Meet the team

Alison joined the Institute in 2008 as a Director after a six year career break to have her two children. Prior to this, she worked in Social Services for 17 years initially as a social worker and then in various managerial roles within the learning disabilities field. During that time she developed an interest in social work training and undertook further training to equip herself as an adult educator. She then worked within the practice learning team, managing and supporting the vocational training of social work students through supervision of students on placement and their supervisors. She brings a wide variety of skills to her role as Company and Finance Director and really values working within a team and in close collaboration with students. Her family and children are focal and Alison continues to divide her time between her director role and bringing up her two young boys. She even manages to find some time to continue learning to play the piano (a work in slow progress!) and to pursue her love of cooking.

Rosemary has extensive training and experience as a counsellor, psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer and is trained in both Gestalt Psychotherapy and Integrative Psychotherapy, and has completed additional elements of training in Transactional Analysis, Behavioural Therapy and Client-Centred Counselling. She was previously course leader of the Person-Centred Counselling programme at The Sherwood Institute. In all of the different trainings Rosemary related to her interest in the interface between spirituality and psychology. She has been a tutor on the Counselling Programme at St. John’s Theological college in Nottingham and completed a second MA in Theology and Pastoral Care. In addition to psychotherapy training, Rosemary has trained as a supervisor and trainer and currently tutors on the Supervision training at SPTI. Prior to this Rosemary was a qualified Psychiatric Nurse and has more than twenty years experience working in the NHS, including a specialist role as a Nurse Therapist. She is accredited with the UKCP and runs a private practice working with individuals, couples and groups.

Will served in HM Forces (Army) for over 25 years undertaking a wide variety of roles including Logistic support on operations around the globe. He also held a wide variety of educational positions and is a qualified teacher. On retirement from the forces, he went on to hold several positions in HM Prisons as the Education Manager overseeing the delivering of a wide and varied curriculum including Literacy, Numeracy and Vocational skills-based training.

Whilst working in the Prison setting, Will undertook additional duties including quality assurance for all educational delivery, regime delivery, business continuity, administration support, stakeholder management, Human Resource processes and management of staff.

Will is a runner and has completed the London marathon, although he would like to return to this level of fitness again one day. Gardening and DIY are Will's other passions.

Will joined the Institute in February 2023 as the Business Operations Manager.

Marie is an accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist (UKCP) and Supervisor and maintains a private therapy practice.  She has experience of working with a diverse range of adults in the voluntary sector, NHS and private practice settings.  As an educator, she has delivered across accredited counselling and psychotherapy training (Gestalt and Integrative), and mental health, trauma and wellbeing post-graduate programmes.

Marie was formerly an independent dance artist and Senior Lecturer in Dance and has held advocacy, consultancy and chair roles with artist led and national dance organisations. She offers a distinctive skill set that draws upon embodied, creative arts practices and relational psychotherapy, which is grounded in 26 years experience of designing and delivering artistic, professional and scholarly projects across both Higher Education and community contexts.

Her extensive background in the creative arts informs her creative approaches as a therapist, supervisor and educator, specialising in holistic, body-orientated approaches that can help others to understand, express and integrate their individual experiences, when talking alone cannot.

From a background in the NHS, Julie trained as an Integrative Psychotherapist she has expertise in working with early relational trauma, attachment disorders and psychopathology. Julie is a UKCP accredited Psychotherapist and Supervisor who has been practising for over 22 years. She is an experienced trainer in Integrative Psychotherapy.

Tracey Jackson began her role as Quality Assurance and Business Manager in Feb 2019. This is an exciting and essential new role for SPTI and one which we are sure will enable us to go forward confidently in the ever changing world of Higher Education regulation and will support us in maintaining and developing the focus on quality and excellence in provision of psychotherapy and counselling training.  Tracey is meeting with all members of staff in order to thoroughly understand all aspects of the training we provide, the business and systems which support the training provision and the individual roles within SPTI. Tracey will be looking at what we could do better across the business and helping to enact these developments. We warmly welcome her to the Senior Management Team.

