About me
Bio
My name is Ian, and I’m a consultant clinical psychologist. I hold a degree in psychology, a doctorate in clinical psychology, and extensive post‑qualification training in the therapeutic approaches you’d expect.
I have created, developed and run a nationally‑leading NHS service from scratch, and until recently served as a national specialty adviser to NHS England – the most senior clinical role in my field. I have been a co‑applicant on major research projects, spoken at national and international conferences, published papers in peer‑reviewed journals, and worked with people of all ages and backgrounds throughout my career.
Why I’m doing this
I believe humans are brilliant, resourceful creatures who have everything they need to improve the quality of their lives. All it takes is a bit of support, some honesty, courage, and a gentle nudge (or a shove) from the right person at the right time.
But it’s hard to know where to go for help - the NHS is over‑burdened and inaccessible, and private therapists are often expensive and variable in quality. And I think we can do better than that.
My approach
I draw on a range of psychotherapy models, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Rational-Emotive Behaviour Therapy.
With regard to my thinking, among many others, I owe a great debt to Epictetus, Krishnamurti, Viktor Frankl, Seneca, Albert Ellis, Carl Jung & Thich Nhat Hanh.
Some foundational concepts:
The truth will set you free
The scripts we have about ourselves are distorted, incomplete and false. We lie to ourselves all the time, and we don't get honest feedback from others. If you want to change, start with the truth – know thyself, be who you are and go from there.
Own your misery
“A person’s misery is never anyone else’s doing”. We are responsible for our feelings and our behaviour, and only we can save ourselves. Those last four words are important.
Judgement, not circumstance, is the problem
“People are not troubled by things, but by their judgement about things”. And we can change the quality of our judgements. Improve your judgement, improve your life.
Everything depends on what you do
Deep down most of us know what we should do, we just don’t think we’re capable of doing it. So work out what you want to change, take a proper look at yourself, get your thinking straight, and follow this up with committed, persistent action.