Dr Maria Thompson

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In December 2013, I entered full-time into Private Practice and receive referrals from businesses, charities, Insurance companies, care co-ordinators, case managers, solicitors, social services, medico-legal and rehabilitation agencies along with self-referrals. I have worked with a range of trauma related issues such as PTSD, BPD, complex trauma, abuse, dissociation, suicidal ideation/intent, self-harm, brain injury, personality and relationship difficulties.

I am frequently asked to assist with low self-esteem, self-hatred, chronic pain, sleep disturbance, loss including infant loss, and adjustment, stress, challenges with workplace bullying, time management and return to work issues, identity and mood issues such as depression, anger, shame, depression, panic and anxiety.

My role involves the completion of clinical assessment, progress and discharge reports, reports for Human Resources, Social Services, Insurers, Employee Assisted Programmes, Rehabilitation Services and Expert Witness reports for civil claims. At least 50% of my caseload involves the assessment/ rehabilitative treatment of adults presenting personality issues, PTSD and complex trauma related symptoms.

Counselling Certificates & Counselling Psychology Degrees:

• Introduction to Counselling Skills & Theory Certificate
• BTec Professional Development Certificate in Counselling
• BSc (Hons) Psychology & Social Policy Degree
• Masters in Counselling Psychology
• Post-Masters Diploma in Counselling Psychology
• Doctorate in Counselling Psychology

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Certificates for various issues:

• CBT for Improving Supervision Skills: Problems and Complexities in Practice
• An Introduction to Supervision of CBT: Essential Skills
• CBT for Simplifying Personality Disorder Treatment: New Paradigms in CBT
• CBT for Physical Illness, Injury, Pain and Trauma
• Food for Thought: CBT for Eating Disorders
• CBT for Working with Military Veterans
• Single Session Integrated CBT
• Cognitive Therapy for Paranoia
• CBT for Working with Substance Misuse
• Trauma: Psychopathology and Treatment
• CBT Case Formulation
• CBT for Working with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• CBT for New Approaches to Traumatic Grief and Loss
• Resilience: Prevention and Recovery from Traumatic Damage
• Supercharging Your CBT Practice: Integrating The Best of DBT, ACT and CFT for Maximum Effect
• CBT for Couples
• CBT and Counselling with Autism Spectrum Disorder Clients: a Masterclass with Prof Tony Attwood
• Problem-Solving Techniques and CBT
• CBT for Working with Generalised Anxiety Disorder
• Problem Solving Techniques In CBT
• Introduction to CBT
• Integrated CBT For Difficult to Work with Clients (Personality Disorders)
• CBT for Working with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• CBT for Working with Depression
• CBT for Working with Anger
• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) Certificates
• An Introduction to Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
• Guiding the Client on a Mindfulness Journey
• Using DBT Mindfulness Skills to Increase Your Therapeutic Effectiveness
• DBT Skills Training Group on Emotional Regulation
• DBT Skills Training Group on Distress Tolerance
• DBT Skills Training Group on Interpersonal Effectiveness

EMDR Certificates:

• Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) - Stage I
• Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) - Stage II
• Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR) – Stage III
• EMDR and Ego State Therapy: Healing Complex Trauma and Dissociation
• EMDR Refresher/Supervision Day
• EMDR and Anxiety Disorders
• EMDR and Complex Trauma
• EMDR Interventions for Adults with Childhood Insecure Attachment and Detachment Trauma
• How I Deliver EMDR Therapy Online Using Zoom
• EMDR Europe Accreditation
• Using EMDR Online – Answering Your Questions
• Memory Reconsolidation, The Flash Technique and EMDR

EMDR UK Virtual Conference:

• EMDR In the Treatment of Depression – The DeprEnd Protocol
• EMDR Therapy in the Treatment of Complex PTSD
• EMDR 2.0 An Enhanced Version of EMDR?