Debs is a UKCP registered psychotherapist with a MA in Humanistic Person Centred Psychotherapy. Over the past 20 years she has trained in Gestalt, Person Centred and Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has worked within a variety of therapeutic settings and now manages a private practice providing psychotherapy, counselling and supervision to individuals, couples, families, and groups. She has been involved in developing the undergraduate training at SPTI and is a tutor on the BSc (Hons) programme. Prior to this she has worked within Further Education providing various counselling programmes and was also a partner of a consultancy providing training to health professionals within the NHS and Social Services. Debs has a background within the NHS and Social Services working as a nurse, social worker, development officer, and manager. She has a particular interest in issues of identity, gender and shame.

Deborah is a UKCP registered Clinical Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer. She holds a MSc. in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy and is a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA), and a (P)Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst. Her early career began working in a Forensic setting where she was fortunate enough to be trained as a group facilitator and remained (eventually working part time in) for 24 years running therapeutic groups. Deborah is passionate about working with those clients who experience marginalisation in society and have difficulty accessing mental health services. She has worked in a variety of therapeutic settings, including the NHS and private practice working with individuals, couples and groups. Deborah is particularly interested in the growth and developmental of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and the sharing and critiquing of theory, knowledge and clinical application. Deborah is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society, a member of UKATA, EATA and the ITAA. She is currently an Editorial Board member - Taylor Francis for the Transactional Analysis Research Journal, an Organisational member External Assessor for UKCP/HIPC and a committee member of UKATAs Training and Accreditation standards committee.

Collette has a background in publishing and marketing which she bring to her role as Graduate Officer. Collette edits the graduate and student magazine 'Contact' and supports the development of our CPD programme and graduate resources. Collette has a BA in American Studies from Nottingham University and a Level 2 & 3 in counselling skills.

James joined SPTI as Academic Administrator in 2021 and his role is currently Short Course Administrator and Library Resources. James graduated with a BA Hons in Humanistic Counselling Practice in 2015 and is a keen motorcyclist, dog lover, D&D & computer games fan.

Kat is a current BA (Hons) Business Management student with Open University. Kat's professional career has centred on management and business and she joins us as PA to the Senior Leadership Team supporting internal meetings and diaries as well as HR and other activities which support the smooth running of the Institute and its staff. Kat may be contacted via: PA@spti.net

Lionel supports our staff and students with IT systems. Lionel is the webmaster of the SPTI website and administrator of our Virtual Learning Environment Moodle.

Cath joined SPTI in May 2019 bringing with her a wealth of experience in all aspects of finance within the airline and other industries. Cath supports all finance and data processes for the institute.

Janice joined SPTI as a Student Support Officer in Jul 2022. She previously worked in an airline in Hong Kong for almost ten years with intensive experience in multi-cultural client relationship management and facilitated with good communication skills.

Janice had been in the role of pupil support officer in several secondary schools in Hong Kong, aiming to support young people with special educational needs and disabilities and make adjustments to help with their learning progress.

She has a B.Soc.Sc (Hons) in Counselling and Psychology. Her current role is to liaise with students and SPTI colleagues, ensuring our students feel supported throughout their learning journey.

Joined SPTI in November 2024.
Background in education, Teaching and Education Degree completed in 2018. Keen Gospel singer and family oriented person. Haley currently provides academic administrative support for students undertaking the BSc and MSc courses.

Shelley joined SPTI in February 2011 after a career break raising her family. She previously worked in North East and London managing Admissions and HE Administration for several major Universities. Shelley has a BA (Hons) Fine Art and a PGCE. With 25+ years experience in Student Administration (Predominately in Student Recruitment), her current role is to support applicants from initial enquiry to enrolment in their chosen training programme.

Alan is a BACP accredited and UKCP registered Counsellor / Psychotherapist and supervisor with a BSc (Hons) in Counselling & Psychotherapy and an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy. He has been in private practice in Leicester for eight years, working with adults, couples and supervisees. Alan previously trained and worked in telecommunications research and development, prior to transferring into quality and compliance in adult social care, whilst training in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Sherwood Institute. He has professional interests include narrative research and how language is used to convey life stories, and the construction of identity for gender and sexual diversities. Alan's hobbies include reading, knitting, running and being with nature.

