Connect Psychological Services, based in Telford, Shropshire, was established in 2014 by Gemma Clarke, HCPC Registered and BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist. After gaining considerable experience working within Her Majesty’s Prison Service, and then a privately run secure hospital, in senior roles, she set up CPS.
Connect Psychological Services provides high quality evidence based services and take instructions/referrals nationwide. All CPS psychologists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and most are also Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and adhere to the professional codes of conduct and ethics of the HCPC and the BPS. CPS are also committed to ongoing professional development regularly attending training and conferences, keeping abreast of developments in research and practice, engaging in peer supervision and providing regular internal training events for the associate team.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Registered Nurse Mental Health, Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (HV)
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
CPS are always looking to recruit new associates with the right skills and personal qualities. Please direct all expressions of interest to info@connect-ps.co.uk along with your CV.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Director & Clinical Lead
Gemma is a highly experienced Consultant Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS), a Chartered Scientist with the Science Council and an Associate Fellow of the BPS. She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology, is a BPS registered supervisor and on the Register of Qualifications as a Test User. She gained experience working as a Forensic Psychologist within secure services for over 12 years firstly within Her Majesty’s Prison Service in a variety of roles before working in a privately run secure hospital and setting up CPS in August 2014. She has wide ranging experience as a practitioner and senior manager/leader in both the public and private sector with a variety of client groups. She has conducted assessments and interventions with males and females, adults and adolescents throughout the lifespan.
In her previous roles within Her Majesty’s Prison Service she was responsible for the coordination of clinical interventions within the Greater London public sector prisons (individual and nationally accredited group interventions). She was also required to provide psychological risk and treatment need assessment reports for Indeterminate and Life Sentenced Prisoners, as well as SARN reports, and presenting evidence at parole hearings. She was a facilitator on the Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP), and treatment manager and therapist on the Prison Addressing Substance Related Offending (P-ASRO) programme. She also developed and delivered a number of cognitive behavioural interventions to address specific areas of need identified through needs analysis (group and individual). When working in the young person’s estate she was Head of Psychology and Substance Misuse services.
Before setting up CPS Gemma was employed as the Lead Forensic Psychologist at a medium, low and locked rehabilitation secure hospital. She was responsible for the assessment and treatment of clients detained under the Mental Health Act with diagnoses including personality disorder, psychopathy, mental illness and Autistic Spectrum Condition. The post involved undertaking complex assessment and therapy with clients presenting with multiple diagnoses and complex needs.
Gemma is trained in a variety of assessment tools / techniques including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgment and functional assessment. She has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments across different client groups presenting with difficulties including mental illness, trauma, learning disability, personality disorder, substance use and cognitive deficits. She has been responsible for writing a large number of reports for the purposes of Parole Boards, Immigration and Asylum Tribunals and Mental Health Review Tribunals and for the purposes of Care Programme Approach and Hospital Managers Panels, and has significant experience of providing evidence as an expert witness.
Gemma has significant experience of acting in a consultant role offering advice regarding risk assessment and clients presenting with a range of complex needs including personality disorder, mental health diagnosis, and issues in relation to substance misuse treatment, violence, sexual offending and cognitive functioning and developed a number of reintegration plans for clients segregated from the main population.
Being a psychologist Gemma has an interest in wellbeing, recognises the importance of maintaining positive physical and mental health, and the links between the two. In doing so she qualified as a Personal Trainer in 2018 as well as a Mental Health First Aid England trainer. Subsequenlty Gemma expanded services provided by CPS, who now provide corporate wellbeing services.
Accounts Assistant
Hayley started her career in 2012 as an apprentice in Business Administration within the construction industry, achieving a Level 2 Business Administration qualification. After undertaking a variety of roles she moved into accounting in 2017 and has since gained a Level 3 Diploma and Level 4 Professional Diploma in Accounting. Hayley joined CPS in October 2020 as an Accounts Assistant providing support in regard routine clerical and basic accounting duties for the company.
Hayley has excellent interpersonal and analytical skills, is organised and proactive. Hayley maintains clear and accurate accounts, behaves in an ethical manner and achieves deadlines. Hayley is cheery, enthusiastic and is passionate about her work.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Rachel is a Registered (Forensic) Psychologist working independently. She has over 14 years experience of working as a Forensic Psychologist within HM Prison & Probation Service as well as a year working within secure healthcare settings. She is an experienced practitioner assessing adults and young people who have violent and/or sexual offending convictions. She is trained in a variety of assessment tools and approaches including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgment and functional assessment. She has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments across different client groups presenting with
difficulties including mental illness, learning disability, personality disorder, and cognitive deficits. During her career she has written a large number of reports advising on progress, treatment planning and risk management for the Parole Board and Probation Service, giving professional witness testimonials in relation to these.
