Our Team

About Sarah

Sarah is the Clinical Director and Founder of the Perinatal Psychology Practice. Sarah is a passionate and highly experienced Consultant Clinical Psychologist, with over 15 years of perinatal mental health experience, including extensive experience delivering evidence-based psychological therapies to those in the perinatal period.

She holds postgraduate qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy,  Behavioural Couples Therapy and EMDR and has also trained in Compassion Focused Therapy,  Mindfulness Based approaches, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. As well as her clinical work, Sarah has experience in research, teaching and training psychologists, providing specialist supervision, and in developing national therapy standards and guidance for those working in Perinatal Mental Health.

About Ukwuori

Ukwuori is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and registered Clinical Supervisor with the British Psychological Society (BPS). She has extensive expertise in working therapeutically in a range of specialist therapies, and has worked with people across the lifespan and with varying mental health difficulties in various countries and contexts.

As well as the work she does with the Perinatal Practice, Ukwuori works with NHS clients and for Médecins Sans Frontières.

Ukwuori’s specialist interest is in evidence-based treatments for people who have experienced traumatic events and/or suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This is particularly relevant to the work we do here at the Perinatal Psychology Practice around birth trauma and other experiences of trauma that lead to distress in the perinatal period. She also has expertise in working with a range of difficulties that can emerge in the perinatal period, including depression and anxiety disorders.

Alongside her therapy work Ukwuori contributes to the publishing of clinical research, global mental health promotion, and teaching of doctoral students at King’s College London.  Ukwuori has worked for many years as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), taking part in projects to investigate and consult on the mental health needs of pregnant women in Nigeria. She worked in Nigeria for a number of years actively promoting mental health awareness and care by consulting for local hospitals, school and organisations and through a TEDx Talk.

About Helen

Helen is a highly experienced clinical psychologist with over 15 years experience working in the NHS and has trained in a number of therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Mindfulness based approaches.

Helen brings a wealth of experience to the Perinatal Psychology Practice from her years of working in NHS Occupational Therapy services. In particular, her extensive experience in supporting people to address high standards, perfectionism and self-criticism is of great value to the Practice. Clients value her support with work-related issues which often arise either as one is about to go on maternity leave or is struggling to manage a return to work. She has experience in working to support clients to manage change and transitions, as well as improving resilience and developing a healthy work and home life balance.

About Megan

Megan is a Clinical Psychologist who completed her clinical doctorate at the University of Oxford. She is a registered Psychologist with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and British Psychological Society (BPS). She is a dedicated Clinical Psychologist with a wealth of experience working in both the NHS and private healthcare. This has included in perinatal mental health services, services for children and young people, adult community mental health teams and within specialist trauma pathways.

Megan has valued working in perinatal mental health in recent years, supporting individuals in the perinatal period who have needed guidance with a diverse range of difficulties including depression, anxiety, perinatal loss, birth trauma and couples adjustment. She has also specialised in helping children and adults overcome a wide range of complex mental health issues, including mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorders), anxiety disorders (such as OCD, social anxiety, health anxiety, phobias and panic), single-event and complex trauma, anger and more. She provides a non-judgemental, down-to-earth approach and passion for creating a safe, supportive environment to empower clients to achieve lasting positive change.

Megan is trained in a range of approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), mindfulness and systemic family therapy.

About Florence

Florence is a Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years’ experience in the NHS. She has worked with people experiencing a wide range of difficulties and has specialised in working with families who experience difficulties in relation to conception, pregnancy and parenting.

As a parent herself, Florence recognises that the journey to parenthood can be a time of many transitions and challenges. She supports clients with a range of difficulties associated with this time including, adjustment, anxiety, low mood, trauma, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, and loss.

Florence has a particular interest in supporting relationships between parents and their babies/children to thrive. She is passionate about supporting the whole family, having conducted research with fathers and worked at a national level in the NHS to involve partners and families in perinatal services.

Florence’s work is informed by a range of approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and attachment-based interventions. She has additional training in Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) and Circle of Security Parenting.

Florence works flexibly and together with clients to understand their needs, strengths, and goals. She offers a warm, non-judgemental, and compassionate space to explore and work through these.  Florence is registered with the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

About Christy

Christy is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked therapeutically for over 10 years in mental health settings within the NHS. Christy is experienced in working with individuals with a wide range of mental health difficulties, including experiences of early childhood trauma, or trauma in the perinatal period.