Jill has a background in nursing and midwifery, and has worked in schools as a matron/housemistress and as a counsellor. She is a BACP accredited therapist and a supervisor and has been involved with the Haven Counselling Centre in Ashby de la Zouch since 1999 and co-managed it for 13 years. Jill also has an established private practice offering long and short term therapy and supervision. She has special interest in working with issues around the impact of infertility, miscarriage and loss alongside the impact of traumatic labour on attachment and maternal relationship. Jill is a first year tutor on the BSc (Hons) Humanistic and Integrative degree. In her spare time Jill enjoys her family and grandchildren, gardening, dancing and attempting to make music!

Dawn trained at SPTI and has a MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy and post grad diploma in contemporary trauma. She currently manages her private practise in Birmingham as a psychotherapist and supervisor working with adults, young people and couples.

Dawn has over 20 years’ psychotherapy experience in various settings, including: NHS, voluntary sector and schools and has also worked as clinical lead in acute services, therapeutically supporting patients in their transition from in-patient psychiatric care to a ‘healthier’ and ‘safer’ independent living within the community. She has a particular interest in identity and our sense of belonging. Her life experience as well as therapeutic work has shown her the value of a therapeutic relationship and the potential it has for healing and transformation.

David Tune: PhD. UKCP. C.Psychol. Af.BPS. David started his training as a Body Psychotherapist in New York in 1980 after taking his MA in Counselling there and then joining a ‘Bioenergetic’ training group for two years. On return to England he went on to do a full holistic psychotherapy training at the ‘Chiron Centre’ in London. He has been practising as a Psychotherapist for over 20 years and he is also a Chartered Counselling Psychologist (he was recently made an Associate Fellow of the BPS). After living abroad and in London for many years David returned to his home county of Yorkshire, where he runs a practise, lectures at university and supervises practitioners. He is especially interested in group work and has facilitated training and therapy groups for many years. He describes himself as an ‘Integrative Body Psychotherapist’, who integrates experience and training in Gestalt, and psychodynamic concepts into a body orientated approach. David’s particular area of interest is ‘the body-mind split’ and ways of healing it. His doctoral thesis was on the ‘therapeutic use of touch’ and he has published chapters related to body psychotherapy and integration in a number of books in the UK. He has recently had research into the phenomena of ‘presence in groups’ included in a book by the American Association of Gestalt Trainers and Therapists. This research was co-conducted with a colleague who is a musician and psychotherapist and focused on groups in counselling training and orchestras. David is also a member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, and a regular presenter at national and international conferences.

Kate is a UKCP Registered Psychotherapist with a MA in Humanistic Person-Centred Psychotherapy.  She also has specific training in working with trauma, as well as with couples, and has a Diploma in Supervision.  Kate has been practicing for over 10 years and has experience of working in a variety of settings including: schools, university, GP surgery, and voluntary sector organisations.  She is currently in private practice working with individuals, couples, supervisees (group and individual), and has a specific interest in relationships and interpersonal dynamics.

Ryan Bennett-Clarke trained at SPTI and is a UKCP accredited Integrative Psychotherapist & Clinical Supervisor, and Mindfulness Teacher.  He has extensive experience of working as a therapist within the NHS and now works solely in Private Practice.  

Prior to training as a psychotherapist Ryan worked as a Forensic Community Psychiatric Nurse within a prison environment.  Ryan has specialist interest in the area of Psychodynamic theory and practice, and the topics of Unconscious Process, Envy, Greed, and Stalking.

Ryan enjoys travelling, spending time in nature, practicing yoga, meditation, and fitness.  He likes to read horror and fantasy novels, watches sci-fi and thriller movies, and enjoys spending time with his husband and two cats.  

Jill is a UKCP registered Psychotherapist with an MA Integrative Psychotherapy and Diploma in Clinical Supervision studied at the Minster Centre in London. Jill works in private practice in Stamford and has previous experience working in University, GP and IAPT services. Jill has a particular interest in trauma and how this is held in the body. Her initial training included a strong element of working with the body and she has continued to train in approaches to this work including EMDR, and the contemporary methods of energy psychotherapy including working with Chakras (AIT) and Meridians (Tapping).  Jill has a fascination with our relationship with nature and is currently exploring weaving this together with psychotherapy.

