Our Approach To What We Do 

Welcome to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team at The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic. We provide psychological assessment and evidence-based therapy to best understand and support the social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs of children and young people. Therapeutic interventions draw on a range of evidence-based treatment models, depending on the child / young person’s individual presentation and goals for therapy. These include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Narrative Therapy, Systemic Therapy and Eye-Movement and Desensitisation Therapy (EMDR).

What We Treat 

  • Attachment Difficulties
  • Agoraphobia
  • Behaviours that Challenge
  • Bereavement & Grief
  • Chronic Pain and other Physical Health Conditions
  • Depression
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder
  • Health Anxiety
  • Low Self Esteem
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Panic Disorder
  • Parenting
  • Perfectionism
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Self-Harm
  • Suicidality
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Social Anxiety Disorder
  • Specific Phobias
  • Stress & Burnout

Meet the Team

You’re in good hands. We are a team of highly qualified psychologists and a systemic psychotherapist with experience in the NHS. Our clinicians specialise in working with children, adolescents, and their families, offering evidence-based therapies tailored to their unique needs.

Dr Camilla Cookson

Child and Adolescent Team Lead | Clinical Psychologist

Dr Camilla Cookson

Child and Adolescent Team Lead | Clinical Psychologist

Dr Camilla Cookson is a specialist Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychologist. She has 10 years of clinical experience working across various mental health settings within the NHS, with a current position as a Senior Clinical Psychologist in a London Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). She is registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

Camilla obtained a First-Class degree in Experimental Psychology at Oxford University and went on to complete her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. It was during this time that Camilla developed her passion for working with children, young people and their families, where she has focussed her work since.

Camilla’s experience reflects the great variety that comes with working with children, and includes individual, family, parenting, school-based and consultative work across a range of presenting needs, covering the following:

  • Attachment Difficulties
  • Behaviours that Challenge  
  • Depression 
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder
  • Health Anxiety
  • Low Self Esteem
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Panic Disorder
  • Parenting
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Social Anxiety Disorder

Camilla understands that building a trusting, supportive and open therapeutic relationship is of great importance, and enjoys working creatively and compassionately in order to engage the young person to work in collaboration towards achieving their personal goals. Camilla also recognises the value of working together with family and any other important people/systems in a child’s life where appropriate.

Camilla has experience undertaking complex assessments and understands the benefit of reaching a comprehensive shared understanding of the presenting concerns in order to achieve positive therapeutic outcomes. Within her therapeutic work, she draws on a variety of evidence based psychological therapies and models to best meet the needs of her clients, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based approaches, Behavioural and Parenting work (including Personalised Individual Parent Training, PIPT), and Family and Narrative interventions.

Camilla has additionally undertaken training in specialist trauma therapies, including Trauma-Focused CBT, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Narrative Exposure Therapy for Children (KIDNET), developing her interest and experience in this area through working within a specialist NHS service supporting children, young people and their families who have been affected by trauma. She also has experience undertaking cognitive assessments and working with children with additional neurodevelopmental needs. 

“Dr Cookson worked with us with a great amount of interest and involvement which was showed by her preparedness, by thoroughly understanding our emotions and working in a structured way so we could see a change. She asked us our input in the very beginning in terms of our expectations and was open to take it onboard.” Former Client

Dr Kate Watchorn

Perinatal and Child Team Lead | Clinical Psychologist

Dr Kate Watchorn

Perinatal and Child Team Lead | Clinical Psychologist

Dr Kate Watchorn is a highly skilled Clinical Psychologist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).  Kate completed an undergraduate Psychology degree with first class honours, before undertaking her doctoral training and qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist from University College London. 

Kate has substantial experience working across a wide range of NHS settings including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), inpatient and community adult mental health, perinatal, psychosis and specialist trauma services for refugees. Alongside her private clinic, Kate currently works in the NHS as part of a London CAMHS team, specialising in supporting families and children spanning the full age range from early years to adolescents. Kate is especially passionate about supporting parents with the transition to parenthood, to enable them to develop positive relationships with their babies.  

Kate values a systemic approach and likes to involve partners or family members in treatment where appropriate. Understanding the wider context of her client’s experience is fundamental to her practice. Kate has substantial experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds and is sensitive to the role of cultural identity, gender, race, sexual orientation and all forms of difference. Kate has a warm, compassionate, and non-judgemental style. She believes the therapeutic relationship is fundamental and strives to create a space in which clients feel empowered to create positive changes in therapy.  