Christy currently specialises in working within in the perinatal period in the NHS and works across two NHS based Perinatal Mental Health services.

Christy is warm and compassionate and places importance on the therapeutic relationship with her clients. She ensures that her clients feel heard and that they have space to make sense of their difficulties in a non- judgemental way. Christy believes this is important before anyone feels able to embark on changes in their life to meet their goals.  

Christy completed Doctoral training at University College London and is passionate about the delivery of high-quality psychological interventions. Christy offers Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and is also trained in other approaches including those aimed at supporting clients with parenting young children.  

About Caroline

Caroline is an experienced chartered Clinical Psychologist with over 15 years of experience and has a keen interest in perinatal mental health. She is trained in various therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, EMDR, Compassion Focused Therapy, and other third wave approaches, such as mindfulness.

Depending on the person’s needs, Caroline may take a present focused approach, considering the vicious cycles that can keep a person stuck. Alternatively, Caroline may explore long-standing unhelpful beliefs that may have been learnt in the early stages of life. She may then use a range of techniques to promote deeper level ‘core’ emotional growth and change.

Caroline has worked in specialist NHS settings for eating disorders, trauma, and long-term physical health conditions. She has a special interest in body image difficulties, anxiety, self-criticism, perfectionism, and trauma. In her clinical practice, Caroline works collaboratively with individuals and couples seeking help, aiming to provide an empathic and warm therapeutic relationship.

About Nina

Nina is a Clinical Psychologist with over 12 years experience of working in variety of NHS mental health settings, including perinatal services. She is passionate about supporting parents through this transformative and often challenging time.

Nina has a special interest in working with people who have experienced trauma in the perinatal period and is trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, which is both effective and evidenced-based. She has supported parents experiencing a wide range of difficulties including antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression, fear of childbirth, perinatal OCD, traumatic birth and adjustment to parenthood. She also has a real passion for supporting parents to reflect on how their experiences of being parented influence their own parenting.

To meet your individual needs and goals for therapy, Nina uses an integrative and formulation-led approach, drawing flexibly on a range of psychological approaches. She believes that therapy should be collaborative and will work with you to develop a shared understanding of your difficulties, which will often include making links between past and present experiences. Whatever you are experiencing, Nina aims to provide a safe, warm and informal space to explore your difficulties and to find ways to move forward.

The principle psychological models Nina uses in therapy are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and mindfulness. She also draws on concepts and principles from Schema Therapy, Dialectal Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT).

About Charlotte

Charlotte is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist working within NHS Perinatal Mental Health Services, supporting parents with their mental health through conception, pregnancy and the postnatal period.

Charlotte knows that feeling safe and understood is key to getting the most from therapy, so creates a compassionate and non-judgemental space for clients to talk through their difficulties. She works together with clients towards their desired goals.

She is experienced at working with challenges that may arise for parents at different stages, including fertility issues and loss, fear of birth (tokophobia), birth trauma (post traumatic stress disorder), obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression. She supports parents to adjust whether it is their first child or they are juggling a growing family. Charlotte draws on several key approaches depending on the evidence base and client’s preferences, including cognitive behavioural therapy, compassion focused therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, narrative exposure therapy and systemic family therapy. She can also support the development of the parent infant relationship through VIPP (video feedback intervention to promote positive parenting).

About Suzanne

Suzanne is a Specialist Perinatal and Child Clinical Psychologist who began supporting individuals with mental health and behavioural challenges over 20 years ago. She is registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is an Associate Fellow and Chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Suzanne has worked across NHS and private settings both in the UK and internationally.

As a Mother of three young children, Suzanne has a deep personal understanding of the transformative journey of parenthood. She is passionate about supporting parents and parents-to-be through all stages of the perinatal period, helping them prepare for birth and adjust to life with a new baby, whilst not losing sight of their own needs. Suzanne has a compassionate and friendly approach, and she provides a safe and non-judgmental space for her clients to explore their experiences.

Suzanne offers antenatal education, hypnobirthing and birth planning (including support for caesarean births), and this enables her to provide both practical and emotional support for pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

Suzanne enjoys supporting parent-infant relationships and bonding, by helping parents build a secure and nurturing connection with their babies. She also enjoys working with families of young children, providing guidance on common issues such as sleep, feeding, toileting, and behavioural challenges. As an experienced Child Psychologist, she helps empower parents to navigate these early years with confidence and resilience, while also prioritising their own well-being.

