Our Team - Highly rated, well respected and passionate about making a difference

Passionate about psychology

I am passionate about psychology: not just the theory (which I do like!) but also the application of psychological theory to support an understanding of complex problems and the power to provide an impetus for positive change. Having worked as an educational psychologist for over 10 years, I’ve developed an interest in many areas of psychology but particularly approaches that enhance social and emotional wellbeing at the individual and organisational level.  Further, I firmly believe that working in collaboration with others offers the most promising way of supporting positive outcomes. For me, relationships and the promotion of positive interactions is central to all my work.

Click here read Russell’s C.V

Wealth of experience

I am a practising Educational Psychologist with a wealth of experience gained from working across a range of local authorities. I have also previously worked as a school teacher in the primary sector and am presently an SEN Governor at a local Primary School. Over the course of my career, I have developed a specialism in supporting children with additional needs in the early years, in addition to a having keen interest in how to promote the emotional growth and wellbeing of children and young people. I have particular knowledge and experience of supporting schools in looking at the ‘bigger picture’; working with them to support change at a systems level to ensure the whole school community is meeting children’s needs in the most effective way. I am of the firm belief that we have to establish a positive feeling of emotional health and well being to provide pupils with a secure base to embark on learning.

Click here read Emma’s C.V

Supporting teachers and practitioners

I have worked as an Educational Psychologist in a number of local authorities (most recently 14 years in Lincolnshire!), since qualifying in 2001. During that time, I have gained a huge amount of experience applying psychology when completing individual work, tribunals, and statutory work, as well as when engaged in whole school support. I have also developed and delivered training to support teachers and practitioners working with children and young people with many different needs. Training for foster carers has also been an area of particular interest for me. As has training and supervising Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs), which I am thrilled to be continuing in my Associate role with Futures in Mind.

I have an interest in ‘Critical Incidents’, having spent time developing materials to support schools, children and young people. I have also provided direct support to schools who have experienced a critical incident, working alongside pupils and teachers to guide their practice and responses in light of current research.

When supporting children and young people, it is vital for me to ensure that their voice is central to planning and decision-making, in addition to building positive working relationships with teachers, parents and carers, so that better understandings and outcomes can be achieved.

Passionate about optimising communication

I started my career in the NHS, gaining experience with a varied caseload of children and young people with speech, language, and communication difficulties. I am passionate about helping children and young people get the best start in life and education, by optimising their communicative abilities and reducing any barriers they may face. I strive to support all children I work with in an individual, child-centred, and creative way, to make therapy meaningful (and fun!). Throughout my career, I have developed a particular interest in supporting individuals with unclear speech along with identifying and supporting communication needs in the early years.

Creating positive change for children and families

Working collaboratively and using solution-focused psychology is at the heart of my Educational Psychology practice. I completed my Doctorate in Applied Educational Psychology in 2019 and continue to use and reflect on the interpersonal, psychological and research skills to guide my approach when working with schools. An area of particular interest is Lego-based Therapy; my Doctoral research explored the impact of Lego-based therapy on its impact on anxiety in children with social communication and interaction difficulties. I am enthusiastic about developing and delivery of bespoke training packages for schools, especially when training is adapted to individual needs and where teachers feel confident and empowered to apply their learning to practice.

Supporting social and emotional needs in schools

Following ten years working in schools within a range of roles, I completed a Doctorate in Applied Educational Psychology in 2019. Within my role as an Educational Psychologist, I am passionate about collaborating with others to promote positive outcomes for children and young people. A solution-focused, consultative approach is central to my practice: recognising the invaluable experience and expertise held by school staff and parents and carers in fostering the holistic development of children.

I have a particular interest in supporting social and emotional needs in schools, especially anxiety, and undertook my thesis research into the impact of the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) project. Through training and supervising ELSAs, my professional interests have developed further to include creating and delivering bespoke training which empowers and upskills the adults who work in schools to develop inclusive environments and support children and young people to thrive.

Applying different layers of analysis to understand young learners and their development

I have worked extensively across various Local Authorities to assess children and young people in order to understand, assess and manage their needs in the areas of behaviour, attention, cognitive and academic ability and social emotional needs.

I feel it is important to work collaboratively with a range of multi-disciplinary professionals as well as a apply various ‘layers of analysis’ to create a rich picture of the learner. Formerly a secondary trained teacher, my primary interests lie in the area of behaviour management and systems-based work to address social and emotional difficulties in children and young people.

My current and developing interest also lies in the area of neuroscientific research, following my doctoral-based research on the way new findings in the field can offer a greater depth of analysis to our understanding of children’s learning and development. I have presented in numerous conferences both in the UK and abroad as part of the Division of Educational Psychology (DECP), and International School Psychology Association (ISPA), and continue to find it invaluable to be able to collaborate with an international community of psychologists to broaden and share knowledge, skills and expertise, as well as keep my skills relevant and up-to-date.

Play Therapist

Utilising play as a powerful tool to foster healing, resilience, and growth.
I am a dedicated and compassionate Play Therapist with a strong background in child development, emotional wellbeing, and therapeutic practice. I am qualified with a master’s degree in Play Therapy and have extensive hands-on experience in both mainstream and specialist educational settings. I support children with a wide range of needs, including ASD, ADHD, and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties.
With a BA in Applied Drama and Psychology, I integrate creativity and psychological insight into my therapeutic work. I am accredited by the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT), and passionate about helping children and young people thrive through play and creative activities.

Happy to help and support

Proud to be supporting Futures in Mind