I grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland and gained my medical degree and a BSc in Biochemistry at Edinburgh University (1989-1995). I came to London after my medical house officer year and worked in A&E and Old Age Medicine before deciding to train as a psychiatrist, becoming a Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2005. I live in London with my husband and two children.
My interest in working therapeutically with parents and babies/very young children began during my specialist training in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Tavistock Clinic, London where I was fortunate to have access to a wide range of multidisciplinary teaching and clinical experiences. This included a year long in-depth training in Infant Mental Health Theory, a 2-year infant observation, and clinical experience of working with parents and babies/young children.
On completion of my specialist child psychiatry training, I worked full time as a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and lead clinician for Barnet East Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), before taking a career break following the birth of my first child.
During this break I was introduced to Video Interaction Guidance (VIG), a strengths based, short to medium term therapeutic intervention which uses video feedback to promote strong, secure relationships. I was immediately struck by the potential of VIG to support parents/carers who feel that their relationship with their baby or child has gone awry. On my return to work, I sought out clinical posts which would allow me to pursue training in VIG and I became an accredited practitioner in December 2018.
In my role as Consultant Child Psychiatrist in the Paediatric Liaison team in Barnet General Hospital, 2017-18, I had the opportunity to work alongside the neonatal team at the Starlight Neonatal unit, supporting the psychological wellbeing of the babies admitted to the unit and that of their parents/carers. Since this experience, I have sought to further my learning and understanding of the needs of babies and parents in this situation through specialist courses, conferences and reading.
Between June 2018 and June 2022, I was a member of the Executive Committees of the Perinatal and Child and Adolescent Faculties at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. My work there focused on the need for collaboration between perinatal mental health services, child and adolescent mental health services, primary care, paediatrics, and the voluntary sector, in meeting the needs of 0-5yr-olds and their parents/carers.
In November 2023, I decided to give up my licence to practice as a doctor as the clinical work I currently offer does not require me to be a doctor or a psychiatrist and co-delivering online the Babies in Our Minds training with a child psychotherapy colleague is now a significant part of my part time working hours. Obviously my past medical training and experience working as a psychiatrist mean that I keep in mind the large overlap between physical and mental health difficulties when working with families. In addition, I have no hesitation in recommending and supporting families to find a suitable doctor (e.g. paediatrician or perinatal psychiatrist) if it becomes clear that this would be helpful.
Reflective Practice
My Child Psychiatry training at the Tavistock Clinic had a strong culture of reflective practice. We were encouraged to pay attention to the feelings we experienced in relation to different clinical and work situations, the resonances these situations may have with our own upbringing and personal lives, and wider group dynamics that might be active.
We were also encouraged to embark upon our own personal therapy, an experience which I found helpful and enriching for both my personal and professional life. I remain committed to this way of working and value the opportunities I have for reflection and continued professional development through my peer group of child psychiatrists (who I remain part of despite giving up my licence to practice) and colleagues from other disciplines who share my passion for parent-infant support.
Regulation and Insurance
I am on the GMC specialist register (GMC number 4228655) without a licence to practice. I am a member of the Association for Infant Mental Health UK (AiMH UK) and the World Association for Infant Mental Health (WAIMH). I am an accredited practitioner of Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) and listed as a private practitioner on the Association of Video Interaction Guidance UK (AVIG UK) website. I have professional liability insurance for providing psychotherapy through Oxygen/Marsh Commercial.