Her therapeutic work is informed by evidence-based approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness. Suzanne supports individuals experiencing a range of common mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, perfectionism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and specific phobias, including tokophobia (fear of childbirth). Suzanne also has a keen interest in supporting those with body image concerns and eating difficulties.

As a passionate supporter of women struggling with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and pregnancy sickness, Suzanne offers individualised support for those affected by this condition. She is also an advocate for a national HG and pregnancy sickness charity.

Suzanne’s professional memberships include: the BPS Faculty for Children, Young People, and their Families; the BPS Faculty of Perinatal Psychology; and the Association of Infant Mental Health.

About Aisling

Aisling is a senior clinical psychologist with over 15 years experience working in the field of mental health across a range of settings; including the charity sector, social care, schools, children’s mental health services.

In recent years, Aisling has worked as a senior clinical psychologist in NHS perinatal mental health services, and she now further specialises in working with women and families who have experienced traumatic births, perinatal loss, fear of birth and other forms of antenatal anxiety. 

As an experienced clinical psychologist, Aisling has trained in, and utilises a number of evidence-based therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT). She has recently undertaken training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and along with CBT, draws upon this approach frequently in her NHS work with those who have experienced trauma. 

Aisling has undertaken extensive post-qualification training and has additional qualifications in Systemic Family Therapy (trained to Systemic Practitioner level) and Narrative Therapy. Aisling enjoys working with individuals, couples and families, and has extensive experience of providing consultation to, and joint working with other health professionals.

Alongside her clinical work in both the NHS and private practice, Aisling also works as a senior lecturer on an MSc Psychology programme. She enjoys teaching and learning from her students and colleagues and supporting students to work towards their goals for development. 

Aisling adopts a warm, compassionate, sensitive and respectful approach to her therapeutic work and is privileged to be able to support her clients in addressing their difficult and challenging experiences and feelings in a safe, supportive and productive space. 

About Kyla

Kyla is a clinical psychologist chartered by the British Psychological Society and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. She is warm and collaborative in her style, using evidence-based therapies to meet each person’s individual needs. She appreciates the many ways in which conception, birth and parenthood can be challenging and is passionate about helping parents navigate these difficulties to improve outcomes for themselves and their children. She has experience working with individuals, couples and with the parent-infant relationship.

Kyla obtained her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and has undergone further postgraduate training in Perinatal Mental Health and Behavioural Couples Therapy. She is an accredited Video-Interaction Guidance Practitioner and has also trained as a Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator. Kyla’s primary therapeutic model is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, and she uses this model in an individualised way, including principles of Compassion-Focused Therapy in her practice. She has also trained and uses Eye-Movement Desensitisation and Re-processing (EMDR) Therapy.

She has worked in specialist perinatal mental health services in the NHS since 2017, where she developed expertise in in the assessment and treatment of mental health difficulties that arise during, or in the context of, pregnancy/birth/the postnatal period, including anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, tokophobia/fear of childbirth and difficulties arising in the context of reproductive loss and trauma.

In addition to clinical practice, Kyla is involved in teaching, training and supervision of professionals who work with parents in the perinatal period, including teaching for professionals who support those who have experienced pregnancy loss or baby loss. Kyla is also a committee member of the Faculty of Perinatal Psychology within the British Psychological Society.

About Jo

Jo is an experienced Consultant Clinical Psychologist, who has worked in various mental health settings over many years. Jo is the Psychology and Therapy Lead in a large NHS Perinatal service and feels privileged to work alongside families at such a crucial and vulnerable time.

Jo has experience working with a wide range of clinical presentations, including psychosis and unusual experiences, eating disorders, trauma, anxiety, low mood and difficulties in important relationships (including relationship with baby).

Jo has undertaken additional training in a range of therapies and interventions. These include: Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT); Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR); Circle of Security Parenting; Newborn Behavioural Observation; and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). Jo particularly enjoys using CAT. This therapy helps people understand and address some of their relationship patterns. It is based on the idea that our early life experiences influence the way we relate to other people and how we treat ourselves. It can be a powerful way of understanding perinatal difficulties.

Jo is a warm and down to earth practitioner. She believes that the most important ingredient in any good therapy is the relationship, and she works hard to create a space that is compassionate, accepting and nurturing.

