Dr Will White

Karen Woodley

BSc (Hons) in Psychology (University of Leeds), DClinPsy (University of East Anglia).
I'm Nicola, a chartered clinical psychologist registered with the HCPC. I've been practising in the NHS as a clinical psychologist since I qualified in 2014, but have been working in mental health services for over 20 years. My career has led me to work within CAMHS and an Early Intervention in Psychosis team working with 14-35 year olds. I hold postdoctoral level training qualifications in 2 distinct modalities of therapy; CBT and systemic therapy. Within my posts in the NHS, I have also accessed further training in trauma-focussed CBT, CBT for psychosis, DBT, ACT, mindfulness and sensory integration therapies. I have assessed and treated children, adults and adolescents with a range of complex presentations including; psychosis, personality disorders, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, neurodevelopmental disorders (ASD and ADHD) and PTSD. I am a clinical advisor to several local, national and international research studies and have published in peer reviewed journals. As well as my clinical and research work, I also provide highly specialist consultation and training to a wide range of professional groups throughout the East Anglian region.

Senior Administrator: I have over 20 years experience of providing administrative support in a number of settings including educational and clinical.

Dr Amy Shayle

Dr Sally McMullen

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Dr Will White