Prior to becoming independent in December 2019, Rachel was employed in the National Health Service (NHS) carrying out assessments and interventions with women in a secure hospital setting as well as a secure womens’ personality disorder unit. Prior to this, she was employed by HMPPS in the Midlands Psychological Services team since 2004. Her most recent role within HMPPS was as the establishment lead psychologist, providing psychological services to clients with a broad range of presentations. She coordinated services across the establishment and was part of the Senior Management Team (SMT), consulting on risk and well-being and delivered individual interventions with men who had treatment needs relating to their sexual interests as well being a Clinical Supervisor for Trainee Psychologists working towards registered status with the HCPC and is an Academic Supervisor for Cardiff Metropolitan University Diploma in Forensic Psychology. Prior to this Rachel was the Treatment Manager for the entire suite of Sex Offender Treatment Programmes at HMP Stafford leading a team of multi-disciplinary staff.
As a Trainee Psychologist Rachel delivered, supervised, and Treatment Managed the Sexual Offender Treatment Programmes (SOTPs) to a diverse range of young offenders including those with intellectual disabilities. She carried out comprehensive risk assessments with individuals with different offence types and individual characteristics and completed responsivity assessments such as the WAIS-IV, and executive functioning assessments. I used clinical formulations to determine the best treatment pathway for an individual and designed and delivered bespoke interventions to meet their specific needs. She also delivered training to and had line management responsibilities for other professionals.
Rachel has developed and delivered training packages in line with clinical/business need and have carried out research into gangs in prison, prisoners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Foreign National prisoners.
Rachel is a Senior Associate for CPS providing peer supervision and mentoring.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Jenny is an experienced Forensic Psychologist, with particular expertise in working with personality difficulties and sexual offending. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), chartered with the British Psychological Society and a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology.
Jenny first studied at Loughborough University where she completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Psychology. She then went on to gain a Master of Science Degree in Investigative Psychology before achieving a Doctorate in Forensic Psychology at the University of Nottingham. In addition to her work for Connect Psychological Services, Jenny is currently working in a low secure service in London.
Jenny has experience working within health and probation settings in both the NHS and the private sector. She has worked across the care pathway within the criminal justice system from court diversion services to inpatient services and within the community including the Offender Personality Disorder pathway. Her training and experience includes comprehensive assessment, formulation and treatment for individuals with a range of offence histories. Jenny is trained in a number of specialist assessments for evaluating cognitive abilities, personality and risk. She is also experienced in the facilitation of a number of group and individual interventions for mental health difficulties and offending behaviours.
Jenny has a special interest in violence risk assessment and risk formulation, a topic which she has completed a number of research projects on and presented these at international conferences. She continues to grow her research portfolio and publish in this area.
Jenny is a Senior Associate for CPS providing peer supervision and mentoring.
HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
Jennifer Whelan is a Registered Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professionals Council and EMDR Practitioner. She is a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society and the Division of Forensic Psychology.
Jennifer has worked within the Prison and Probation Service for almost 15 years in which she has gained extensive experience of working with forensic clients displaying a range of presentations. Within this role Jennifer has been involved in psychological assessment and intervention with violent and sexual offenders and has provided expert witness advice relating to risk management at Parole Board hearings. Jennifer has many years experience delivering both individual and group-based interventions with forensic clients. Jennifer was employed as a clinical lead for substance misuse treatment within the Prison Service for over three years, working with a range of service providers to deliver a recovery focused service. Jennifer has also worked within high secure services; involved in the risk assessment and treatment of forensic mental health clients. Throughout her career, Jennifer has also engaged in various pieces of consultancy work and has designed and delivered training packages both locally and nationally.
Jennifer is trained in a range of assessment frameworks including HCR-20, SAVRY, RM2000, SARA, DARNA, J-SOAP, SVR-20 and IPDE and has extensive experience of writing risk assessment reports across a range of client groups. Jennifer has acted as a national trainer for the SARA IPV risk assessment framework. Jennifer is also trained in the administration and interpretation of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV).
