About Me

I am a Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist (SLT), a Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Practitioner (CBT), and ADOS-2 practitioner and Trainer. I specialise in working with autistic children/young people and their families and I have considerable experience of assessing and working with young people with a wide range of co-morbid conditions, e.g., anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

  • I work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to carry out autism assessments throughout the lifespan.
  • I offer post diagnostic support and family focused adapted cognitive behaviour therapy specialising in autism.
  • I train people to use the ADOS-2 assessment across the lifespan.

I enjoy training a lot and I am very interested in helping trainees to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills in administering the ADOS-2 with a wide range of different ages and presentations. It can sometimes feel de-skilling to learn something new, particularly when you are highly experienced in what you do. I aim to take the fear and stress out of the learning journey and train in a very supportive, safe environment. We all learn in different ways, and I embrace diversity on my training courses.

My Experience

I have worked for the NHS and in private practice I did both for a long time. However, I do not work as a traditional Speech & Language Therapist, and my specialisms and skills do not fit with speech & language therapy jobs in the NHS.

I have always worked closely with families and this is strong interest for me, my work is always family focused and the CBT I offer always involves the family. I have worked in early years settings, primary and secondary schools & CAMHS services.

I have carried out autism assessments as part of multi-disciplinary team with Consultant Paediatricians, Psychiatrists & psychologists with children/young people aged 2;6 to 22 for the NHS and in private practice.

I am particularly interested in assessing girls, young children who do not use any/many words to communicate, children/young people with learning difficulties and complex presentations, e.g., selective mutism, mental health difficulties.

Highlights of my Career

  • Helping families understand their child and seeing the difference it makes to their communication, interaction and play. It is a privilege to be part of their journey.
  • Hearing a child who was not using words to communicate talk to their parents.
  • Meeting the most incredible young people and their families and constantly learning about autism from them.
  • Advocating for autistic children, young people and their families and helping them to get the support they need to reach their potential.
  • Running parent groups and workshops, hearing their experiences and learning from them.
  • Talking to psychology students at London University with my wonderful daughter.
  • Hosting podcasts about autism with some wonderful guest speakers.
  • Helping autistic young people who are traumatised by past events and have significant mental health problems, seeing them start to feel better about themselves and enjoy life.
  • Completing my MSc during lockdown. It was a little bit of light in a very dark time.
  • Meeting and training people to administer the ADOS-2, and seeing their skills and confidence develop.

5 Facts about Me

  1. I love animals. I have 4 cats and 2 dogs and would have more but my family won’t let me!
  2. I hate cooking and have no idea how to use the oven.
  3. I have worked and lived in Turkey, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.
  4. I studied Fashion Design when I was 18 and I still love clothes and do embroidery.
  5. I love weight training and pottery, but not at the same time!