Welcome!

Psychological assessment for adults, teens and children 

Specialist support for baby, child and young adults.

Parent- child support in addressing relationship issues, behavioural concerns and developmental queries.

Neurodiversity assessment and post diagnostic treatment for autism spectrum conditions, attention deficit conditions and their associated diagnosis (dyslexia, dyspraxia etc)

Face to face consultation and treatment 

Specialist parent support for attachment issues

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 

Adult psychotherapy 

Healing from abuse ( childhood, spousal, work etc)

Recovery and healing techniques for PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Small group work

Mindfulness and Meditation Groups

My practice is located in Alton, Hampshire.

There is free parking on site, a cafe and a complimentary therapies hub.

The practice is easily accessible by foot,  car and public transport.  Alton Rail station is approximately 15 min walk away.

Psychological Assessment: £110

Childhood Neuro-developmental Assessment : £110

DOSE Assessment: £90

Treatment sessions: £90-£110     

Professional Consultation: £110  

I do offer a reduced rate for those on financial benefit and/or compassionate grounds. 

As a qualified child and adolescent specialist I can provide pre-screening assessments and post diagnostic support for children, teenagers and young adults who live with neurodiversity.

If you are looking for a CAMHS referral or further assessment to support your child's case, I can assist. My psychological assessments have been incredibly supportive in assisting both GPs and families into the right  service. 

Please remember that only a qualified paediatrician and/or psychiatrist  can diagnose these conditions. 

Having said that, many teachers, therapists and social workers are very familiar with these conditions from their direct work with children who display the symptoms.

Although Autism and Attention Deficit are NOT mental health disorders, they do come with areas of divergence. This means that children with neurodiversity are more likely to get noticed because of the effects of living with the condition as opposed to the condition itself. This is why it can be difficult to diagnose. 

They're often looked at as naughty or will get into trouble for their behaviour before anyone notices there's an issue with their mental processing and maturity. Of course some children excell in some areas but fall behind their peers in other ways.

Children with neurodiversity are more likely to:

Not pay attention consistently, likely to be distracted and enjoy day dreaming. They are more likely to go off topic, become overly stubborn and impulsivity can be a problem- especially when upset or excited.

There can be a lack of remorse, strong feelings of justice/injustice, and shame due to a level of self awareness of their own difference.

Physically,  children with neurodiversity are much more likely to experience sensory issues with skin, head, hair, noise and smells. They are more likely to have  eating and sleeping issues as well. In boys, potty training and bed wetting can take a bit longer. Dyspraxia, dyslexia and other learning issues are often common and referred to as co-morbid. This is because neurodiversity is about the whole central nervous system as opposed to just one specific area within the brain. 

I spent over 10  years working  exclusively as a CAMHS Specialist Therapist for children and young people across Surrey and Hampshire. I worked in specialist educational settings such as Wey House School in Bramley and both the Guildford and Aldershot Pupil Referral Units. I also worked for the girl's unit at Thorne Chase and was a specialist therapist for i2i psychiatric services (Basingstoke Hospital)..

Get in touch if you'd like to discuss your query with me. 

DOSE is a term used in medicine and neuroscience. It refers to the interplay between our hormones, our bodies and our minds.

Dopamine 

Oxytocin 

Seratonin 

Endorphins 

These hormones are found both in our gut, internal orgins and brain. Some neuroscience research suggests that smart phone addiction, lack of contact with nature, poor nutrition quality and poor sleep are the main cause for the disruption to the body's natural rhythms and self regulation. In other words, is our modern lifestyle slowing starving our minds and bodies of seriously important hormones? Each of these hormones is of radical importance to human development. 

Having a psychological and physical check up can be hugely beneficial to your health!  Learning about these hormones and what we can do to maintain healthy levels can be extremely beneficial to your mind and body. You can book an initial assessment to discuss DOSE Mapping with myself.

The key to staying on track with your mental health lies in three habits:

1. Looking after and updating your mindset to stay focused on personal growth, gratitude and goals. Our attitude, perceptions and opinions create the narrative of our life.

Even the most successful people have to work everyday at staying positive, grounded and present in the moment. Success is actually just lots of small steps put together like a puzzle. There's probably lots of positive things you're already doing and if you remember that, you're more likely to build on this!

Focus on today's goals. Small is better to start with and make a point of mentally rewarding yourself for all your achievements big and small. When it comes to the mind, research shows time and time again that rewards are better than punishment when it comes to long term change. Being kind actually pays off! 

2. Looking after your personal habits and behaviour. Your routine is your life so have a look at what you do and how often you do it. I always look at sleep, diet, health, work, hobbies, personal health and relationships. Start by improving these areas and see how your overall health improves for the better. Better sleep, better mood! Eating well, feeling well etc.

3. Connection is key. You are more likely to lose weight, keep a healthy weight, reduce or quit smoking , drinking and recreational drugs if you're part of a supportive group that meets regularly.

You're more likely to excel in a hobby and improve your mental health if you are part of a group. Groups give you the belonging, encouragement and recognition we crave. This is part of what makes us happy so you're more likely to feel happy if you're already connected to a group.  People who meet face to face are known to have better social skills, higher self esteem and independence too!

Of course, connecting doesn't always have to be in person but it does help!

Staying connected also refers to how your body, mind and soul are communicating and aware of each other's needs.

Staying connected to others and engaged with the world is also part of our human nature . We crave attachment to:

People, Nature, Humanistic Causes, Groups, Classes...all of these are part of our common need for connectivitity. 

I recommend a lot of Nature therapy to my clients  (forest bathing, ice baths, camping, meditation, reiki, free dancing, silent retreats, nature hiking and rambling) is all about YOU and NATURE. 

Get in touch today to see how I can help you! 

Email me at newthoughtshampshire@gmail.com

Burnout is a condition that affects the way the body and mind cope with life's stresses and demands. At some point we simply 'burn out' and the flow of our life routine is disrupted. 

Burnout is an imbalance of the different elements  around you: work, family, finances, health etc... It is not just stress that we all experience, it's a tidal wave of different emotions like anger, depression, regret , blame, or mental fog. There is also psychological and physical fatigue while some describe burnout as a type of numbness.

Low mood and depression are also common symptoms as are disturbances to sleep, diet and relationships.

The good news is there's lots you can do to address this and you'll start seeing some real results fast! Sure some issues will need a bit of time but remember..SMALL STEPS can create BIG RESULTS! 

Get in touch today and see how I can help in as little as 3 sessions!