Additional Psychotherapy Models of Therapy Certificates:

• Motivational Interviewing and Beyond
• Solution Focused Therapy
• The Foundation of Infant Loss Accredited Provider Training Course
• Integrating Schema and CBT Practice: How to Use Powerful Schema Techniques in CBT
• Compassion Focused Therapy

Psychotherapy Issue Certificates:

• Supporting Bereaved People Culturally
• Cruse – Understanding Bereavement
• Emotional Excellence
• Breaking the Cycle of Depression without Drugs
• The Impact of Rape and Sexual Abuse
• Forensic Psychology – The Research Practitioner
• Relaxation and Visualisation Workshop
• Couples Counselling
• Effective Brief Therapy for Depression
• Psychology of Perception and the Paranormal
• The Fast Trauma (PTSD) and Phobia Cure
• Counsellors and Psychotherapists in Primary Care Training Day in Supervision
• Psychopharmacology & Therapy: An Uneasy Relationship
• The 7 Eyed Model – An Introduction to Supervision
• Attachment Theory
• Elder Abuse: A Hidden Problem
• Masterclass on Existential Counselling in Practice by Ernesto Spinelli
• Cultural Identities and Psychological Therapies
• Self Harm Awareness Training – Module 1
• Working Therapeutically with Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Issues, Dilemmas and Complexities
• Sex Workers Support Needs
• Self Harm Awareness Training – Module 2
• Working in Emergency Care with People Who Self-Harm
• Clinical Supervision
• Building Awareness of Adult Autism
• Essential Supervision Skills. BPS Approved Certificate in Clinical Supervision
• Working Successfully in Private Practice
• Drugs and Behaviour Course
• Tackling Addiction: Understanding and Treating All Types of Addictive Behaviour
• Working with Dissociative Disorders in Clinical Practice
• Resilience: Prevention and Recovery from Dramatic Damage
• Christine Sanderson: Managing Power
• Brene Brown’s Shame Shields: the armour we used to protect ourselves and why it doesn’t serve us
• The New Rules of Love: How Couples Are Reinventing Marriage
• Esther Perel’s transformative approach to couples therapy and action
• An Integrative Approach to Treating Complex PTSD and Associative Disorders

BPS Accredited MSc Neuropsychology Certificates:

• Stroke And Disorders of Language, Praxis, Perception and Calculation
• Acquired Brain Injury - Disorders of Attention, Memory and Executive Functioning
• Neurodegenerative Conditions
• Neurosciences for Clinical Neuropsychology
• Epilepsy, Seizures & Sleep Disorders

Additional *Psychometric Testing and Neuropsychology Certificates:

• Psychometric Testing for Counselling Psychologists
• Psychological Testing and Counselling Psychology
• Clinical Neuropsychology with Older People
• Assistant Test User: Occupational
• Test User: Occupational, Ability (Formerly Level A)
  August 2011: Test User: Occupational, Personality (Formerly Level B Intermediate)
• CPD Day for Old Age Psychiatry
• Stroke Care in the 21st Century
• Learning to Use the Historical / Clinical / Risk Management–20 (HCR–20) version 2
• MSc Postgraduate Study in Clinical Neuropsychiatry – Brain Injury
• Personality Assessment Screener Workshop
• Personality Assessment Inventory Assessment Workshop
• Bender Visual Motor Gestalt Test Assessment workshop
• Middlesex Elderly Assessment of Mental State Assessment Workshop
• Reducing the Burden of Neurobehavioural Disability after Acquired Brain Injury: past, Present and Future
• An Overview of Huntington’s Disease
• WAIS-IV Administration and Interpretation Workshop
• WMS-IV Administration and Interpretation Workshop
• Encephalitis - An Introduction
• Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–IV

Expert Witness Certificates:

• Writing Court Reports
• Master Class Expert Witness Presenting Evidence in Court
• BPS Becoming An Expert Witness
• BPS Expert Witness Level 1 Essential Knowledge of being an Expert Witness
• BPS Expert Witness Level 2 Report Writing
• EWI certified Medico-Legal Report Writing in Civil Claims (Core Skills)
• BPS Expert Witness Level 3 Presenting Court Room Evidence
• BPS Expert Witness Level 4 Use of Psychometric Assessments for Court

*the complete psychometric testing portfolio and full list of training providers is available on request.

Continuing Professional Development - various are attended each year.

I have worked in statutory and non-statutory organisations in the voluntary, public and private sectors. My positions have included a University Senior Lecturer, A Consultant / Crisis Services Manager and Head of Psychology within the Female Prison Estate (Medium Secure). 

I was a psychologist in an Employee Assisted Programme for Council employees and developed an Older Adult domiciliary service whilst practicing in the NHS in Primary and Secondary care (GP surgeries and Older Adult In/Outpatients). I gained 5.5 years experience as a Consultant Counselling Psychologist within the prison service and within a Low Secure Private Hospital supporting those with complex co-morbid forensic and mental health issues, brain injury and neurodegenerative conditions. I am also experienced in providing staff support, service development, management, supervision and risk assessment.   Since 2013 I have worked exclusively in my own Private Practice (Desideratum Psychological & Counselling Services Ltd).