Sophia Davison

About Me

I have worked with children and adolescents throughout my career, initially as a teacher and then as an integrative psychotherapist.  My experiences of both has enabled me to better understand the challenges that young people can face and to appreciate the need for working collaboratively with families to best support my clients.  In particular, I have the following experience:

• Qualified secondary school teacher: 8yrs plus teaching all age groups from 11-18yrs

• Head of Year 7 & 8 at a Haringey secondary school 

• Member of Inclusion team at a Haringey primary school, supporting mainly Year 6 pupils through transition

• Providing training to teachers about how best to implement more psychologically informed ways of thinking about young people 

• Working closely with parents to enable them to better understand how psychotherapy works in order that they can in turn support their child

Qualifications 

• Masters in Integrative Arts Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education

• Registered member of the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education

• UKCP member

My Approach

Psychotherapy can provide an opportunity for children and adolescents to share thoughts and feelings with someone who is not directly involved in their lives and, through this process, develop an understanding of how their beliefs may be influencing their behaviours and their capacity to relate to others.  My practice is framed around establishing a strong and supportive network with the child’s family, the school and wider community resources where appropriate and as such I offer:

• One to one sessions with children and adolescents

• Joint parent and child sessions

• One to one sessions with parents

I am mindful that younger children may communicate their thoughts and feelings more naturally through using their imagination and being creative than through the use of words. As such, when I work with this age group, the sessions may be play based or may make use of the arts rather than relying on talking.  When I work with adolescents it is often the case that talking is the best way of exploring feelings, however the opportunity for communication using the arts is also there.  I understand how difficult it is to parent a child or adolescent who is in emotional distress and so I offer sessions for parents and a child together or for parents on their own. 

My areas of practice include:

• Family breakdown

• Bereavement

• Anxiety / worries/ stress

• Low mood

• Low self-esteem and confidence

• Attachment difficulties

• Anger management

• Friendship difficulties / bullying

• Self-harm

• Trauma

• Behavioural problems

Stephanie Shah

About Me

I have been working with children and adolescents for most of my working life and feel passionately about working collaboratively to enable this age group to reach their full potential. much of my work has involved delivering positive mental health programmes, and providing parenting support groups for those parents with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.I have been fortunate to have worked in a number of settings including: residential units for children in the care sector, an in-patient NHS adolescent unit, ex-pat communities in Singapore; providing relocation support for those struggling with school related issues, and primary and secondary schools.  

My Approach

I regard psychotherapy as a way of looking after ourselves, much in the same way we might do exercise for our physical health. All development is a series of stages and it might be that your child or adolescent needs more support and guidance at one particular stage, which will help you as a family come to a clearer understanding of what might be going on.

As an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist, I am trained to use creative ways chosen by your child to help them understand their feelings and behaviours. This might include play, movement, painting, clay and puppet work. Of course some children and in particular teenagers, will simply want to talk.

I work very closely with parents and families and when appropriate, joint parent-child sessions can be hugely beneficial. I also work solely with parents who simply want an objective professional opinion about their family dynamics. I have particular experience in, but not limited to;

• Trauma

• Adoption and Fostering/Children in the care system

• Eating disorders

• Self-harming

• Diagnosed mental health disorder

My sessions with the child/young person are confidential unless I am worried about theirs or another person’s safety. However, I do of course liase with parents to understand themes which have come up. 

Qualifications & Experience: 

• Masters in Integrative Arts Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy; Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education

• Diploma of Higher Education : Occupational Therapy; University of East London

• Registered member of the Institute of Arts in Therapy and Education

• HCPC registered

• UKCP member