Kate’s clinical work is grounded in theory and informed by the latest evidence-base, in adherence with the NICE guidelines. She takes a formulation driven approach, coming to a shared understanding of difficulties with her clients before collaboratively developing a bespoke treatment plan. Kate has training in a range of therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Systemic and Family Therapies, Trauma Focused Therapy, brief psychodynamic approaches and evidence-based parenting programmes. Kate is also skilled in conducting formal neurodevelopmental assessments for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). 

She is experienced in working with a range of difficulties including (but not limited to): 

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Behaviours that Challenge
  • Depression 
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Health Anxiety
  • Low Self-Esteem 
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
  • Panic Disorder
  • Parenting difficulties 
  • Perfectionism 
  • Perinatal Trauma
  • Personality Disorders 
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 
  • Psychosis 
  • Relationship Difficulties  
  • Self-Harm 
  • Specific Phobias
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Stress and burnout  
  • Suicidality

“This therapy did nothing short of changing my life. Kate went above and beyond to support me in understanding why I felt how I felt after having my baby. I have been able to work through some of my unresolved childhood trauma which has helped me massively. Not only did Kate help me understand that I was not alone in this process but also how to cope. My relationship with my daughter has greatly improved as I am starting to understand her better without being so harsh on myself. I will always be thankful to Kate for getting me back on track.” Former Client

Dr Allison Hayes (nee Rigg)

Founder of The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic | Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Allison Hayes (nee Rigg)

Founder of The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic | Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Allison Hayes is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic. Dr Hayes is a highly respected Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has acquired a wealth of clinical experience and a track record of delivering high-quality services, having worked with an international client group in the private sector for 20-years.

Dr Hayes completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology with first class honours and later went on to be awarded her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. She worked in the NHS and founded her private practice in 2003. The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic has grown out of her pursuit of establishing a centre of clinical excellence, which provides outpatient care for individuals and families with mental health challenges and emotional needs.

Dr Hayes is an optimistic, compassionate and kind psychologist who is committed to working with patients to facilitate and achieve change. She has expertise working with adolescents and adults with emotional difficulties and those with a diagnosis of personality disorder, and is further experienced in supporting individuals who present with:

  • Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Adjustment Disorder
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Addiction
  • Adult Survivors of Childhood Trauma
  • Bereavement
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Health Anxiety
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Personality Disorders
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Psychosis

Dr Hayes has trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Therapies, Compassion-Focused Therapy, The MANTRA model for Eating Disorders, Narrative Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR), Radically-Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Dr Hayes has been highly influential in the development of services for Eating Disorders and group programmes for a range of disorders. She is an experienced clinical supervisor of psychology colleagues, and delivers regular multi-disciplinary training on all aspects of mental health and psychology. Dr Hayes has facilitated a range of corporate training programmes on Stress and Emotional First Aid in the workplace.

Dr Hayes oversees recruitment of all professionals to the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic to ensure the highest clinical standards in treatment. She promotes that all work undertaken at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic is grounded in evidence-based practice, is adherent to the NICE guidelines, establishes treatment efficacy, and reflects the principles of the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic.

“I am extremely grateful for the care Allison showed me during our sessions. She always adapted sessions to match my needs and demonstrated a real understanding of the difficulties I was facing. Her openness and kindness meant that trust was developed very quickly, and I would have no hesitation in seeing her again should I ever need to.” Former Client

Hannah Stringer

Dr Hannah Stringer

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Hannah Stringer

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Hannah Stringer is a highly specialist Clinical and Community Psychologist. She has 9 years of clinical experience across public, private and charitable sectors.

Hannah completed an undergraduate Psychology degree with first class honours, going on to be awarded a postgraduate diploma in CBT interventions and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. During her doctorate she specialised in severe and enduring mental health presentations.

Hannah is an experienced Clinical Psychologist with a background in innovating voluntary and statutory sectors in the UK. Alongside her work at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, Hannah also works in North London leading an emotional wellbeing service for young people. Hannah’s current expertise is in working with marginalised young people to improve access to and transform mental health services.

