Dr Mark Groves
Every professional displayed on Counselling Directory has been independently verified by our team to ensure they have suitable credentials to practise.
This professional is available for new clients.
This professional is available for new clients.
About me
I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). As a Clinical Psychologist, I am trained to doctoral level to deliver evidence-based therapy from a variety of therapeutic models. This allows me to tailor therapy to your individual needs. If you want to find out more, I have written a little about how a Clinical Psychologist is different from a Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist below.
How is a Clinical Psychologist different?
Clinical Psychologists train to a doctoral level in a range of therapies. This allows us to tailor therapy to your specific needs, no manuals! A particular skill for Clinical Psychologists is our training in understanding what is going on for you and why. By being aware of why we are struggling, we can then make steps to overcome those difficulties. Counsellors and Psychotherapists are also qualified therapeutic practitioners but are generally trained in one therapeutic model and not to doctoral level. Psychiatrists are also doctors but they work with people experiencing mental health difficulties using medications to help manage these difficulties rather than talking therapies.
Why do people choose to have therapy?
People look into therapy for a variety of reasons including psychological, emotional, personal or relational difficulties. I am passionate about understanding each person as an individual and tailoring therapy to their unique needs. I have trained in a breadth of psychological models, which allows me to adapt therapy appropriately by selecting the aspects that will be most helpful to you.
My values
I believe that people are the expert of their own experiences but challenging life events can mean that any one of us can develop difficulties with our mental health and wellbeing and then find it difficult to identify a way of moving forward. At these times, I am passionate about offering my expertise as a Clinical Psychologist, combining this with the individual’s expertise about themselves to support them to make meaningful changes in their lives.
I want to support the people I work with to challenge the stigma that can often be attached to a mental health difficulty and provide a framework for them to develop a perspective of a mental health struggle as an understandable reaction when considered within the context of their life experiences. I understand that seeking psychological therapy can be daunting and scary so my initial aim for everybody I see is to develop a trusting relationship with them. This allows us to work openly and develop a plan together for moving forward, which is meaningful to the individual. Experiencing a mental health difficulty or living with a chronic condition can be all consuming and I have hope for everybody I work with that change is possible.
What to expect from your therapy sessions
I work to provide a safe, contained and confidential space on a weekly basis in which you can share the difficulties you want to work on, at a pace, you feel comfortable, so we can work together towards understanding and change in the direction of your values.
The first session is the assessment where we will explore what you have come to therapy for, what you have tried in the past, what helped and what didn't help. At the end of this session, I will try and make some recommendations around what may be most helpful for you.
After the assessment session, the therapy sessions will be 50 minutes. Each person I work with is unique and so it is difficult to predict how many sessions will be needed. From a personal perspective, my aim is only to work with a person for as long as it is helpful and to empower the person to leave therapy with the skills they need.
Taking the next steps
I appreciate that looking for a therapist can feel a bit overwhelming and confusing. I hope the information above will help to answer some of your questions but if you would like to know more, please contact me in confidence at mark@flexiblemindspsychology.co.uk
Training, qualifications & experience
My experience
I am a qualified Chartered Clinical Psychologist with over 19 years of experience in health care, social care, and voluntary/charity sectors, including many years of clinical practice in the NHS. I have a broad range of experiences within different multidisciplinary teams and settings and have worked with client groups across the lifespan, presenting with the full range of mental health problems. This includes stress, adjustment to loss, identity and self-esteem issues, depression, psychosis, bipolar affective disorder, anxiety disorders, trauma, personality disorders, substance misuse problems, self-harm, and suicidality.
I have also worked with people with physical health problems and physical disabilities, including chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. I have delivered psychological interventions with individuals, groups, families, and multidisciplinary teams. I have supervised others in their psychological work including Assistant and Trainee Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Specialist Pain Nurses.
Qualifications
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, The University of Oxford; 2011
Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Mental Health Care Practice, Liverpool, John Moores University, 2005
BSc [Hons] Psychology, The University of Liverpool; 2002
Training
ACT for Trauma, Contextual Consulting, London; 2018
Clinical Supervisor Workshop, IoPPN, London: 2018
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Guys and St Thomas, NHS Trust; 2016
Trauma and Psychosis; reflections on the atest developments; Lincoln, British Psychological Society, 2013
Behavioural Family Therapy, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust; 2011
Registrations
Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC): HCPC registration number: PYL27131. Registered from 1st June 2017
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
I also work with people experiencing chronic health conditions such as chronic fatigue and chronic pain. I work with young adults and I also offer group work.
Therapies offered
Fees
£130.00 per session
Health Insurance/EAP
Additional information
I provide a bespoke service that is designed to meet your individual needs. For a 60 minute assessment fees are £130. Individual therapy sessions are £130 and are 50 minutes. I may consider concessions so please ask me. Please get in touch with me if you would like to find out more by email mark@flexiblemindspsychology.co.uk
When I work
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | |||||||
| Afternoon | |||||||
| Evening | |||||||
| Night |
Various evening and weekend appointments available.
