Qualifications:
- BSc Psychology (The University of Sheffield)
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (The University of Sheffield)
- Registered Practitioner Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist (HCPC PYL30452)
- Cognitive Analytic Therapy Practitioner (ACAT016156)
- EMDR therapist practitioner (EMDR Works)
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills (British Isles DBT training)
- Supervisor Training and Recognition STAR programme (The University of Sheffield)
Since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist in 2013 I have dedicated my work within the NHS in adult mental health services. This has allowed me to build, and to continue to develop, strong clinical/therapeutic skills, knowledge and expertise in the NICE guidance recommended treatments. I am very passionate about working collaboratively with adults within individual therapy to support them to make meaningful changes that improves their mental health and wellbeing.
Some of the difficulties I have regularly and successfully worked with include: low or fluctuating mood, anxiety, emotional coping difficulties, longstanding problems with relationships, low self-esteem and body image, self-harm and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It has been a privilege to work alongside people who for understandable reasons can find it difficult to build mutually honest, non-judgemental and trusting relationships. People I have worked with have described me as easy to talk to, genuine, supportive, thoughtful, compassionate, and reliable.
The majority of individuals that I work with want to make sense of the difficulties that they experience now with their mental health so that they feel able to move forwards and to make changes that enable them to break unhelpful patterns of coping that they have learnt instinctively to manage challenging experiences in childhood and adulthood.
I am a Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) Practitioner, having undertaken the two year diploma in 2018. I have very considerable experience of working within the 8, 16 and 24 session CAT approach. I am committed to investing in the development and improvement of treatments available to people with mental health needs and am currently a trial therapist within national CAT research for people who self-harm (RELATE).
I trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 2015 and have very considerable experience of working with people with trauma including those with a diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD.
Both CAT and EMDR are the core therapeutic models that I work within. I have regular specialist supervision for these alongside ongoing training which enables me to keep up to date with new developments and improved recommended approaches.
I have completed additional training and have undertaken considerable therapeutic work drawing on the following models/approaches: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT) which can be utilised alongside the above approaches.
Within my NHS career I have also built psychoeducational and skills based groups such as DBT informed emotional coping skills groups, meaning that I have accumulated considerable knowledge and resources that we can draw on to support growth and new learning in the people I work with.
Availability
I am offering online therapy via video consultation.
I am available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Find me on Psychology Today: Dr Victoria Howells