Jennifer is currently employed within a community based service offering psychological assessment and therapeutic support to adults and young people. Her role also involves the provision of psychological input into children’s residential homes. This includes the supervision of staff and work with looked after children presenting with a range of issues including anxiety, aggression, self-injurious behaviour, trauma and substance misuse.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Savita is a Senior Forensic Psychologist currently working with male offenders in a custodial setting. She has prior experience of working with female offenders and females detained under the Mental Health Act. As such Savita has extensive experience of undertaking risk assessments for use in formal settings including the Parole Board and Mental Health Review Tribunals. Savita is trained in a variety of risk assessments (HCR-20 assessment for risk of general violence, RSVP and SVR-20 for risk of sexual violence and SARA for risk of intimate partner violence) diagnostic (IPDE for assessment or personality, PCL-R for assessment of clinical psychopathy) and cognitive assessment using the WAIS-IV.
When working with women Savita was involved in the delivery and treatment management of Offending Behaviour Programmes. Furthermore, she has developed gender responsive interventions for women i.e. anger management and substance misuse. She has also undertaken therapeutic work with women in various areas i.e. managing symptoms of psychosis, past sexual abuse.
Savita also has experience in developing staff training and undertaking research projects. She has also guest lectured on the MSc in Forensic Psychology at Lincoln University.
HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
Catherine is a HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist with 14 years previous experience working for HM Prison Service. She has started her career as an offending behaviour programmes facilitator, delivering group interventions to young adult male offenders. She then became the treatment manager of a suite of offending behaviour programmes and in doing so was responsible for the assessment and selection of offenders for group intervention, as well as quality assurance of the interventions delivered, and the supervision and development of her facilitator team. She then trained to become a psychologist within HM Prison Service and gained a wealth of experience in assessing risk and criminogenic needs in a wide range of forensic clientele using a various different assessment methods relevant to offence typologies and clients’ presenting difficulties (i.e. SVR-20, RSVP, HCR-20, IPDE, ERG 22+, SARA, SRP). Catherine has extensive knowledge and experience of developing and delivering bespoke therapeutic pathways of intervention, both in custody and the community, including clients who have ample experience of ‘deep custody’ and those significantly over tariff. She is proficient in providing compelling expert witness testimony to support Parole Board hearings and MAPPA proceedings.
Currently Catherine works as a highly specialised forensic psychologist in secure psychiatric services, working with patients with mental illness and comorbidity. Trauma informed practice is embedded in her approach to working with clients. This makes Catherine skilled in working with, and assessing risk, in hard-to-reach clients who’s experiences of trauma and adversity have resulted in highly complex presentations. She also lectures in contemporary issues in criminal justice and forensic psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and in doing is knowledgeable in the most up to date research base surrounding her areas of expertise.
HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
Kelly is a registered Forensic Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council and accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies. She possesses a Bachelor of Science with Honours Degree in Psychology and Criminology from Nottingham Trent University, a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology from London Metropolitan University, a post graduate diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from University of Hertfordshire and a post graduate diploma in Forensic Psychology. Kelly has extensive experience of working with individuals with a variety of mental health disorders. Her experience has included working clinically with adolescents and adults across forensic, inpatient, custodial and community settings. She has specialist experience of working with offenders in a psychologically informed planned environment (PIPE) and assessment and treatment service for individuals with personality difficulties. Kelly currently works in a low secure and psychiatric intensive care unit working with men, detained under the Mental Health Act, some of whom have also engaged in offending behaviour. She facilitates change with clients who present with a variety of disorders such as Schizophrenia, Anxiety Disorders, Personality Disorder and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
In addition, Kelly has been involved in supervising multi-disciplinary staff to provide them with a safe reflective space and equip them with the skills to work effectively with individuals with complex presentations. She has designed and facilitated training workshops for a variety of mental health and custodial professionals. Kelly has developed and delivered CBT based offending behaviour interventions that have focused on fire setting, violence risk reduction and personality difficulties. Kelly has also developed group and individual interventions which focus on a range of topics included mindfulness, low self-esteem and sexually compulsive behaviour to name but a few. She also informs her practice with DBT, CAT, ACT, Schema, MBT and third-wave CBT to ensure her clients get the interventions best tailored to their needs.