Lorraine is a UKCP registered Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor. Following her SPTI training, Lorraine worked in a variety of therapeutic settings including NHS Primary Care and Schools. She now predominantly works in private practice based in Leamington Spa, as co-director of The Clarendon Centre. Before therapy training Lorraine had various careers in both HR and Film/TV production. Lorraine is passionate about the application of psychotherapy theories to not just the individual but also to organisations and systems e.g., organisational anxiety or ‘splits’ within organisations or groups. More recently she has completed a diploma in Embodied Psychotherapy which draws on a range of techniques from the practices of body-oriented psychotherapy, somatic experiencing, and neuroscience. This complements her ongoing yoga practice. As a trainer, Lorraine looks to ‘de-mystify’ the role of therapist and encourage students to continually reflect on their relationship with self and others working towards becoming integrated practitioners. The aim being for therapists to find their own authentic style which comes from integration of self.

David Tune: PhD. UKCP. C.Psychol. Af.BPS. David started his training as a Body Psychotherapist in New York in 1980 after taking his MA in Counselling there and then joining a ‘Bioenergetic’ training group for two years. On return to England he went on to do a full holistic psychotherapy training at the ‘Chiron Centre’ in London. He has been practising as a Psychotherapist for over 20 years and he is also a Chartered Counselling Psychologist (he was recently made an Associate Fellow of the BPS). After living abroad and in London for many years David returned to his home county of Yorkshire, where he runs a practise, lectures at university and supervises practitioners. He is especially interested in group work and has facilitated training and therapy groups for many years. He describes himself as an ‘Integrative Body Psychotherapist’, who integrates experience and training in Gestalt, and psychodynamic concepts into a body orientated approach. David’s particular area of interest is ‘the body-mind split’ and ways of healing it. His doctoral thesis was on the ‘therapeutic use of touch’ and he has published chapters related to body psychotherapy and integration in a number of books in the UK. He has recently had research into the phenomena of ‘presence in groups’ included in a book by the American Association of Gestalt Trainers and Therapists. This research was co-conducted with a colleague who is a musician and psychotherapist and focused on groups in counselling training and orchestras. David is also a member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, and a regular presenter at national and international conferences.

Julie is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor in private practice. Her therapy work mainly involves adults on an individual basis, often long-term. She has held contracts for clinical supervision in school, higher education and charitable settings. Although psychotherapy is her first love, she has a passion for teaching and learning and has been working as a Lecturer in Psychology and Counselling since 2010. This has involved supporting the learning of psychology undergraduate students and postgraduate counselling trainees into their Masters research stage. Before qualifying as a psychotherapist, her previous roles included work in the third sector and the NHS with young people and support in disability and mental health employment. She holds strong beliefs around social justice and the importance of accepting difference and uniqueness. These underpin both her therapy and teaching practices. Julie is UKCP accredited and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Sally is a UKCP registered Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor. She holds an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy undertaken at SPTI. Sally spent 22 years working in the pharmaceutical industry in the areas of depression, pain and diabetes. Working closely with GP’s and hospital doctors and community psychiatric nurses, focusing on treatment regimes for mental health patients. Her work in this area and her understanding of the need for talking therapy led her to retrain as a psychotherapist.

Sally has worked with the mental health charity Mind in Northamptonshire, and the cancer charity Coping With Cancer in Leicestershire, where she did both palliative and survivorship therapy with cancer patients. In 2017 Sally began working as a bank Psychotherapist for the Practitioner Health Programme within the NHS, seeing doctors from all fields of medicine for short-term psychotherapy. She undertook further training in couples work at The Bowlby Centre in London following Sue Johnson’s model of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy. She also trained with The Infant Loss Foundation enabling her to work with couples on all aspects of baby loss. Her Diploma in Clinical Supervision was undertaken at SPTI.