Hannah has significant experience working with individuals experiencing a range of emotional difficulties including anxiety, low mood, attachment difficulties and traumatic reactions, including psychosis. This includes undertaking complex assessments and developing a shared understanding of a person’s difficulties within the context of their past experiences and current situation. She has specialist experience working with adolescents and young adults with physical, emotional, learning and social communication difficulties. Hannah also works with the families and systems around an individual to help develop a way forward.

She has experience supporting individuals who present with:

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Chronic Pain and other Physical Health Conditions
  • Depression
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Personality Disorders
  • Psychosis
  • Self-Harm
  • Suicidality

Hannah believes in the importance of building a good therapeutic relationship, valuing a collaborative approach guided by an individual’s goals. With this in mind, therapy is tailored to the individual, working creatively based on the person’s interests and values. Hannah is trained to use a range of evidence-based approaches, namely Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Therapy. However, she also draws on attachment theory and systemic approaches to help understand the wider context around a person’s difficulties. She therefore offers an adaptable and integrative therapeutic framework to best meet individual needs. She is currently completing additional training to acquire a diploma in Narrative Therapy and is registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

“Hannah was a fantastic support. She was able to remain 1 step in front of me, whilst never giving me the impression she was leading me down a path. She nudged me in the right directions, letting me find answers to my own questions, whilst remaining fluid and responsive to my immediate needs.” Former Client

Dr Vallabhi Khurana

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Vallabhi Khurana

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Vallabhi Khurana is a highly specialist Clinical Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). Vall completed her Undergraduate degree from the University of Nottingham and subsequently a Masters degree in Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice from University College London. She then completed her doctoral training (DClinPsy) in London and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist.

Vall is a warm, compassionate and kind psychologist who places importance in creating a safe and non-judgemental therapeutic space for her clients. She strives for individuals to feel seen, heard and held in order to facilitate growth and change. Additionally, Vall’s open therapeutic stance enables her to acknowledge and respect that clients are positioned as experts on their lives, identity and culture, leading her to practice in a culturally sensitive, inclusive and non-discriminatory manner.

Promoting emotional well-being and resilience is at the core of Vall’s clinical work and she endeavors to be alongside individuals through any difficulties experienced, no matter how big or small. This approach has led Vall to believe that hope can always be built in the therapeutic relationship and process, to empower individuals to better understand themselves and navigate through life’s challenges and adversities.

Vall has extensive experience in supporting children, adolescents, parents and adults from a range of diverse backgrounds. She uses a flexible and collaborative approach to tailor assessments and interventions to the individual needs of her clients. Her clinical work is grounded in theory and evidence-based practice, whilst simultaneously being led by an individual’s own goals and hopes for support.

Vall practices integratively and has received training in a range psychological therapies including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Systemic and Narrative Therapies. Most recently, Vall has also completed training to provide Eye-Movement and Desensitisation Therapy (EMDR).

Vall is experienced in working with a range of difficulties including (but not limited to):

  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Bereavement & Grief
  • Behaviours that Challenge (BtC)
  • Depression
  • Health Anxiety
  • Low Self Esteem
  • Parenting
  • Perinatal Trauma
  • Personality Disorders
  • Physical Health Conditions (Oncology)
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Relationship Difficulties
  • Self Harm
  • Stress & Burnout

Alongside her work at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, Vall works at Great Ormond Street Hospital, leading on psychological care and support for children and families undergoing cancer treatment. She has a particular interest in the mind-body link and is passionate about providing psychological support in healthcare settings. Her role in this setting also includes providing bereavement support, with a focus on loss, grief and trauma.

Jon Davidson

Dr Jonathan Davidson

Clinical Psychologist | Team Lead of The General Adult Mental Health Team

Dr Jonathan Davidson

Clinical Psychologist | Team Lead of The General Adult Mental Health Team

Dr Jon Davidson is an HCPC accredited Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years of clinical experience in a wide variety of psychological settings.  

He completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology and a masters degree in Health Psychology at the University of St Andrews, before undertaking his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London.  

Jon adopts a client-centred approach, working collaboratively with clients to support them to understand and overcome their difficulties. The therapeutic relationship is at the heart of his ethos as a psychologist; he values the importance of providing a safe, containing and non-judgemental environment as the basis for a positive therapeutic experience. Jon is passionate about taking a holistic view of the individual, seeing them as more than the sum of their needs and difficulties. He believes in supporting clients to draw upon their strengths and life values to promote positive wellbeing.  