Kelly has experience of administering a range of screening and diagnostic assessments as well as dynamic and static risk assessment tools using a range of measures. She regularly completes assessments of men serving determinate and indeterminate sentences for a range of offences. Kelly is trained in the administration of the HCR-20v3 structured risk assessment of violence, the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) and she has undertaken a number of assessments of post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma, fire setting and arson risk. Kelly is passionate about empowering clients to understand themselves, their strengths and risks through a collaborative individualised formulation. This will then inform a suitable treatment pathway that will help them to return to a life where their risks are reduced and their strengths are supported.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Niamh has almost eighteen years’ experience working across England, Scotland and Ireland in forensic settings, corporate well-being and services for learning difficulties and traumatic brain injury. Niamh is an accredited Schema Therapist and trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. She has experience in the assessment and treatment of young people, adults, older adults and cases which required an interpreter. As well as working with Connect Psychological Services Niamh is currently employed as Lead Psychologist at a secure hospital for men and women and works with patients who are detained under the Mental Health Act with complex and enduring mental illness and psychological disorder. Niamh has extensive experience in risk assessment using a range of tools such as the HCR-20v3, FAM, RSVP, VRS and VRS-SO. Niamh is trained in the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) and the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-r). She has also undertaken a number of assessments on stalking using the Stalking Assessment and Management (SAM) and intimate partner violence using the Structured Assessment of Risk Assessment (SARA). Niamh was previously employed as Senior Forensic Psychologist with a medico legal company in Dublin. She has completed expert reports for the Ministry of Justice, solicitor firms and Children and Family Services. She provided specialist opinion on the risk of harm towards children and parental capacity, mental disorder and personality, risk of reoffending, historical child sexual abuse, mental health, motivation and response to treatment. Niamh was employed as a Forensic Psychologist at Kneesworth House Hospital and was the psychologist for the male low secure personality disorder/mental illness ward and the lead psychologist in implementing the sex offender treatment programme. She has previously been employed in the independent criminal justice sector in the Scottish Prison System (2003-2011) and has several years’ experience in clinical supervision and treatment management.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Joanna is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist who has over 13 years’ experience of working within Psychological Services in applied settings. Joanna worked for HM Prison Service for 13 years and has extensive experience of working with forensic clients, both in assessing risk and working therapeutically to address areas of risk including sexually harmful behaviour, violence and intimate partner violence. She has specific expertise in providing assessment and intervention for male forensic clients who present with a risk of sexually harmful behaviour and has trained other professionals in this area.
Joanna has many years experience of providing expert evidence to the Parole Board regarding risk management and pathways for intervention. Joanna is trained and competent in using a range of recognised, evidenced-based psychological risk assessment tools and has many years experience of developing psychological formulations of individuals in order to inform risk management.
Joanna has also been employed as the primary psychologist with oversight of medium secure wards within a secure hospital. Within this role she was responsible for the provision of psychological assessment and intervention for two wards. Joanna primarily worked with adult male forensic clients presenting with both personality disorder and mental illness, and adolescent females within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Within this role Joanna also had responsibility for providing clinical supervision to ward staff.
Joanna currently works for a community forensic psychology team within the NHS. Within this role Joanna works therapeutically with a range of client groups in order to reduce risk of offending and risk of harm to others. This service primarily delivers therapy to individuals who have previously offended, non-offending partners of those who have offended and non-offender individuals who have identified themselves as being at risk of offending. Joanna uses a formulation-led, evidence-based approach to provide therapy that is tailored to individual needs.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Samantha is a Forensic Psychologist, with particular expertise in working with personality difficulties. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), chartered with the British Psychological Society and a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology.
In addition to her work for Connect Psychological Services, Samantha is currently working in a medium secure service in London with males who have offended and have significant mental health problems. Samantha has experience working within forensic settings in both the NHS and the private sector. She has over 10 years of experience of working within a variety of forensic settings including adult males and females and CAMHS individuals. She has experience in assessing adults and young people who have violent and/or sexual offending convictions. She is trained in a variety of assessment tools and approaches including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgment and functional assessment.
She is experienced in delivering individual and group psychological interventions for mental health difficulties and offending behaviour using a range of therapeutic approaches as indicated by assessment and formulation, she specialises in CBT and DBT.
Samantha has a specific interest in violence risk assessment and collaborative risk assessment. She developed and delivered a treatment programme based on collaborative risk assessments which she has also delivered training on to other staff so that it can be rolled out across multiple hospitals.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Marita is a highly experienced Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology. Marita has extensive experience of working in the Criminal Justice System. She worked as a Probation Officer for 11 years before retraining as a Forensic Psychologist. She has worked in prison based forensic psychology services since 2004.
