About me
People come to therapy for many different reasons. You may be struggling with anxiety or depression, finding yourself caught in the same patterns in relationships, experiencing low self-esteem or fear of judgement, or going through a period of change that has left you feeling anxious, overwhelmed or unsure of yourself.
You don't need to know exactly what's wrong or what type of therapy you need before getting in touch. Sometimes you may simply know that something doesn't feel right or that you want something in your life to change.
I am an HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist, Chartered Psychologist and Clinical Director of Alinea Psychologies. I work with adults, children and young people, with particular experience in anxiety, depression, self-esteem, relationship and interpersonal difficulties, and adjusting to significant life changes.
Anxiety can take many forms. You might find yourself constantly worrying or overthinking, fearing what other people think of you, struggling with uncertainty, or becoming anxious when circumstances or relationships change. I also work with children and young people experiencing anxiety around school, friendships, confidence, new situations and periods of adjustment.
Depression is a particular clinical and research interest of mine. My doctoral research explored different treatments for depression as well as people's lived experiences of existential therapy for depression, and I have undertaken further specialist training in psychological therapies for depression, including Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD). I also draw upon CBT and existential approaches when working with depression.
I don't believe anxiety, depression or low self-esteem can always be understood in isolation. How we feel can be connected to our relationships, previous experiences, significant losses or changes, patterns of thinking and behaviour, sense of identity, and questions about where our life is going.
My approach goes beyond simply giving you techniques. We can work together to understand why you may be feeling this way, what might be keeping the difficulty going, and what could help things change.
Feeling comfortable with your psychologist is also important. I provide a warm, non-judgemental space where you can talk openly, while also taking an active and collaborative approach to helping you understand what is happening.
My approach
I work integratively, which means I don't expect every person or difficulty to fit one particular model of therapy.
Depending on what you need, I may draw upon CBT to understand patterns of thinking and behaviour; interpersonal approaches to explore relationships, communication, loss and changes in life roles; psychodynamic ideas to understand how earlier experiences may influence current patterns; and existential therapy to explore questions around identity, uncertainty, meaning, choice and direction.
The existential aspect of my work can be particularly useful when anxiety or low mood emerges during periods of transition or uncertainty. Sometimes there isn't simply a symptom to “fix”. You may be questioning a relationship, career, identity, life stage or the direction your life is taking.
For other people, a more focused and structured approach is appropriate. We will think together about what makes sense for you rather than deciding on an approach before I've understood your individual experience.
Training, qualifications & experience
My experience spans NHS and private psychological services, including outpatient psychological services and specialist inpatient settings, supporting people experiencing difficulties ranging from anxiety and depression to trauma, self-harm and more complex psychological difficulties.
My academic training includes:
- DPsych Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology & Psychotherapy — New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling/Middlesex University
- MSc Clinical Psychology — Kingston University London
- BSc (Hons) Psychology — Kingston University London
- Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling & Psychotherapy — New School of Psychotherapy & Counselling/Middlesex University
- Further specialist training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Person-Centred Experiential Counselling for Depression (PCE-CfD)
- My doctoral research explored people's lived experiences of existential therapy for depression, reflecting my longstanding clinical and research interest in understanding and treating depression.
Continuing professional development training;
- Eating disorders
- Anxiety
- Family Estrangement
- Jungian Analysis
- Dream Analysis
- Emotional weight loss
- Time-limited practice
- Captivity
- Trauma
- Self-harm
- Neuropsychology
I continue to undertake professional development across psychological therapies and different areas of psychological difficulty.
How sessions work
Sessions are 50 minutes and are available online and in person.
The first sessions give us an opportunity to understand what has brought you to therapy, how the difficulty is affecting you and what you would like to be different.
They are also an opportunity for you to decide whether you feel comfortable working with me.
I'll ask questions to understand your experience, but therapy with me isn't simply an assessment. I want you to feel heard and understood too. I'll share my thoughts with you, and together we can develop an understanding of what may be contributing to the difficulty and what could be helpful.
Some people benefit from focused, shorter-term psychological therapy, while others want to explore longstanding experiences or patterns in greater depth. We can decide together what is most appropriate for you.
I offer a range of appointment times, including some evening appointments, and a limited number of concessionary spaces.
Further information
I am the Clinical Director of Alinea Psychologies, a psychology and psychotherapy practice supporting adults, children, young people and families.
If I'm not the most appropriate clinician for what you're looking for, or you would prefer a different therapeutic approach, availability or fee range, I can also help you find an appropriate clinician within the Alinea Psychologies team.
I also offer clinical supervision to counsellors, psychotherapists and other psychological professionals, depending on training requirements and the type of supervision required.
Publications and Research:
Vandrevala, T., Samsi, K., Rose, C., Adenrele, C., Barnes, C. and Manthorpe, J. (2017). Perceived needs for support among care home staff providing end of life care for people with dementia: a qualitative study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(2), pp.155-163.
Barnes, C. (2021). What is the Meaning and Essence of the Lived Experience of Existential Therapy for Depression. (Manuscript.)
Member organisations
school Registered / Accredited
Being registered/accredited with a professional body means an individual must have achieved a substantial level of training and experience approved by their member organisation.
The HCPC are an independent, UK-wide health regulator. They set standards of professional training, performance and conduct for 16 professions.
They keep a register of health professionals who meet their standards, and they take action if registered health professionals fall below those standards. They were created by a piece of legislation called the Health Professions Order 2001.
Registration means that a health professional meets national standards for their professional training, performance and conduct.
BACP is one of the UK’s leading professional bodies for counselling and psychotherapy with around 60,000 members. The Association has several different categories of membership, including Student Member, Individual Member, Registered Member MBACP, Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Accred) and Senior Registered Accredited Member MBACP (Snr Acccred). Registered and accredited members are listed on the BACP Register, which shows that they have demonstrated BACP’s recommended standards for training, proficiency and ethical practice. The BACP Register was the first register of psychological therapists to be accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). Accredited and senior accredited membership are voluntary categories for members who choose to undertake a rigorous application and assessment process to demonstrate additional standards around practice, training and supervision. Individual members will have completed an appropriate counselling or psychotherapy course and started to practise, but they won’t appear on the BACP Register until they've demonstrated that they meet the standards for registration. Student members are still in the process of completing their training. All members are bound by the BACP Ethical Framework and a Professional Conduct Procedure.
Accredited register membership
The Accredited Register Scheme was set up in 2013 by the Department of Health (DoH) as a way to recognise organisations that hold voluntary registers which meet certain standards. These standards are set by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA).
This therapist has indicated that they belong to an Accredited Register.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Therapies offered
Fees
From £120.00
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
- Concessions for students and low-income earners may be available
- Registered healthcare provider for most UK insurance companies.
Further information:
To arrange an initial consultation or to discuss any questions or concerns you may have, please contact me by phone, text or email.
I offer a free initial telephone consultations.
When I work
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Further information
I am the Clinical Director of Alinea Psychologies, a psychology and psychotherapy practice providing evidence-based psychological support for adults, children, young people and families.
I offer both online and in-person appointments. If I am not the most appropriate clinician for your needs, or you are looking for a different therapeutic approach or appointment availability, I can also help match you with a suitable clinician within the Alinea Psychologies team.
You can find further information about my work and Alinea Psychologies at alineapsychologies.com.