Passionate about drawing upon evidence-based practice in his clinical work, Jon is trained in the use of a range of therapeutic models. This includes Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Narrative Therapy, Systemic Therapy and Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT). Jon is skilled in adopting an integrative approach, by drawing upon multiple models to tailor therapy to suit the individual needs of each client.

Across his career to date, Jon has worked extensively with children and adults across the lifespan, alongside their families and interconnected systems such as other support services, schools and workplaces. Jon has specialist skills and experience in a variety of indirect and parent/carer support models such as Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) and Non-Violent Resistance (NVR). Jon is also skilled in neurodevelopmental and cognitive assessment for young people, providing specialist assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Intellectual or Learning Disability (LD). He further has a specialist interest in working with clients with physical health difficulties.

Jon is experienced in the treatment of:  

  • Anxiety disorders 
  • Adjustment disorder  
  • Autism
  • Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Behaviours that Challenge 
  • Chronic pain and other physical health conditions
  • Depression
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder
  • Health Anxiety
  • Intellectual and Learning Disabilities
  • Low Self-Esteem 
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)  
  • Panic Disorder
  • Perfectionism 
  • Psychosis  
  • Self-harm  
  • Social Anxiety Disorder
  • Specific Phobias
  • Stress and burnout

Jon’s clinical work is grounded in theory and informed by the latest evidence-base, and he works in adherence with the NICE guidelines. He is committed to delivering and maintaining the highest standards of psychological care at all times.

“Jonathan is fantastic. I found our sessions to be a very calm environment that really helped me to reset each week. Jonathan really builds a great rapport, and is very practical and realistic during the process. I could not recommend him more!” Former Client

Dr Cara Eilender

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Cara Eilender

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Cara Eilender is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked in mental health for 10 years. Cara is a registered practitioner with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and has a plethora of experience within a variety of different mental health services.  

Cara completed her undergraduate degree and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at University College London (UCL), during which she specialised in Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID).  Over this time, Cara has acquired substantial experience of providing highly specialised and evidence-based therapies, individually tailored to clients with a variety of needs.   

Cara holds expertise in Eating Disorders, having worked within national teams. She has worked in the Feeding and Eating Disorder Service at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the National Eating Disorder Service at the Maudsley Hospital. She has experience of working both with children/adolescence and adults and provides treatment for Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and ARFID. Cara has also been part of the validation study of the Pica, ARFID and Rumination Disorder Interview. A tool that is now largely used within NHS services to provide accurate ARFID diagnosis. She has also co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals. 

In the last years, Cara has specialised in working with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), particularly with refugees and asylum seekers. In her trauma focused work she uses a variety of different evidence-based interventions, for which she has been extensively trained. Cara delivers trauma focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Tf-CBT), Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and believes in the importance of treatments that are supported by national guidelines and are informed by the latest research.  

Cara believes in compassion being at the heart of any therapeutic intervention she delivers. She is passionate about giving her clients a voice and empowering them to find their own resilience when endeavouring to improve their mental health. With that in mind, Cara strives to find each person’s unique skillset and strengths. Fundamental to Cara’s approach is the collaboration with her clients. She believes in the important of designing and co-creating a therapeutic space in which the client can feel heard and seen. Cara places great emphasis of developing a safe, trustworthy and authentic therapeutic relationship, in which all emotions are welcome and met without judgement.

Dr Hayley Scanlon

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Hayley Scanlon

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Hayley Scanlon is a clinical psychologist. She has worked within NHS and private sector organisations in a therapeutic and healthcare context for over 12 years.

Hayley completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Birmingham, and her Master’s of Research in psychology. She then completed her training in Cognitive Behavioural Interventions (PGCert) at the University of Reading, before undertaking her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at the University of Leeds.

At the core of Hayley’s therapeutic approach is to offer a nurturing and compassionate space to develop a psychological understanding through noticing and identify maintaining patterns. Using this understanding, Hayley believes individuals and systems can break out of unhelpful cycles by using a psychological formulation to target problem areas.

Hayley currently specialises in Clinical Health working with adults and children who experience trauma and distress in the context of their mental and medical health. Alongside her work at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, she works as a senior clinical psychologist in a staff support service where she offers psychological input for trauma and PTSD to systems and healthcare workers.

