PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
Our team of specialist child and adolescent psychologists provide compassionate, evidence-based support for children and young people in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. We offer specialist psychological support for children and young people, working collaboratively with families to understand emotional, behavioural, and developmental needs and provide appropriate support.
Our Psychologists are experienced in working with children and young people of all ages, with a range of areas of specialty. We have Psychologists who have specialist experience in supporting neurodiverse children, with diagnoses of Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tics or Intellectual Disabilities/learning difficulties. We also have Paediatric and Health Psychologists, who specialise in supporting children and parents with long-term physical health conditions, neurological conditions and functional symptoms or medically unexplained symptoms, such as chronic pain or chronic fatigue. We have a team of Psychologists with particular expertise in supporting young people who have experienced early life adversity, including young people no longer living with their birth families, and living in foster care or adoptive families. We are registered as a provider for the Local Authority under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.
How We Can Support Your Family
A psychological assessment is a collaborative clinical process designed to build an in-depth understanding of your child's difficulties, helping to clarify patterns, identify contributing factors, to guide personalised recommendations for evidence-based therapy.
We offer a range of evidence-based psychological therapies for children and young people, adapted to developmental stage and individual needs. This may include individual therapy, parent-based support and systemic work with families.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition, categorised by differences in social communication. Our comprehensive gold standard assessments comply with NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) guidelines.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, characterised by difficulties with attention, concentration and hyperactivity. Our comprehensive gold standard assessments comply with NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) guidelines.
We offer a range of evidence-based psychological therapies for children and young people, adapted to developmental stage and individual needs. This may include individual therapy, parent-based support and systemic work with families.
Drawing on evidence-based approaches including Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT), Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), our therapy group supports young people in recognising premonitory urges, identify triggers to tics, developing competing responses and behavioural strategies to manage tics, alongside anxiety and confidence building strategies.
Parenting is one of the most rewarding experiences in life. It can also be one of the most challenging.
Our Parenting Course has been developed by Clinical Psychologists to help you make sense of your child's behaviour, understand your own responses, and build practical, evidence-based skills that support your family long after the course has finished.
Rather than offering a list of techniques, we help you understand why children behave the way they do, how relationships shape development, and how your own experiences influence your parenting.
How We Can Support You
Our Approach at The Lotus Psychology Practice
We take a collaborative, systemic, and formulation-led approach, working with young people and families to develop a shared understanding and tailored plan. This allows us to develop a structured, evidence-based and personalised plan for support. All of our Psychologists are HCPC-registered and have completed a doctorate level degree, with further training in multiple evidence-based assessment and therapeutic interventions. All therapeutic interventions are informed by scientific research and are and in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines.
Getting Started
We offer initial consultations to explore your concerns and help determine the most appropriate next step for your child.
Our Child & Adolescent Team
While each of our Child Psychologists has developed specialist areas of interest, all are highly experienced in supporting children and young people with a wide range of mental health difficulties, including anxiety (separation anxiety, phobias, health anxiety), depression, and trauma. Our Team Manager, Hannah will work with you to ensure you are matched with the Psychologist best suited to your needs.
Clinical Director & Lead Clinical Psychologist
Dr Morvwen Duncan
DClinPsy, BSc, HCPC Registered
Specialist interests include, trauma and attachment difficulties, adoption, anxiety, depression, emetophobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, parenting support, youth justice and neurodevelopmental Conditions (Autism, ADHD, Tics & Tourette Syndrome).
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Dr Katie High
DClinPsy, MSc, HCPC registered
Specialist interests include depression, self-harm & suicidal thinking, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), physical health conditions, functional symptoms, including chronic pain and chronic fatigue, functional neurological disorder, anxiety, social anxiety, OCD, emetophobia and neurodevelopmental conditions (Autism & ADHD)
Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist
Dr Emma Palluotto
DClinPsy, BSc, HCPC registered
Specialist interests include chronic health conditions, complex Physical health conditions (paediatric & adult), perinatal, maternal & paternal mental health, anxiety, depression, parenting support and neurodevelopmental conditions (Autism, ADHD and Learning Disabilities).
Health Psychologist
Dr Esther Bowen
DPsych, MSc, HCPC registered
Specialist interests include neurological conditions including functional neurological disorder, physical health conditions, health behaviour change (such as weight management), insomnia & sleep difficulties, chronic and long-term health conditions (persistent pain, chronic fatigue & long Covid), health anxiety & medical Phobias (including needle phobia and emetophobia) and neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD & Tics).
Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist
Dr Hannah Canny
DClinPsy, MSc, BSc, HCPC registered
Specialist interests include perinatal maternal and paternal mental health, depression, anxiety, trauma and Complex PTSD, low self-esteem, OCD, social anxiety, health anxiety, emotion dysregulation, grief & loss, panic, phobias and neurodevelopmental conditions (Autism & ADHD & Learning Difficulties).
Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist
Dr Merry Wright
DClinPsy, BSc, PGDip, HCPC Registered
Specialist interests include anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, parenting support, emotion-based school avoidance, intellectual disability, learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental conditions including Autism & ADHD.
Counselling Psychologist
Dr Anthony Green
PsychD, MSc Psychology, BSc, HCPC registered
Specialist interests include Undergraduate/Graduate Student mental health, trauma (PTSD and Complex PTSD), generalised anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, phobias, OCD, depression, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties.
