about

Alison has worked as a psychotherapist for 20 years in the NHS, independent practice and community settings. She was previously a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in the NHS, the co-founder and Clinical Lead for the CAMHS and East Sussex Post Adoption Mental Health Service, and is also an author, specialist consultant and trainer. 

Before training as a psychotherapist, she trained as an arts journalist and edited and produced a youth magazine. She went on to found a community arts project called Generation Arts Project (GAP), harnessing the creative potential of challenging and vulnerable young people not in education or employment, and also worked as a college counsellor.

Understanding the child within has brought additional insights to her work with adults and organisations, and in couples work. She continues to invest in building meaningful partnerships where people can feel enabled to be creative, resourceful and curious about themselves and their relationships with others and believes that significant changes can be made through engaging with meaningful conversations.  In her work with individuals, couples, families and groups, she focuses on the deep significance of early attachments and the impact of trauma and loss on personality development and the capacity to develop and maintain healthy relationships.

Alison has written a book about adoption for the Tavistock Clinic Series, A for Adoption, and contributes regularly to the press and mainstream media. In addition to her clinical work, she provides training and reflective practice groups for community and corporate organisations. 

She is a member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.