Prior to this, Hayley worked in child and adolescent mental health providing evidence-based interventions to young people and families, often presenting with neurodiversity such as autism and ADHD. She has extensive experience in palliative care, and working psychologically with adults and children, including working in in-patient care, secondary care, and primary care settings (IAPT).

Hayley is an integrative clinical psychologist and draws on a range of evidence-based models and interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Cognitive Analytic Informed Therapy (CAT-informed), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Hayley has experience in the training and treating of:

  • Depression
  • Low self esteem
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Anxiety
  • End of life/ palliative care
  • Adjustment disorder
  • Social anxiety
  • Health anxiety
  • Panic disorder
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Autism spectrum condition (ASD)
  • Occupational burnout
  • Relationship problems
Dr Lucy Viney

Dr Lucy Viney

Co-Founder | Clinical Psychologist | Team Lead of The Schema Team

Dr Lucy Viney

Co-Founder | Clinical Psychologist | Team Lead of The Schema Team

Dr Lucy Viney is a Clinical Psychologist and Co-Founder of the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic. Lucy initially completed a masters degree in Psychology with distinction before undertaking her doctoral training and qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist from University College London.  Across her work in the NHS, Lucy specialised in working with adults with complex mood disorders and personality disorders and her specialist knowledge of developmental psychopathology enables her to understand an individual’s psychological wellbeing from a longitudinal perspective. She is experienced in working with a range of difficulties including:

  • Addiction
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Chronic Pain and other Physical Health Conditions
  • Dementia and other Neurological Conditions
  • Depression
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Perfectionism
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Personality Disorders
  • Psychosis
  • Self-Harm
  • Suicidality

Lucy is trained in a number of therapies including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Therapies, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing and Narrative, Systemic Therapies.  She is also a certified and experienced Schema Therapist and delivers Parenting Skills workshops.

Lucy is highly experienced in delivering both short and long-term psychological interventions and is a skilled group facilitator. Lucy has extensive experience in neuropsychological assessment and intervention for a range of conditions, including neurodegenerative illnesses such as dementia and developmental disorders including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Lucy’s clinical work is informed by theory and the latest evidence-base, and she works in adherence with the NICE guidelines. She is experienced in delivering Mental Health Awareness training programmes across both corporate and educational settings.

Lucy has an active media presence, and is regularly featured in the press, journals and other psychological literature.  Some of her recent work is listed below:

Please contact Lucy at hello@thefitzroviaclinic.com for any media enquiries.

I just wanted to say thank you to Lucy. After what feels like two years, I feel like I’ve finally gotten over my depression. I’m feeling happy again and generally positive about the future… which honestly feels amazing after so long of not feeling that way.

A lot of that is down to what I learned in our sessions and how to deal with and cope with depression. I still think back to some of the things we talked about, and they really stick with me.

So yeah, just wanted to say a proper thank you! You really helped me!” Former Client

Dr Sara Lakin

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Sara Lakin

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Sara Lakin is a highly skilled Clinical Psychologist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).  Sara completed an undergraduate Psychology degree with first class honours, before undertaking her doctoral training and qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist from University of East London. Sara also has a postgraduate certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children and young people from the Anna Freud Centre and is a trained EMDR practitioner for adults and children.
Sara has experience working across a wide range of NHS settings including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), specialist trauma clinics, parental mental health and family cancer services.
Alongside her private clinic Sara currently works as a principal clinical psychologist in an NHS service supporting children and their families who have experienced sexual abuse, and also as a highly specialised clinical psychologist and joint team lead in a service for parents of children under 5 who are experiencing difficulties with their own mental health.
Sara’s clinical work is grounded in theory and informed by the latest evidence-base, in adherence with the NICE guidelines. She takes a formulation driven approach, coming to a shared understanding of difficulties with her clients before collaboratively developing a treatment plan. Sara takes a creative approach to therapy, particularly in work with children and families. Sara believes the therapeutic relationships is key in facilitating a safe place for change to take place, which she creates through taking a warm, compassionate and non-judgemental approach. Sara is interested in hearing about her client’s strengths and skills and building on these together during the therapy process. Sara is an integrative therapist, which means she can work in a way that suits your needs. She primarily uses narrative therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), systemic therapy, EMDR, and compassion focused approaches.
She is experienced in working with a range of difficulties including (but not limited to):
  • Anxiety Disorders
  • Behaviours that Challenge
  • Depression
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
  • Health Anxiety
  • Life transitions (including school transitions)
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Loss and Bereavement
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Panic Disorder
  • Parental Illness
  • Parenting difficulties
  • Perfectionism
  • Perinatal Trauma
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Relationship Difficulties
  • Self-Harm
  • Sexual Abuse and Trauma
  • Specific Phobias
  • Stress and burnout

