About

Dr. Rachael Neall
BA (Hons), MSc, DClinPsy

I have a strong desire to help people overcome their difficulties: I offer therapy in a warm, safe and non-judgemental space using individualised evidence-based approaches.

I have spent my working career fine tuning the most effective interventions for the individuals I work with-learning and developing my practice continuously. This has led to a focus of attending to both mind and body when addressing mental health and well-being and if appropriate incorporating Yoga practices within Psychological Therapy. I am driven to work with people rather than ‘diagnoses’ and am most interested in helping people to understand and break unhelpful patterns and build self-care into their lives.

I have worked with many people trying to function whilst coping with the debilitating symptoms of trauma. I aim to provide a safe space to help people process traumatic experiences in the most containing way, so that these memories have less power over peoples’ current and future well-being.

I recognise personally and professionally the power of awareness and re-connecting with what really matters in our lives, especially when life has taken some difficult turns and so I also focus on values in my work. I find by doing this, it can really help motivate making positive change.

I believe working with individuals to tune into what that person needs, is really important. However, from my experience I find that well-designed groups can really help with healing. I find the humour, shared experiences, encouragement and skills coaching helps to validate and energise. I therefore like to run groups and workshops combining a mind and body approach to help with a range of difficulties.

Although I see a ‘whole’ person, not a label, I am aware that people have diagnoses to help find a pathway in the minefield of health care. Therefore:

Difficulties I currently work with include:

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (for single or multiple traumas)
• Mood difficulties (e.g. depression, mood instability)
• Anxiety disorders (e.g. OCD, panic, social anxiety, health anxiety)
• Personality disorders
• Self-harming behaviours
• Eating difficulties
• Low self-esteem
• Chronic Pain and fatigue

My Approach

At our first meeting we will discuss how you view your difficulties and how you would like to work with me and what you want to get out of therapy. We can think together about what sort of approach would suit you best. I normally suggest that we meet weekly to start with, but that is not fixed in stone. The therapeutic approaches I use to support people include:

Schema Focused Therapy (SFT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness
Restorative and Dynamic Yoga

My Experience

I worked in the NHS for over 10 years, predominantly in Secondary Care Adult Community Mental Health Teams. I worked with many individuals with a wide variety of needs. I was Clinical lead for a DBT team and developed a trauma pathway. I also developed and ran DBT, Schema, CBT, and other skills-based groups. Other experience includes working with children in foster care, helping families with attachment difficulties, and working with children and adults with autism. In the private sector I had a role as Clinical Manager for Hampshire and Surrey Psychology Ltd. I also worked directly with many individuals who have experienced long term challenges, acute distress or a general sense of unhappiness with their lives that needed paying attention to.

Qualifications

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Southampton
Yoga Teacher, Laura Green Teacher Training Yoga School Ltd.
MSc Health Psychology, University College London
BA (Hons) Psychology, University of Reading

Registration and Professional Membership

Registered Practitioner Psychologist, Health and Care Professions Council
Chartered Clinical Psychologist with the British Psychological Society
Accredited member of the EMDR Association
Accredited member of the Schema Therapy Society
Member of the British Psychological Society

Specialist Training

ACT:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Advanced Workshop. Dr Russ Harris; Contextual Consulting
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Workshop. Dr Sue Clark; Dr Helen Bolderston; Bournemouth University
ACT for Psychosis, Joe Oliver; Solent University, Southampton (BABCP, southern branch)

Autism:

The Developmental, Diagnostic and Dimensional Interview (3Di): assessing autistic traits; Institute of Child Health, University College London
Autism Diagnostic and Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-2); BeginningwithA: Autism Consultancy and Training
Asperger’s syndrome and CBT; University of Southampton

CAT:

Introduction to Cognitive Analytic Therapy, CAT North West

CBT:

Simplifying Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Personality Disorders: A NEW Paradigm, Christine Padesky; University of London, Institute of Education

DBT:

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy training, Dr Maggie Stanton and Christine Dunkley; Southern Health NHS Trust

Mind and Body:

Yoga Therapy Skills for Psychologists and Therapists. The Minded Institute
BWY Teacher’s Diploma Course. Year one completed and passed (Not completed full training due to competing priorities).
Level 2 Fitness and Gym Instructor. YMCA

Mindfulness:

Mindfulness for DBT practitioners, Dr Hannah Wilson

Risk:

HCR-20 Version 3 training, Dr Kirsty Forsyth and Dr Rachel Smith; Adult Mental Health Directorate, Solent NHS trust
Schema Therapy and attachment training: Schema Certification program, Arnie Reed, Chris Hayes & Lisa Anthis; Schema Therapy Workshops
Group Schema Therapy, Dr Joan Farrell & Ida Shaw; Schema Therapy Workshops
Strengthening the bonds of attachment, Child and adolescent mental health services, Portsmouth

Supervision:

Improving the effectiveness of Supervision, University of Southampton
Effective Supervisory Relationships: Research and Practice, University of Southampton

Trauma focussed training:

Eye-Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR); EMDR Europe. Levels 1-4; Europe Accredited Training. EMDR Workshops. Accredited EMDR Therapist
Treating PTSD in DBT with High Risk BPD Clients, Melanie Harned; Behavioural Tech

Specialist Publication

Brown R & Ogden J (2004). Children’s eating attitudes and behaviour: a study of the modelling and control theories of parental influence. Health Education. Research. (2004) 19 (3): 261-271.