Dr Sophie Cripps

I offer reflective supervision to psychologists, counsellors and other professionals working in therapeutic roles. My approach is collaborative, relational and grounded in the belief that supervision is a space to think together, develop confidence, and deepen our understanding of both ourselves and the people we support.

I draw on extensive experience as a Clinical Psychologist across NHS and private practice settings, working with adults, children, young people and families. My clinical experience includes adult mental health services, specialist dementia services, child and adolescent mental health, eating disorders, paediatrics, physical health, oncology, palliative care and bereavement. I have particular expertise in supporting children, young people and families living alongside serious illness, uncertainty, loss, grief, complex emotional and relational experiences.

My supervision integrates systemic, narrative, attachment-informed, psychodynamic and evidence-based psychological approaches. I have a particular passion for using narrative practice and systemic thinking within both my clinical work and supervision. I value the way these approaches invite curiosity about the wider contexts that shape people’s experiences, including relationships, family systems, culture, identity, values and the stories we develop about ourselves and our lives. Within supervision, I enjoy supporting clinicians to explore alternative perspectives, develop richer formulations and consider how different ways of understanding a person’s story can open up new possibilities for therapeutic work.

I have completed Foundation and Intermediate Level training in Systemic Family Therapy, alongside further specialist training in Narrative Therapy and Attachment Narrative Therapy, including recent training exploring attachment, trauma and family systems. I am particularly interested in how our early relationships, family histories, identities and wider contexts shape the stories we hold about ourselves, our relationships and our experiences.

I strongly value psychodynamic thinking within supervision, particularly in helping us make sense of the ways struggles can emerge in our relationships with ourselves and with others. I believe that attending to unconscious processes, relational patterns, attachment experiences and the therapeutic relationship can deepen our understanding of the difficulties people bring to therapy, as well as supporting thoughtful and compassionate clinical work. I engage in weekly psychoanalytic psychotherapy as part of my ongoing commitment to reflective practice and to developing my capacity to support the clinical work of supervisees.

I aim to provide a compassionate and containing supervisory space where supervisees can bring clinical uncertainty, emotional responses, ethical dilemmas, relational challenges and moments of feeling stuck. Together, we can explore different perspectives, strengthen formulation and therapeutic thinking, attend to the therapeutic relationship, and reconnect with the values that guide our work.

I am passionate about supporting clinicians to develop confidence while maintaining curiosity, humility and compassion. I particularly enjoy working with professionals supporting complexity, including trauma, grief, loss, health conditions, family relationships and relational difficulties. I see supervision as a collaborative process that supports both professional growth and sustainable, values-led practice.