• UKCP registered Integrative Child Psychotherapist
• Clinical Supervisor and Senior Consultant in working with children and young people with Complex Trauma
• Previously Acting Manager and Head of Therapy at residential therapeutic community
• Developed 52 week group work programme for traumatised children and young people in residential therapeutic school and community setting
• Senior Tutor, Masters Degree Programme in Child Psychotherapy (Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education/Academic Partner (University of East London))
• Senior Lecturer The Centre for Child Mental Health London
• Extensive experience in training, supervision and consultation with adoptive families and/or young people with complex trauma
• Contributing Author to Helping Teenagers with Anger and Low Self Esteem, M. Sunderland (2012) Hinton House Publishers Ltd.
• Approved Author for TeachIt online educational resource website for CPD blogs and articles on mental health in the classroom

• Senior Consultant and Trainer in Trauma Informed Practice and Emotional Health
• Educational Psychotherapist (MA in Therapeutic Education) Caspari
• Senior Trauma Informed Trainer for Trauma Informed schools UK

Previously

• Mental Health Practitioner for CAMHS, leading a programme of training on Emotional well being, attachment and mental health across Dorset. 
• Consultant for the Primary Strategy Team in Dorset, coordinating Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) and later as the Emotional well being Adviser for the Borough of Poole.
• Advisory teacher in Tanzania, East Africa
• Advisor for an East London Behaviour and Advisory Team
• Led a number of LA and multi- agency initiatives and has written and created PSHE materials for schools.
• Has a range of experience in training and consultative work having been a facilitator and trainer at National Conferences and a consultant trainer for the Institute of Education, London.
• Manager for Chesil Emotional Health and Behaviour Service, a team of professionals working to support children, families and schools, and created  Thrive Education Zones that operated as Thrive nurture bases for  children at risk of exclusion and supported families and schools to enable the children to return to mainstream provision. The project also worked with parents to support them and to enable them to build their own self-esteem in supporting their children.

After many years working as a theatre director I now have an MA in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy (Distinction).

I recently worked in the NHS with survivors of sexual abuse, and the legacy of trauma and complex PTSD. I have also worked with homeless groups, psychiatric patients, refugees and young offenders.

Currently much of my work is with staff and young people in performing arts and drama schools. At Guildhall we are introducing a strand to the training that recognises that psychological understanding can deeply enrich the student's practice, as well as supporting personal growth and resilience.

I am particularly interested in the ways the arts can support mental health by giving access to our inner resources, creativity and imagination.

For the last four years I have run a counselling service at the International School of Screen Acting and recently set one up at The British American Dramatic Academy.

BACKGROUND

My background is in theatre where all my productions were accompanied by an extensive education and outreach programme for young people. I have run workshops for the Arvon Foundation, the National Theatre, Arts Council and British Council as well as in many universities, schools, theatres and drama schools. I have written six plays, all published by Nick Hern books, which have been produced both nationally and internationally. My work is on the school syllabus.

Sonya Anjari: MA, Accredited MBACP is a Gestalt Centre trained Counsellor (2005) and Integrative Adolescent Therapeutic Counsellor (IATE 2009), Group Facilitator (2018), Child, Adolescent and Adult Clinical Supervisor (Terapia and Gestalt Centre 2018), Trauma Informed Schools Trainer (2018).

Sonya draws on 16 years of counselling experience in a variety of settings: in Japan with international teachers; secondary schools in London and Cornwall; West London drug and alcohol settings; Feltham Young Offenders Institute. Sonya developed an online counselling service for young people affected by another’s addiction and delivered Equine Assisted therapy. Sonya is a guest tutor with teaching institutions in Cornwall and is part of the senior trainer team with Trauma Informed Schools UK. Sonya provides clinical supervision and group facilitation to private practitioners, schools and charities working with people affected by trauma, alongside private practice.

Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

I have been working with young people’s mental and emotional health for eight years, during which, I completed a Masters degree in Integrative Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.

