Previously, Emma was a part-time Senior Clinical Psychologist for the National Adoption and Fostering (CAFT) team at the Michael Rutter Centre, providing specialist clinical psychology assessments and treatments to adopted and fostered young people. Her assessments focused on disentangling issues around attachment and trauma from neurodevelopmental presentations, as well as other common mental health disorders and behavioural issues. Since qualifying, her experience spans a breadth of children’s and young people’s services within community, school, and private settings. She has conducted specialist assessments and delivered formulations and evidence-based interventions for a wide range of presentations, complexities, and needs across mental health, physical health, and neurodevelopmental domains.

Together with her interest in working with the intricacies of mental health presentations in ‘looked after children,’ Emma has a particular focus on the emotional well-being of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities. She has worked in various specialist teams across London and Surrey. The complexity of cases in this area often necessitates a flexible approach, drawing on integrated elements of evidence-based practice to adapt therapy and diagnostic neurodevelopmental assessments accordingly. This work also reinforces the importance of building a strong therapeutic alliance. Her expertise in neurodevelopmental assessment has been supported through additional training and accreditation in the use of the comprehensive Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Communication Disorders, from the Lorna Wing Centre.

Expanding upon her experience and training in CBT, Emma has gained further qualifications in various parenting interventions. She has also completed additional training in EMDR, including advanced child and adolescent developmental protocol training. Working with individuals with learning disabilities has provided her with extensive experience in therapeutic frameworks based on the behavioural model, an integral part of which is assessing and understanding the functions of behaviours. Since 2020, she has been a Clinical (Expert) Reviewer for NHSE, where her role involves reviewing, evaluating, and supporting the care, education, and treatment plans for individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism.

Prior to practising as a Clinical Psychologist, Emma's background was in outcome evaluation research, measuring the mental health and well-being of children and young people. She worked within the Evidence-Based Practice Unit at the Anna Freud Centre and University College London. The project promoted evidence-informed practice and outcome measurement through training, education, data analysis, and reporting—supporting both practitioners and managers in informing practice and improving services.