Alison brings to the Beacon House team twenty years’ experience of working therapeutically with children, families and adults in a wide range of settings. She describes herself as an integrative psychologist and she draws on a variety of therapy approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy; humanistic and psychodynamic ways of thinking and also systemic family approaches. Alison always develops a treatment plan in collaboration with the client, depending on what would work best for that individual.

For the last 15 years Alison has worked in specialist NHS services. Alongside her role at Beacon House she works part time as a Highly Specialist Counselling Psychologist in Specialist CAMHS, a service for children and adolescents who have complex emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. In this role she offers assessment and therapy; and consultations to GP’s, Psychiatrists and other members of the team. Within her NHS role Alison also supervises Doctoral Level Clinical and Counselling Psychologists and other professionals such as Social Workers and Counsellors.

Alison has worked in private practice alongside her NHS role for the past eight years. She has extensive experience treating difficulties such as emotional and behavioural problems in children; anxiety, panic and OCD in children and adults and personal development in adults. She has a particular interest in working with individuals who have suffered trauma in their past, and are experiencing PTSD or more complex, long-standing trauma reactions. Alison is very experienced in working with adults who have been abused as children, or who have suffered events such as sexual assault.

Alison has undertaken extensive professional development and additional specialist training since her core training in 2001, with a particular passion for offering cognitive behavioural therapy in creative and dynamic ways to clients of all ages and with a range of emotional difficulties.

Alison is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (membership number 081648); a registered member of the Health Care Professions Council (membership number PYL17963); and a member of the BABCP. She is also a BABCP supervisor of accredited CBT therapists.

  • Part 1 of the Animal Assisted Play Therapy Course
    International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy, 2020
  • EMDR Levels 1,2,3 and 4
    Sian Morgan in Brighton – training ended in April 2018
  • Doctorate in Psychotherapeutic and Counselling Psychology PsychD
    University of Surrey (1998- 2001)
  • Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
    Sussex University (1996-1997)
  • Certificate in Counselling Theory and Practice
    Central School of Counselling and Therapy, Oxford (1992 – 1994)
  • BSc (Hons) Psychology and Education
    Oxford Brookes University (1991-1994)
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training
    Roshmi Lovatt, 28th January 2023
  • Telling New Stories: Children, Neurodiversity and Story-Telling in EMDR
    Dr Naomi Fisher, EMDR Sussex, 6 hours, 21st January 2023
  • Psychological Therapy in the context of Poverty and the cost of living crisis
    Thomas Richardson, BABCP, November 2022
  • Advanced Master Program on the Treatment of Trauma
    NICABM, 5 hours, October 2022
  • Contextual safeguarding for vulnerable children and adults
    Amanda Radley, 3 hours, 11th May 2022
  • EMDR in the treatment of OCD and trichotillomania
    Dr Karsten Bohm, one day, 25th January 2020
  • Animal assisted play therapy® level 1: Theory, research, & practice
    International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy™, 29-30 September; 1-2 October 2019
  • Introduction to animal assisted play therapy®
    International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy™, 29-30 September; 1-2 October 2019
  • Canine communication for animal assisted play therapy®
    International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy™, 29-30 September; 1-2 October 2019
  • The world of stories & symbols. An introduction to EMDR sandtray protocol with Ana M Gomez
    Child Humanitarian Intervention Learning & Development, May 17th 2019 (6 hours)
  • The dynamic maturational model of attachment across the lifespan
    Dr Ben Grey, Dept of Attachment Studies, University of Roehampton (one day, May 2019)
  • International trauma recovery summit, Belfast
    27th & 28th June 2018
  • Using cognitive behavioural therapy with young people who have experienced complex trauma/PTSD
    Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (one day, 2014)
  • Safeguarding children – Level 3 training
    Sussex Partnership Trust (one day, 2014)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for the treatment and prevention of anxiety in young people
    Professor Stallard, University of Sussex (one day, 2014)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anxiety in children and young people
    Anna Freud Centre, London (one day, 2012)
  • Modifying Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children on the Autistic Spectrum
    BABCP, London, (one day, 2011)
  • Cognitive Behavioural supervision/training for clinicians working with children
    BABCP/ACAMH, London (Two days, 2010)
  • Cognitive Analytical Therapy at initial assessment of self harm
    ACAMH, London (one day, 2009)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with children and adolescents
    BABCP/ACAMH, London, (one day, 2009)
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with children and Families
    ACAMH, London (one day, 2007)