About Lauren

Lauren is a Clinical Psychologist who alongside private practice works within maternity & neonatal psychological interventions in Scotland. Within this role she provides support and psychological intervention for emotional difficulties related to complications during pregnancy, birth and neonatal inpatient care.

She has a particular interest and expertise in birth and neonatal trauma , navigating pregnancy after loss and fear of childbirth (tokophobia). 

Lauren completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Edinburgh in 2016 completing her specialist year  in a trauma-informed centre for women involved in the criminal justice system with complex needs. She has 12 years of experience working in the NHS within several specialist teams with varied presentations and complexity including complex trauma. 

Lauren is a parent of 3 children and understands the great joy, but also the unique challenges and pressures that the perinatal period brings.  For her it continues to be a journey of transformation!

She considers it a real honor and privilege to come alongside a family at a time they likely feel really vulnerable.  She is passionate about supporting mums and dads navigate this period and unlock the power of self compassion and kindness towards themselves. 

Lauren utilises models such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), Eye movement desensitisation reprocessing (EMDR), schema focused approaches and compassion focussed therapy (CFT) in an integrative and individually tailored way . She has additional training in Video Interactive Guidance (VIG) and Newborn Behavioural Observation (NBO). Lauren focuses on developing the therapeutic  relationship and making sure that you feel comfortable to talk about your experience at your own pace, in your own way. She will walk alongside you with warmth and compassion and will work with you collaboratively to make sense of your situation, and work on finding a new way forward in line with your goals. Lauren is registered with the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

About Paula

Paula is a highly experienced HCPC registered Counselling Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working in the NHS and private sector. Paula has worked across a range of NHS mental health settings over many years, including perinatal mental health services and Child and Family Services (CAMHS). She also provides supervision to trainee Clinical and Counselling psychologists.

Paula has experience working with a wide range of clinical difficulties, including psychosis and unusual experiences, bipolar disorder, trauma and relationship difficulties. She brings a wealth of experience in working with couples and families to the practice and appreciates the strength of the family system and couple relationship. Paula enjoys using the Intercultural Exeter Model as it provides a systemic-behavioral way to focus on the cultural context of a couple’s life. Paula is passionate about contextualizing situations and what takes place in the sea of communications flowing into and out of one another.

In addition to her core training as a Counselling Psychologist, Paula is qualified in Systemic Family Therapy and in Open Dialogue, which is an approach that supports families and organisational systems with a loved one with Bipolar, Schizo-Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. The core therapeutic models she uses are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Systemic Family Therapy and Existential Philosophy. Paula is registered with the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

About Natalie

Dr Natalie Halls is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in both the NHS and charity sector. Currently, she works in an NHS women’s health psychology service, supporting women experiencing distress during the perinatal period, fertility treatments, gynaecological procedures, and following a traumatic birth.

She also collaborates with health teams to support individuals experiencing chronic pain and managing health conditions such as diabetes. Natalie also works in obesity supporting parents and families to develop a healthy relationship with their bodies and food.

She has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and has completed additional training and experience in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She is registered with the HCPC (Health Professionals Council).

Her interests are addressing issues related to self-criticism, anxiety and perfectionism. She values creating a warm and non-judgmental environment where clients feel safe to express themselves openly.

About Laura

Laura is a HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist with over a decade of experience working in the NHS. As well as her private practice, Laura works in a specialist perinatal mental health team in the NHS, supporting women through the emotional and psychological challenges that can arise during pregnancy, after birth, and throughout the journey of parenthood.

Laura draws on a range of therapeutic approaches tailored to each client’s needs, including Attachment-Based interventions, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). She is also trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), and is an accredited practitioner of Video Interaction Guidance (VIG). In 2024, Laura became a parent herself, deepening her understanding of the profound changes and challenges that can come with this stage of life. She supports clients experiencing a wide range of perinatal mental health concerns including anxiety, low mood, trauma, difficulties adjusting to parenthood, and changes in relationships.

Laura has a particular interest in working with individuals who have experienced trauma—both recent and historic. She recognises that for many, becoming a parent can be a powerful motivator to address unresolved experiences and create a different future for their children. Laura offers a warm, compassionate, and non-judgemental space, where clients can explore their experiences and work towards meaningful change.

About Sarah

About Rosie