My clinical experience includes working with groups, children, young people and parents or carers, across various school settings, both primary and secondary and within CAMHs. I have experienced a variety of complex presenting issues and emotional or behavioural difficulties and I am particularly interested in the impact of trauma on attachment and developmental systems.

Prior to my training as a psychotherapist, I worked as a media executive for thirty years. I worked and travelled extensively around the world, which was a rewarding and educating experience.

I have degrees in English Literature and Victorian Studies and I have spoken at many conferences about my research papers on the Nineteenth Century, particularly on the Victorian ideology of the ‘ideal’ family.

• UKCP registered Integrative Child Psychotherapist
• Educational Consultant and Trainer Masters Degree programme in Child Psychotherapy leading to nationally recognised registration (UCKP). Adolescent Counselling and Emotional Literacy
• 28 years of experience in the field of Education and Emotional Literacy, Psychotherapy and Psychology working with adults, adolescents and children
• Psychotherapeutic work in hospitals, schools, private practise and for Parenting Groups, and Art Therapy Groups
• Founder of HeartSpace, Holistic, Education and Art Related Therapies
• Principal Trainer for Headstart Kernow roll-out for 3 Years Big Lottery Project to promote emotional wellbeing in schools
• Chair for The Centre for Child Mental Health international conference programme
• Principal Educator in Trauma Informed Practice

Ellie believes in the healing power of The Arts, Nature and Animals and regularly teaches accompanied by her therapy dog Gem

• Paul Harris, (MA UKCP) has more than 20 years of experience working with children and young people in a variety of different contexts including Education, CAMHS, the Community Arts as well as in private practice.

• He is a senior faculty member on the MA in Integrative Child Psychotherapy at The Institute for Arts in Therapy & Education; a qualified supervisor (Minster Centre); and Group work Practitioner (Institute for Group Analysis). He is also a senior training consultant for The Centre for Child Mental Health as well as Trauma Informed Schools.

• He specialises in somatic arts-based and trauma -informed practices as well as eco-psychotherapy in his work with children and families. His work has focused amongst other areas on addiction and trauma; attachment difficulties with Looked After Children; and children with alternate and non-standard forms of communication including ASD and other nuerodiverse expressions.

• Paul is a qualified Yoga-therapist (Minded Institute); Cranio-sacral Therapist; and Continuum Movement Practitioner and is director of Ahimsa Associates Ltd: A Creative Wellbeing Consultancy.

• He works in 4 different community languages, including English, French, Spanish and British Sign Language."

“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.” ― Kahlil Gibran

Karen Stallard is a registered Psychotherapist with UKCP, registered Counsellor with BACP and registered Art Therapist with HCPC.
She trained at The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education where she gained a Masters in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy. 

Her private practice is called Feeling Found, which is based in Highbury and Islington, London.

Karen's career journey began as an actor with a passion for the performing arts, story telling and communicating creatively. She then trained to be a member of the clergy of the Christian church, where she worked mainly in pastoral care particularly within mental health. Karen has also worked an honorary therapist at the Women’s Service in Oxley’s NHS Trust for over four years and as a spiritual and cultural care coordinator at the East London and City Mental Health Trust for seven years.

Karen founded ‘The Geoff Ashcroft Community’ in Tower Hamlets to support people suffering from mental health issues in the community, and has been a Board Member of various charities including Crossroads Counselling Service, Margins Homelessness project and Union Chapel Project.  
Karen is also on the Steering Group for a bi-annual conference called ‘Continuing the Journey’, which provides training to therapists and spiritual leaders. More recently she has been teaching Art therapy to degree level students at Goldsmiths University.

I am a BACP registered counsellor working in a variety of counselling settings which are;

• Counsellor at East Kent Rape Crisis Centre working with teenagers and adults
• Bereavement counsellor at Pilgrims Hospice, Canterbury
• Voluntary counsellor at a community counselling service which provides access to low cost longer term counselling
• Private practice
• Home Group Tutor for Trauma Informed Schools

Recently I have completed an advanced diploma in trauma work, focused on rape and sexual abuse and also delivered a series of staff training on the impacts of both Covid and bereavement on our clients and ourselves in a trauma setting.