Marita has worked in range of custodial settings initially as a forensic psychologist in training and currently as a qualified psychologist. Marita has worked with a diverse range of offenders including adult males and females and young males. She is an experienced practitioner and is trained in a variety of tools which assess risk of violent and sexual offending including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgement and functional assessment. Marita has significant experience of acting in a consultant role offering advice regarding risk assessment and management of individuals with histories of violence and/or sexual offending and complex needs including trauma, personality disorder, cognitive functioning difficulties, and substance misuse. Marita has also developed treatment formulations for offenders with complex needs including personality difficulties, intellectual functioning, substance misuse, mental health, trauma and behavioural problems.
Marita has extensive experience of providing psychological risk and treatment need assessment reports and expert witness evidence at parole hearings in relation to complex cases. She has also prepared assessment reports for immigration cases. She contributes to the multi-agency public protection arrangements in terms of decision-making regarding risk categorisation.
Marita supervises others in the development of treatment formulations and delivery of offence focused work. She also provides supervision for Forensic Psychologists in Training. Marita has an interest in trauma informed practice and trauma informed approaches including Compassion Focused Therapy and is a member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation Special Interest Group. Marita has also delivered Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills. Marita has recently identified and co-ordinated the pilot of a programme which addresses the needs of women with histories of both violent behaviour and trauma.
Marita is an experienced facilitator and treatment manager of accredited offending behaviour programmes including Controlling Anger & Learning to Manage It (CALM), Alcohol Related Violence (ARV) & the Resolve violence programme. Marita is an accredited trainer for the Core Skills and Resolve programmes. She also delivers treatment to young males who have been convicted of sexual offences. She has developed and delivered training packages to develop staff skills in relation to the management of challenging behaviours in prisons.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Naomi is a highly experienced Consultant Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and an Associate Fellow of the BPS. She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology and a BPS registered supervisor. She gained experience working as a Forensic Psychologist within secure services for over 22 years within Her Majesty’s Prison Service in a variety of roles, including with juvenile offenders and adult male offenders, specialising in the assessment and treatment of high risk violent male offenders. She has experience of assessment, treatment and management of offenders within custody and in the community.
In her previous roles within Her Majesty’s Prison Service she was responsible for the coordination of psychological services and training in the Midlands region, and later more specifically for the allocation and completion of Parole Board directed assessments. She has worked as head of Programmes and Psychology at HMP Ranby, and as Clinical Lead for high intensity programmes. Alongside this she provided psychological risk and treatment need assessment reports for Indeterminate and Life Sentenced Prisoners, and presented as a professional witness at Parole Board hearings. She has contributed to MAPPA panels and community risk management meetings whilst on secondment to Leicestershire and Rutland Probation. She was a facilitator on the Cognitive Self Change Programme, and part of the team responsible for the development and introduction of the Self-Change Programme, attending the CSAAP panel at which it was accredited.
Naomi is trained in a variety of assessment tools / techniques including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgment and functional assessment. She has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments across different client groups presenting with difficulties including mental illness, trauma, learning disability, personality disorder, substance use and cognitive deficits. She has been responsible for writing a large number of reports for the purposes of Parole Boards and for the Court.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist.
Caroline is a Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS having qualified in 2010). She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology. Caroline has post-qualification experience working within forensic settings. This has included assessment and treatment with offenders in the community, in Her Majesties Prison Service and within secure hospital settings. Caroline has a wide range of experience as a practitioner and has conducted assessments and interventions with males and females, adults and adolescents throughout the lifespan.
Caroline is currently employed as a Principal Forensic Psychologist within a low secure forensic hospital and is responsible for the assessment and treatment of clients detained under the mental health act with diagnoses including personality disorder, psychopathy, mental illness and Autistic Spectrum Condition. The post involves undertaking complex assessment and therapy with male and female clients presenting with multiple diagnoses and complex needs. The post also involves consultancy to other professionals, training of staff members and providing supervision to other psychologists working in this area. Caroline is a trained Dialectical Behaviour Therapist and is also trained to deliver Behavioural Family Therapy.
In her previous roles Caroline has worked within low secure hospital settings, providing assessment and treatment to offenders with a learning disability. Prior to this Caroline gained experienced working with a charity specialising in the assessment and treatment of sexual offenders. Here she worked in community settings and also in Her Majesty’s Prison Service, working with young people who had received prison sentences for sexual offences. As part of this role, Caroline prepared and presented evidence for parole hearings.