Sally runs a busy therapy centre in Oakham, Rutland, where she is one of nine therapists in private practice who between them cover all aspects of therapy including children, adults, couples, family therapy and art and drama therapy. Sally is passionate about Integrative Psychotherapy and the training of new therapists and is keen to help bring well-trained therapists into this much needed profession.

Justin is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Supervisor registered with UKCP and BACP (MBACP—Snr Accred). He has significant experience working in private practice, where he is the Clinical Lead for a private psychotherapy service in Nottingham. He trained at SPTI, graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy and later, an MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy. Justin's therapeutic work is primarily with long-term adult clients, which often includes issues around sense of self, identity, and sexuality, as well as working with clients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder.  He is particularly interested in the relational and developmental aspects of being human, experiencing difficulty, and the process of change. Prior to full-time private practice, Justin managed counselling and mental health services for children and young people in the third sector.

Anna is an Integrative Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer with a breadth of experience across health, social care and education. The majority of her work has been with hard to reach, marginalised and high-risk groups at individual/family and system leadership levels.

Anna is passionate about the psychotherapy field and the role that therapists can have in supporting not only individual growth but also influencing wider population-level approaches to wellness. Along with private practice, Anna therefore continues to work with multi-agency and research colleagues to develop innovative responses to improving access, understanding, training and interventions that are culturally and contextually relevant to diverse communities.

She is accredited with UKCP.

Cat gained both her MA Integrative Psychotherapy and Diploma in Clinical Supervision with SPTI. She has a private practice in Leicester, offering therapy to a variety of clients. Cat has over 30 years’ experience working within health fields, with over 15 years as a therapist. Cat also trained as a couple counsellor with Tavistock Relationships, London. Cat is passionate about psychotherapy and the opportunities that partaking in good therapy can offer the individual client. As such, she is dedicated to providing a high standard of training, encouraging growth and development both for the individual and within the field of integrative psychotherapy. Cat has a particular interest in existential psychotherapy. She is especially fascinated by how our personal philosophy about life, death and experience have a direct impact and bearing on how we live our lives. Cat’s qualification is accredited by UKCP.

Donna is an Integrative Psychotherapist and Supervisor accredited with UKCP. She has an established private practice based in Norwich, where she offers psychotherapy and supervision to adults.  Donna also works as a clinical supervisor for two children’s charities based in Norfolk. She has previously worked extensively within the social care sector, managing projects to enhance the lives of children in care.  She now values supporting the development of the professional workforce towards a more trauma-informed approach.  Donna trained at University of Roehampton, graduating with BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Counselling, and later she trained at SPTI, graduating with MSc in Integrative Psychotherapy.

In addition to working as part of the MSc Person-Centred team, Ambika also offers Academic Writing Skills Workshops to support students with their studies. Her special interests include relational depth research, diversity (within and with others), the embodied process and creatively exploring how the art of therapy can be translated into words. She has an MSc in Person-Centred Psychotherapy, and is a registered UKCP practitioner.

Andi is a cisgender, heterosexual, middle-class, relationally centred psychotherapist. He is particularly interested in dynamics of power in the therapy room, groups and wider society. During his masters training he studied Narrative Inquiry methodology with support from Kim Etherington and since qualifying five years ago has been studying social constructionist and narrative ideas and applying them to his Person-Centred practice.  In addition to working at the SPTI Andi works as a group facilitator with trainee forensic psychologists on the doctoral course at the University of Nottingham. He also runs a private practice in Nottingham.  He is passionate about people and supporting them to develop and grow in-line with their values and preferred identity.

Awa trained as a person-centred experiential counsellor and psychotherapist at the University of Nottingham. Since graduating, Awa has worked as a therapist in various settings in- and outside the UK. She is dedicated to promoting authenticity and human flourishing in individuals and groups and does so as a therapist in private practice, as a tutor on the MSc Person-centred Experiential Psychotherapy at the Sherwood Institute in Nottingham, as an assistant professor on the PCE-CfD course at the University of Nottingham and as a researcher. Lately, Awa has conducted research on authenticity and ecological-sensitivity and contributed to various conferences on that matter. Awa is a BACP accredited psychotherapist.

