Meet the Team

I began my professional life as a neuroscientist, but retrained as a Systemic Family Therapist with an MSc from the Family Institute/ University of South Wales. I have since worked as a family therapist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) both community and in-patient, and also in the charity sector.

I am passionate about thinking alongside families, couples and individuals to create resilient relationships and ultimately improved social worlds for everyone involved.

Outside work, I enjoy long walks with family, friends and dog Iris - I also bring both these aspects (nature and the dog!) into the therapy space.

I co-founded the Bristol Family Therapy Collective CIC together with my friend and colleague Jon in 2024 to enable our joint vision of creating more equal access to family therapy for all. 

Qualifications:

Systemic Supervisor Training, University of Exeter

MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy from The Family Institute/University of South Wales

PhD in Neuroscience from University College London

I am also trained in both Non-Violent Resistance (Foundation level) and Attachment-based Family Therapy (level 2)

I have a long history of working alongside people and families in varying roles. My initial training was in Social Work where I worked with Adults with mental health difficulties, Children on the edge of care, and in Paediatric Oncology.

I trained Psychodynamically and in Systemic Psychotherapy during this time and subsequently I worked in community and inpatient CAMHS teams, and Adult Services in London before my current part time NHS role of leading a Family/Couple Therapy service for adults in the West Country.

I am a strong advocate for using nature to enhance mental health wellbeing, and outside of work I am also a keen traveller and camper as well as a Bristol Bears season ticket holder.

Qualifications:

Systemic Supervisor training from Exeter University

MSc in Systemic Psychotherapy from University College London

MSc Psychodynamics of Human Development (Jungian) from University College London

Advanced Award in Social Work from Bournemouth University

Diploma in Social Work from North London University

I to my own surprise have now been qualified since 2000 as a Children’s Social Worker. Not sure where the time has gone.

However, is has also been such a rich tapestry of working in Social Care Child Protection Teams, NSPCC and now in CAMHS where I currently work part time. I have also completed my first year of systemic family therapy training at the foundation level in 2020.

I fully understand that family life can be challenging, as well as having calmer moments too but there’s certainly a lot to navigate.  I believe that seeking support is a real strength and having the space to think and stop together is so valued and can make a huge difference to how we communicate and feel valued and heard.

Outside of my working world, I enjoy walking and kayaking and I have a pet cat called Nala.

Qualifications:

Foundation Level Systemic Social Work Practice with Children and Families/ AFT Foundation level 2020 (London CSSW)

Advanced Social Worker Certificate in Child Protection – 2002 (Bristol University)

Postgraduate Diploma in Child Protection Social Work – 2000 (Bristol University)

BSc Early Childhood Studies – 1996 (Bristol University)

30 years ago, I began my professional life as an illustrator, drawn to the ways families communicate through words, humour and the unspoken. A commission for a Family Therapist led me into family sessions, where I witnessed a new world of creative communication — and realised this was the work I wanted to do.  

I began retraining and finally qualified as a Systemic Family Therapist graduating from Bristol University in 2005. I’ve been registered with UKCP and the Association for Family Therapy ever since.  

Over the years I’ve continued to deepen my practice through teaching, learning, and working across a wide range of settings: My clinical experience spans CAMHS, fostering and adoption services, school SEN teams, and lecturing for The Tavistock. 

Along with DDP training, I specialise in attachment‑based work, child and parent mental health, and supporting families through complex relational challenges. I currently work as a Senior Family Therapist within NHS CAMHS and am part of the Bristol Family Therapy Collective. I also run my own private practice in Gloucestershire. 

Outside work, I still draw, and I love comedy, art, and spending time with the people I love. 

I have been working for over 12 years as a Systemic and Family Psychotherapist in the public and private sectors. I see family therapy as an opportunity to slow down, make sense of what is happening in families, create space for new conversations, fresh perspectives, and lasting change.

I currently work as the Lead Family Therapist within a CAMHS service where I support children, young people, and their families who are experiencing a wide range of emotional, behavioural, and mental health difficulties. Alongside this role, I work in the fostering sector supporting foster carers and professional networks to develop therapeutic parenting and relationship-based approach that can help Looked After Children to feel safe, understood and to thrive.

One aspect of my work I particularly enjoy is working with the wider network around a family. I also facilitate reflective practice for Social Workers and deliver regular training for foster parents based on trauma-informed approach.

Growing up in France and building my life in the UK has given me a direct experience of what it means to navigate different cultures, languages, and traditions. These experiences have shaped me as a person but also as a clinician. They have nurtured in me a deep curiosity about the way identity, culture, ethnicity, gender, and other aspects of our lives influence our relationships and sense of self.

I joined Bristol Family Therapy Collective few months ago to be part of their vibrant and innovative community of Family Therapists. My role consists of contributing to the development of the project through reflection, shared ideas and experiences.

Hi, I'm Dani.

I'm a trainee Systemic Psychotherapist at the University of Exeter. Before that, I completed my Foundation in Systemic Thinking and Practice at the University of Bath and my Intermediate training at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust.

I've been part of Bristol Family Therapy Collective through my clinical placement, where I've had the opportunity to co-lead family sessions and take part in the reflecting team. Alongside my training, I work for a mental health charity in partnership with the NHS within the Mental Health Integrated Network Team (MINT), supporting adults who are at risk of falling through the gaps in services.

What draws me to systemic practice is its curiosity about people, relationships and the wider contexts of our lives. I'm interested in how our relationships and social worlds shape our experiences, and I enjoy creating collaborative conversations where different perspectives and possibilities can emerge.

Before training as a therapist, I worked in the creative industries, and that sense of creativity, playfulness and embodiment continues to shape how I work. I'm particularly interested in how creativity, embodiment and storytelling can help people connect with themselves and each other in new ways.

Originally from the Midlands and now based in North Bristol, I'm proudly dyslexic and part of the LGBTQ+ community. Outside of work you'll usually find me dancing, exploring nature, reading or catching up with friends over a good coffee. 

Iris has much experience of joining visits to care homes, in-patient units and family therapy sessions. Staunchly independent, Iris maintains neutrality by not asking for cuddles but receiving them (or treats!) happily and patiently. Iris is hypoallergenic and a very calm presence in the room. Her attendance is optional!

Iris also works for the charity ‘Canine Concern’ who provide care dogs in the community to those who need them most.