Background

I started my career first as a tax/pensions graduate working with clients for a large international accountancy firm in London and progressed as a training manager. I worked with university students/leavers teaching and organising the summer intern programme, the graduate induction course and latterly facilitated management meetings and European Conferences.

I left London 20 years ago for rural Kent to live the good life, run a smallholding and raise my family.

In the last 10 years I became a Samaritan, retrained as a counsellor and amassed several different counselling roles.

I hold a range of diverse qualifications from a latin degree to professional pensions management to counselling with a particular specialism of working with trauma and loss.

With over 15 years’ experience in safeguarding, mental health and direct work with children and their families, Katie’s main passion is ensuring children get the best in education and care. Up until December 2020, Katie was the Assistant Principal of a large primary school, working directly with children, families and professionals. Katie’s experience leading on all aspects of safeguarding, wellbeing and pastoral care has allowed her to develop a comprehensive understanding of what children and families need and what schools can do to ensure the best outcomes.

An NSPCC Accredited Trainer and Accredited Safer Recruitment Trainer, Katie has a wide range of training skills and knowledge to support any organisation. A qualified Trauma Informed Practitioner and trainer with Trauma Informed Schools UK, Katie has a wealth of experience in trauma informed practice and safeguarding which enables her to support organisations to develop a culture of safety and support for all.

Due to Katie’s professional background in education and senior leadership, she also holds the Specialist Leader of Education (SLE) designation. Katie is also an Advanced Child Exploitation Practitioner and an Instructor for MHFA England.

As a result of her training skills and knowledge, Katie has also supported and developed training for primary, secondary and alternative provision schools, local authorities and private providers of nursery provision.

A firm believer in reflective practice and supervision, Katie trained with both Trauma Informed Schools UK and the NSPCC to support and develop a school wide approach to supervision to ensure practitioners felt supported and were working in safe and effective ways.

Sylvia Gurr is a UKCP (Acc.) Integrative Child Psychotherapist and Child Supervisor, supervising trainee Child Psychotherapists for the Institute of Arts in Therapy and Education where she qualified. With additional training in Dyadic Developmental Therapy, EMDR and Video Interactive Guidance.

Sylvia has worked with children, families and adults for over 30 years in a variety of different roles. She has a keen interest in the impact of Developmental, Complex Trauma and Attachments and early intervention to facilitate healing relationships for children and families, utilising creativity and the arts to support children and adults in expressing and processing what is often unspeakable. Her interest is underpinned by her life experiences, training, employment and voluntary work.

Sylvia has worked in the NHS in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services since 2013 within a variety of services for children and families. Ranging from Parent Infant Clinical Trials, Early Years, Post Adoption, Special Guardianship, Children Looked After, Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children and Care Leavers.

She has also managed school counselling services within Place2Be and worked as a psychotherapist in primary and secondary schools across Inner London. Prior to training as a Child Psychotherapist, Sylvia worked for over a decade in the Homeless Sector in hostels and outreach services across the City providing mental health services to homeless young people and adults, many of whom were Care Leavers and Refugees, experiencing the continued impact of their traumatic experiences and losses, with subsequent mental health difficulties and addictions as a means to coping with their past.

Throughout her career, in the background to her work in the UK, Sylvia is also Co-Founder and Trustee of registered charity, School for Life Romania. The charity provides special needs education, supported housing and previously community outreach for the former residents of a Neuropsychiatric Hospital for Children in Romania where the beneficiaries grew up as young children experiencing privation, neglect and developmental trauma. Here Sylvia volunteered for several years in the early 1990’s prior to co-founding the charity.

Conversationally fluent in Romanian and with regular trips to the country, Sylvia helps oversee the development of services in partnership with sister Romanian Registered Humanitarian Foundation, Scoala Pentru Viata, that she also Co-Founded and was Committee Member of until 2006, when the running of the project was handed over to Romanian colleagues.

A keen traveller, Sylvia also enjoys immersing herself in different cultures, languages and communities when possible!