Caroline is trained in a variety of assessment tools / techniques including actuarial, clinical and structured professional judgment. These include the HCR-20 structured risk assessment of violence, the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE), the Risk of Sexual Violence Protocol (RSVP) and Sexual Violence Risk (SVR-20) and the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-r). She has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments across different client groups presenting with difficulties including mental illness, trauma, learning disability, personality disorder, substance use and cognitive deficits.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Stephanie is an experienced Chartered Forensic and Registered Psychologist with over 16 years of experience of working in secure forensic settings. She is currently working in a medium secure Forensic Psychiatric hospital with patients with enduring mental illness and personality disorder. She has worked with both adults and adolescents in secure settings.
Stephanie is experienced in a variety of risk assessment tools including HCR-20, SAVRY (Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth), SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment) and RSVP (Risk of Sexual Violence Protocol). She has extensive experience in using such tools to inform her case formulation, risk management and treatment strategies in a variety of offending behaviours, including: violence, domestic violence, sexual violence and arson. Stephanie also has experience in using these assessments to provide written and oral evidence to aid decision-making at parole board oral hearings and Mental Health Review Tribunals. Stephanie has experience of working with a variety of client groups including: adult males, young offenders and juveniles.
Stephanie has developed skills in working with a range of individuals such as offenders diagnosed with personality disorder, learning disability, autism and a range of mental health diagnoses. She has engaged clients in a variety of different therapeutic interventions, both in a group and individually, ranging from substance misuse difficulties, a history of self-harm, limited insight into mental health difficulties, a history of violence and sexual violence and various interpersonal and emotional difficulties. She delivers psychological interventions using different therapeutic approaches including: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and techniques informed by Cognitive Analytic Therapy and Schema Therapy.
Stephanie works with individuals with a focus on their individual backgrounds, recognising their traumatic experiences and responding to their individual needs. She is skilled at developing a therapeutic alliance by using compassion and empathy. She has extensive experience of facilitating on and managing cognitive behavioural group work programmes. Furthermore, she has experience of designing, delivering and evaluating psychologically based group work programmes based on the needs of the client group within her organisation.
Stephanie is experienced in the design and facilitation of staff training such as personality disorder awareness, management of difficult behaviour and risk assessment. In addition to working with Connect Psychological Services, Stephanie also has her own private practice where she provides individual therapy to privately funded clients, with varying difficulties from mental health to behavioural problems.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Sinead qualified as a Chartered Forensic Psychologist through the British Psychological Society in 2012. With more than 15 years’ experience, she has worked in a wide variety of settings, including Prison, Probation and NHS Mental Health.
Sinead’s experience includes working with a history of mental illness, personality disorder, cognitive impairment, autism, offending behaviour, and other emotional and psychological difficulties. She regularly provides psychological reports to the court, as well as other settings such as Parole Board hearings and Mental Health Review Tribunals. Sinead provides independent forensic psychology expert witness services in relation to a range of clients. These include clients who may be at risk of committing (or who are alleged to have committed), a criminal offence. Clients may be victims of crime or abuse themselves. Examples of expert witness services include assessments for life/indeterminate (IPP) sentence/recall parole purposes, Family and Criminal Court, Mental Health Review Tribunals (MHRT/MHT), and Local Authority (LA) commissioned family or individual assessments.
The types of assessments Sinead undertakes include violence (HCR-20v3), sexual violence risk (SVR-20, RSVP, RM2000), and firesetting that provide information to the courts/parole board to inform level of risk and need for therapeutic intervention. Specific expertise also includes Spousal Assault Risk Assessment (SARAv3), assessment of psychopathy (PCL-R), personality disorder (IPDE), or diagnostic assessments for Autism Spectrum Conditions, (ADOS, ADI-R), cognitive functioning (WAIS-IV, adaptive functioning). Protective, Strengths based assessments such as SAPROF also used.
Sinead has trained and supervised a range of healthcare professionals across the UK.
Neurodevelopmental Specialist
Emma is a Neurodevelopmental Specialist, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) Trainer and Autism Diagnostic Interview- Revised (ADI-R) Trainer, previously based at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), the National Autism (inpatient) Unit, the Adult ASD & ADHD Outpatient Service, South London & Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM) and the Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families. She gained a BSc in Psychology with first class honours from the University of Bath, and went on to train as an integrative counsellor at CPPD Counselling School in London. She is a registered member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP). Emma has extensive clinical and research experience in complex mental health conditions, and for the past ten years she has specialised in diagnostic assessments for Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC). Emma has completed over 2,000 ADOS-2 and ADI-R assessments and has a particular interest in ASC in forensic settings, including high profile medicolegal work. Emma has trained and supervised clinicians and researchers nationally and internationally, which has included being the lead ADOS-2/ADI-R trainer at the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust (SLaM). She has also contributed to a number of research publications in ASD, ADHD and forensic psychology.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Mariana is an experienced Forensic Psychologist, with particular expertise in working with personality difficulties, sexual offending and child and adolescent mental health. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), chartered with the British Psychological Society and a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology. She has experience of working in HM Prison & probation service, inpatient adult settings, community settings and child and adolescent forensic services.
