Hello and welcome! I'm Nina, and I am a clinical psychologist with over 15 years' experience in the NHS. I have worked with diverse age groups from children to older adults and mental health issues in inpatient hospitals and community settings. I specialise in adult mental health, working with individuals experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties, from mild distress, anxiety to more complex issues. I have conducted research in clinical psychology, focusing on the prevalence and contributing factors of mental health problems. I also explored evidence on effective therapeutic support.

I have trained in therapies like Internal Family Systems Therapy (Level 1) which I predominantly use, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Motivational Interviewing. I also have foundational training in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Systemic Family Therapy, and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). I use Polyvagal Theory to understand our unique nervous system responses and consider the impact of broader contexts on mental well-being. This involves considering how our survival responses—for example: fight, flight, freeze, shutdown/dissociation—are triggered by default to protect us. It also focuses on gently shifting these automatic reactions within a supportive therapeutic alliance for long-term benefits.

I approach therapy gently and respectfully, and I adopt a trauma-informed and compassion-focused lens. This means that I stay mindful of how your responses to distress and coping mechanisms, shaped by your circumstances, once kept you safe. Even if they now seem to hinder your well-being, they served a purpose in the past. My priority is to create a warm and welcoming space tailored to your unique needs. It is essential to me that therapy centers around you, fostering a collaborative, and trusting therapeutic relationship.

I hold a small private practice as I work in the NHS. As such I mainly offer evening appointments with a couple of morning slots. If you need help, please do reach out and we can work out how best I can support you.

Who can I help?

Adults over the age of 18 with difficulties which may include:

Relationship difficulties     

Relational trauma

Complex trauma

Childhood neglect, physical, emotional, sexual abuse

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Dissociative conditions

Bullying

Panic

Adjusting to life transitions and experiences

Anxiety

Low mood and depression

Low self-worth

Stress

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Sleep problems

Training & Qualifications

  • Level 1 Internal Family Systems Training, 2024

  • Clinical Supervisor Training, 2024

  • Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), 2021

  • PG Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBT), 2016

  • Introduction to Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), 2015

  • Motivational Interviewing, 2014

  • PG Diploma in Psychology, 2013

  • Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders (CFT), 2009

  • MSc in Work and Organisational Psychology, 2008

  • BA in Psychology, 2006

Crisis support

I am unfortunately unable to provide crisis or emergency support as I work part-time. If you are in the UK and need urgent assistance, please use the link below for information on how and where you can get support.

FAQ

  • Seeking help and finding support can feel emotionally taxing and daunting. It's crucial that you feel safe and comfortable with your psychologist for therapy to be effective. I offer a free initial 15-minute telephone consultation to determine if therapy will be beneficial and if we can work together. Please send me an email if you wish to arrange a phone call.

    If you decide to continue with me, I will send you the terms and conditions, which include a consent form for you to sign before we schedule our first session.

  • Sessions last 50 minutes and cost £120 per session.

    If you require letters or reports, these will be provided upon request and may incur a charge depending on what's requested.

    Payment should be made via bank transfer prior to the session. I will provide further details on how to do this when we book your session.

  • I predominantly work virtually online via MS Teams.

    In-person appointments are available upon request and will take place in Preston, where I am based.

    Except for the initial 15-minute phone call, I do not offer telephone appointments.

  • I offer an initial assessment and formulation period, lasting up to 5 sessions if needed, to help identify therapy goals. After this, we can jointly decide how many sessions you may need and conduct regular reviews to monitor progress.

    You are free to stop working with me at any time. I simply ask for some notice if you wish to end sessions to avoid charges for sessions you no longer attend or require. This information is detailed in the terms and conditions document, which I will email you at the time of booking.

  • There may be instances when you are unable to attend an appointment for various reasons. If you cancel with less than 48 hours' notice, a cancellation fee equivalent to a single session will apply.

    If you inform me more than 48 hours in advance, there will be no charge. Please discuss any planned absences with me during our sessions in advance.

    You will not be charged for any of my absences. I will aim to provide as much notice as possible for any planned leave. If I am ill, you will not be charged for the session.

  • Your information will be kept in the strictest confidence and in line with current GDPR guidelines. It will also be stored safely and securely in accordance with these guidelines. The terms and conditions provide more details about this.

    There are limits to confidentiality. If I have concerns about your safety or the safety of those around you, I may need to inform relevant professional agencies to act in your best interest and the safety of others, including the public. If such a situation arises, I will usually share this with you if I believe it is safe to do so.

Do get in touch!

Schedule a free 15-minute telephone call with me for a brief chat about your needs and to determine if we're a good fit for each other.