Deanne is a Psychotherapist and clinical supervisor and is registered with the UKCP. She has an MA in Humanistic Person-centred Psychotherapy and a Professional Doctorate in Counselling. Deanne’s experience includes working within a secondary school as a school counsellor and with the charity ISAS working with adults who had experienced childhood sexual abuse, and included working with individuals who were in prison. She has an established private practice working with individuals and couples. Her clinical practice includes offering a reflective space to individuals who work within settings in which they hold pastoral and managerial positions. Deanne has a passion for encouraging dialogues around diversity and the experience of difference in group settings, and her MA research focused on the experiences of Black women in group process. Deanne is also interested in how faith and spirituality can be integrated into psychotherapy training and the topic of her DProf thesis explored the emotional demands made on clergy wives.

Judy gained an MSc in Person-Centred (Experiential) Psychotherapy in 2020 and has a private practice.  Her interest in the Person-Centred way of being has been a personal and professional passion for many, many years.  This passion has expanded into exploration and critique of philosophical aspects of the approach such as Holism, the organismic tendencies and congruence alongside therapeutic presence, dialogic aspects of relating, process work and therapeutic presence.

Judy has over 20 years’ experience working in the NHS as a Registered Mental Health Nurse and in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for 18 of those.   Her current role is senior evidence-based therapist within a specialist eating disorder service working with young people who also experience depression.  As part of her additional roles, including supervisor, supporting the development of trauma-informed services, information sharing, consent and capacity lead, she endeavours to offer a person-centred philosophical perspective with the intention of enhancing/improving the experience of service users.

Judi is a UKCP registered Psychotherapist who studied the MSc Person-Centred & Experiential Psychotherapy with SPTI. She currently works in an NHS neurology psychotherapy service alongside her private practice and has previously worked with clients in a variety of settings, including voluntary organisations, specialist sexual violence services and IAPT. Judi is also a Trustee of a charity that offers Person-Centred group counselling in the woods for people experiencing complex and enduring poor mental health and has previously been Co-Manager of a charity psychotherapy service. Being an active member of the Pre-Therapy International Network, Judi has a particular interest in the Person-Centred tribe of Pre-Therapy and challenging the stigma around psychotic processes. Her MSc research explored the ‘radical acceptance’ that Pre-Therapy can offer those often deemed ‘beyond psychotherapeutic reach’ and Judi is passionate about a movement towards greater discussion into therapeutic approaches for people often overlooked or deemed unreachable for therapy.

Sezal is a UKCP registered psychotherapist who currently works part time for a national charity providing couples and individual therapy and provides an IAPT contracted service for couples where depression is an underlying factor in their relational distress. Sezal has her own private practice where her special interest is working with clients experiencing sexual compulsivity with or without the consequences of illegal activity.  Sezal also works as a sessional practitioner for a children's charity dedicated to the prevention of child sexual abuse. Training is an area where Sezal has extensive expertise having delivered a variety of training packages to staff and senior managers in multi-disciplinary contexts extensively for more than 5 years in both forensic and third sector settings. In her previous employment prior to training as a psychotherapist, for over 10 years Sezal facilitated therapeutic groups in a forensic setting.

Peter is a UKCP accredited Gestalt psychotherapist with prior qualifications in counselling and a Master’s Degree in Education. He has been a clinical teacher in psychiatry and a lecturer in Psychiatric Studies within the NHS. Peter brings his considerable experience of teaching a wide range of professional groups to his work at the Sherwood Institute where he is responsible for teaching the Mental Health workshop and co-ordinating the Mental Health Placement Programme. Until recently he ran the Masters in Gestalt psychotherapy programme at the Institute and was also a Tutor on the Diploma in Humanistic Psychotherapy programme. He has an interest in the synthesis of a variety of theoretical perspectives that may inform and support the practice of psychotherapy in the areas of mind, body and consciousness, with a particular interest in neurobiology. Peter approaches education from a holistic perspective and endeavours to realise the major tenets of humanistic psychology in his teaching practice. He runs a clinical practice working with individuals, couples and groups.