Dr Nadia Khan

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Nadia Khan

Clinical Psychologist

Dr Nadia Khan is Clinical Psychologist and accredited Cognitive Behavior Therapist. She has worked across various mental health settings within the NHS and the charitable sector for over ten years.  

Nadia completed her undergraduate degree in Politics and International Relations at The University of Manchester, before steering towards a career in psychology. She achieved a Masters with distinction in Educational Psychology, followed by a Post Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Practice. She then completed her training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (PGDip) at the prestigious Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IOPPN; Kings College University) before undertaking her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology from Royal Holloway, University of London.  

At the core of Nadia’s therapeutic approach is to provide an empathic, safe and open space, thus enabling clients to develop awareness and understanding of complex psychological patterns and problems. Nadia uses this basic foundation to help clients (and the systems around them) work through these challenges by applying appropriate, evidenced-based intervention models in a gentle and collaborative way. She believes that while life can bring tragedy, traumas and other adversity, therapy can help people and families find compassion, strength and hope; supporting them to cultivate and grow from these experiences and offering a path to a happier and more settled existence. 

Nadia currently specialises in working with women, infants and their families during the perinatal period (pregnancy and the first two years post birth). Alongside her work at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, she works as a Senior Clinical Psychologist in a Specialist Perinatal NHS service. She has experience working with post-natal depression, anxiety (including post-natal OCD, panic disorder etc), birth trauma, post-partum psychosis, personality disorder/complex trauma, implications of birth injury to mothers/infants and also issues related to maternal mental health (including infertility, miscarriage, infant loss/stillbirth).  

Prior to her work in perinatal mental health, Nadia worked in child and adolescent mental health providing evidenced based care to young people and their families, particularly adolescents engaging in self-harm and experiencing emotional dysregulation. She also has extensive experience working psychologically with adults, including working within a primary care setting (IAPT), providing both via individual and group support. 

Nadia has a strong interest in the implications of culture, race and ethnicity within mental health and upon the therapeutic process.  She has worked extensively with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds to ensure they are seen, held and nurtured; where previously they may have felt alienated or misunderstood. She is passionate about working towards intersectional and anti-racist therapeutic practice and has links with the South Asian Therapy networks in the UK. 

Nadia is an integrative psychologist and draws on a range of evidence-based psychological models and interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT), Narrative Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). She is currently undergoing training in Eye Movement De-Sensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR).  

She has experience and training in the treatment of:  

  • Anxiety Disorders 
  • Depression 
  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) 
  • Low Self-Esteem
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
  • Panic Disorder 
  • Perinatal Trauma
  • Personality Disorders 
  • Post-Partum Psychosis
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 
  • Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Treatment Journey 

If you are concerned about your child or adolescent’s emotional well-being, behaviour, or mental health, our specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team at The Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic is here to help. We offer evidence-based therapies to support emotional well-being, healing, and resilience. Please contact us directly to discuss treatment options and to ensure you feel confident in any decisions you make regarding your treatment.

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Resources 

Explore our collection of expert articles and resources designed to provide guidance, support, and insights into understanding and managing the social, emotional, and mental health needs of children and young people.

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  • Dr Cookson worked with us with a great amount of interest and involvement which was showed by her preparedness, by thoroughly understanding our emotions and working in a structured way so we could see a change. She asked us our input in the very beginning in terms of our expectations and was open to take it onboard.

    Former Client

  • Allison – what I have realised with your help is that it is okay to dare to dream. Thank you. You are an amazing therapeutic partner and I feel privileged to have benefited from knowing you over the last year.

    Former Client

  • Brilliant! No other word for Dr. Cookson. She is a master craftsmen in her domain and gets to the problem in no time. Therapy is a difficult task and online makes it even more challenging, but Dr. Cookson's command on her skill supported by her sincerity and positivity makes therapy interesting and solidifies learning.

    Former Client