In addition to working for Connect Psychological Services, Mariana is currently working in a community Forensic child and adolescent mental health service, primarily providing assessment and consultation in relation to high risk of high harm young people. Mariana is also Safeguarding Children Lead and is a Honorary Lecturer at Goldsmiths University.
Prior to her current role, Mariana worked in a prison setting, on a treatment unit for those with personality difficulties for five years. During this period, Mariana also facilitated a community group for high risk sexual offenders. Mariana is trained in a number of specialist assessments for evaluating cognitive abilities, personality and risk. She is also experienced in delivering individual and group interventions, using a range of different evidence-based models, to distinct client groups.
HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
Sade is an experienced Forensic Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). She has over 11 years’ experience working within forensic settings, having qualified as a Forensic Psychologist in 2016. Sade is currently employed as a Principal Forensic Psychologist within a forensic mental health hospital. Sade has rich and varied experience which has included roles within: the youth offending team, probation service, community learning disability service, a specialist locked rehabilitation service, low secure, medium secure and enhanced medium secure inpatient settings. Due to this this Sade has worked with a diverse range of service users with different backgrounds, difficulties, strengths and perspectives.
Sade has worked with female and male adults who have committed serious violent and sexual offences. She is trained in a variety of actuarial, clinical and specialised structured professional judgement tools/ techniques to help assess risk and, inform risk management plans.
Sade has experience of working with service users that present with complex needs and service users that require enhanced levels of care and relational security; including service users requiring frequent and sustained periods in seclusion and intensive care to manage risk of harm to others. This has included service users presenting with a wide range of psychopathologies such as personality disorder, severe mental illness, medication resistant psychosis, traumatic stress reactions, neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g. Autistic spectrum conditions, learning disabilities, Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder), dual diagnosis and, co-morbid difficulties. Due to this she has used various assessment methods and techniques to facilitate a clear understanding of treatment needs, risk and responsivity issues. Sade is trained in assessment tools to assess the presence, severity and impact of certain mental health, personality and, neurodevelopmental disorders.
Sade has experience developing and facilitating therapeutic interventions to improve psychological well-being and reduce risk of offending behaviour. Sade uses a number of therapeutic modalities including: Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavioural therapy (RO-DBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, Cognitive processing therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PET) and Dialectical Behavioural therapy skills (DBT). Sade also has experience of delivering therapy to non-forensic clients.
Sade has experience of offering consultation, training and supervision within her role as a Psychologist. She has facilitated workshops on risk assessment, risk management, fire-setting behaviour, substance misuse, deliberate self-harm and mental health disorders to a variety of mental health professionals.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Jane is a Forensic Psychologist with over 10 years of post-qualifying experience. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS), is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology and is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society.. She is also on the Register of Qualified Test Users (RQTU) and the Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS).
Jane has experience of working in HM Prison Service, low and medium secure forensic inpatient services, and community settings, including working within immigration law. As such, she has expertise in working with people with a range of offences and a variety of mental health presentations. She has had several years’ experience of working as an expert witness at Parole Board hearings.
In addition to working in private practice, Jane is currently working as a Consultant Forensic Psychologist in a secure inpatient service where she leads a Psychology and Psychological Therapies team, provides assessments and therapies for service users, and consultancy to other professionals. Jane also provides training, most recently in the HCR-20. She particularly promotes service user involvement and co-production.
Jane is trained and experienced in a wide range of psychological assessments and tests, both with a forensic focus and with a mental health focus.
Jane has particular interests in people who attract a diagnosis of personality disorder and is interested in third wave CBT approaches in particular schema therapy and DBT. She values a strengths-based and collaborative approach.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Stacey is an experienced Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology and has completed BPS recognised supervisor workshops.
