Dr Maria Thompson
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This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
Dr Maria Thompson, BSc (Hons) MSc, Post-MSc, DCounsPsych., CPsychol., AFBPsS. Director| Consultant Counselling Psychologist. I have been working therapeutically with individuals, couples and groups since 1998 in a wide range of settings. I have extensive clinical experience of providing psychological assessment and treatment for adults, older adults with mental health and forensic histories, that presented with mild, moderate, severe enduring and complex mental, neurological and physical health issues.
My aim is to provide excellent and affordable online and 'in person' psychological care for adults and older adults, to reduce distress, improve awareness, connection, functioning and QoL through face-to-face and online counselling and psychological therapy. You can explore and address your concerns safely with session materials to take away for future reference.
I offer evidenced approaches. Since 1998 I have worked with many people in their recovery from a range of emotional, behavioural, personality and mental health issues across various settings to Consultant level. Hopefully, I can help you also.
You are welcome to call or email me to outline the issues and pressures you are managing currently. We can discuss the kind of support you are looking for and find out if I am able to assist you. We can then decide whether you would like to attend a consultation session to determine if therapy with me is likely to help.
Training, qualifications & experience
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).
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.
Areas of counselling I deal with
Other areas of counselling I deal with
Referrals are accepted for issues such as:
Mental Health, Psychological trauma, PTSD: accident, PTSD: injury, PTSD: rape, PTSD: traumatic childhood, PTSD: life events, Adult Survivors of Abuse, Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse, Cognitive Function assessment & treatment, Memory Impairment assessment & treatment, Violence risk assessment, Female offender issues, Medico-Legal Reports, Mood Disorders, Depression, Anxiety, Anger, Psychological assessment of adults, Psychological treatment, Psychological assessment of older adults, Self Esteem, Self Development, Anger Management.
Assertiveness Training, Behaviour Problems, Race & Religious Issues, Carer Support, Grief and Loss, Life Transition & Adjustment Issues, Interpersonal Relationship issues, Psychotherapy, Counselling, Personality Assessment, Psychopathology Assessment, Anticipatory Grief & Bereavement, Multiple Losses, Pain Management, Relaxation Difficulties, Sleeping Difficulties, Stress, Palliative Care, Chronic Health Conditions, Neurodegenerative Conditions, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia, Early onset Dementia, Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Brain Injury, Neuro-Rehabilitation & Injury Counselling.
Victim of Crime, Cult Involvement, Domestic Violence, Self Harm, Suicidal Risk, Workplace Bullying, Work & Occupational Stress, Mental Illness, Panic Disorder, Health Anxiety, Anxiety Management, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Psychosis, Schizophrenia, Dissociative Conditions, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Personality Disorders, Personality Difficulties, Older Adult Issues, Older Adult Well-Being, Domiciliary / Home Visits for Senior Citizens, Domiciliary / Home Visits for clients with disabilities, Domiciliary visits to Charities, Domiciliary visits to Nursing Homes, Person Centred Dementia Care, Older Adult Well-Being Groups.
Therapies offered
Fees
£95.00 - £110.00
Concessions offered for
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
- In Person Individual Therapy £110.00 for 50 minutes
- Online or Telephone Individual Therapy £100.00 for 50 minutes
- Concessions available
Register with the practice and book on the online diary at: https://mariathompson.clinicoffice.online/
I am a recognised psychologist practitioner with the following health insurance providers through Desideratum P&C Services Ltd. I am happy to join others if yours is not listed: BUPA, AXA PPP Healthcare, AVIVA, WPA.
When I work
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Monday to Thursday 10am - 7.30 pm. Fridays till 4pm and Saturdays till 2pm. Online sessions available. Voice mail or text messages can be left on the DPCS Mobile during all other times.
Further information
For details about Desideratum Psychological & Counselling Services Ltd Covid-19 Secure measures - with details of the associated Covid-19 questionnaire and consent forms, please visit the website at: https://desideratumpsychologicalandcounsellingservices.com/covid-19-secure-measures.html#