Stacey has over 10 years’ experience working within forensic settings. In addition to her work for Connect Psychological Services, Stacey also holds positions within the Personality Disorder Pathway at Broadmoor Hospital and the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway in the community. Stacey is an experienced practitioner and has a wealth of experience assessing risk and providing treatment to individuals presenting with complex needs in relation to personality disorder, psychopathy, mental illness, trauma, cognitive deficits and hearing impairment (having previously worked within the Deaf Service at Rampton High Secure Hospital). She has assessed and formulated a range of risk behaviours including acquisitive/violent/sexual offending, fire setting, substance misuse, self-harm and suicide. Stacey has been trained in the Violent Extremist Risk Assessment – 2 Revised and has experience of using this tool. In addition to the training she has received in the area of violent extremism, Stacey has also published research exploring the psychological impact of imprisonment on individuals convicted of politically motivated crimes in Northern Ireland.
Stacey has received training in a variety of assessment tools and approaches including actuarial, clinical and structured professional judgement. She is trained in a variety of treatment models including Multi Systemic Therapy (MST), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Schema Therapy, and is currently undertaking training in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR). She has also facilitated a range of treatment programmes addressing substance misuse, relationships, anger, violence and homicide.
Stacey also has experience of providing supervision to others in relation to risk assessment, delivering treatment and report writing. She also had the experience of guest lecturing to both undergraduate and post graduate students at Kingston University. As part of her role in the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway she has developed and delivered training toprobation officers.
Registered Nurse Mental Health, Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (HV)
Victoria qualified as a Mental Health nurse in 2000 with Manchester University, then as a specialist community practitioner (Health Visitor) and nurse prescriber in 2001. She worked as a health visitor for 10 years before taking a career break to have children. The areas of work covered supporting and advising new parents, individual health promotion, immunisation, screening programs, cardiac rehabilitation, home visits, identifying health needs, facilitating parenting, health promotion and support groups, working to local and national health targets. Victoria’s role required her to work closely with GP’s and primary care providers. Victoria completed her return to practice in January 2019 after taking a break from nursing to raise her children, she has now returned to nursing on a freelance basis.
HCPC Registered & BPS Chartered Forensic Psychologist
Emma is a highly experienced Forensic Psychologist Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Chartered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). She is a full member of the Division of Forensic Psychology, is a BPS registered supervisor on the Register of Applied Psychology Practitioner Supervisors and has experience as a clinical supervisor for trainee forensic psychologists completing the Cardiff Metropolitan University Forensic Psychology Practitioner Programme. She qualified as a Registered Psychologist in 2015 and gained her experience working within Her Majesty’s Prison Service in a variety of roles prior to working in private practice.
In her previous role as Senior Psychologist for HMPPS Midlands Psychology Service, Emma was the Clinical Lead Psychologist for sex offender treatment programmes. Prior to this she was the Treatment Manager for the Healthy Sex Programme (HSP), Kaizen programme, and Extended Sex Offender Treatment Programme. Within these roles, Emma had to make important decisions regarding treatment suitability; placement upon programmes in line with risk, need and responsivity criteria; and ensured that other professionals delivering treatment were acting ethically and with integrity through supervision of their practice. She provided consultancy to other professionals regarding appropriate treatment pathway decisions, and worked collaboratively with offenders to ensure the most appropriate decisions were made. Emma was also involved in the development of the Kaizen programme within HMPPS, providing evidence-based advice using her vast experience of programme delivery and treatment management in a consultancy role with key stakeholders. Emma herself has a vast amount of experience in delivery of treatment/therapy with adult male offenders, both group based cognitive behavioural treatment and individual therapy, including third wave approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy. She has been involved in the delivery of treatment for over 13 years.
Emma is trained in a range of assessment tools/techniques including actuarial, clinical, structured professional judgment and functional assessment. She has extensive experience conducting psychological assessments with adult males (sexual and violent offenders) presenting with difficulties including mental illness, trauma, learning disability, and personality disorder. She also has experience of assessing and delivering treatment to those on the transgender pathway. She has significant experience of providing evidence as an expert witness at parole hearings.
Emma has delivered training in risk assessments such as RSVP and RM2000, and treatment interventions such as HSP. She has also designed, developed and delivered training packages linked to working with Learning Disabled offenders, and to raise awareness of trauma and how to take this into consideration within risk assessments and treatment planning. Emma has a wealth of experience in a consultant role offering advice regarding risk assessment, treatment pathway planning and in case formulation. She has presented her psychological knowledge and clinical understanding/opinion in different forums such as parole hearings, within other meetings such as Care Programme Approach meetings, and has enjoyed publicly speaking in other forums such a to students at university and at conferences with other professionals both working in a psychological field and in other services.
