I have experience both practicing and teaching low and high intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. I first started my career within IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) and have worked within IAPT for the past six years. I have since qualified as a CBT Therapist and have worked in various lecturer positions, providing teaching and supervision to both trainee and qualified low intensity and high intensity therapists. Alongside my current role as a Senior Lecturer on the Postgraduate Diploma in CBT at Staffordshire University, I practice as a CBT therapist, providing psychological therapy to NHS clients experiencing a range of depression and anxiety disorders, as well as co-morbid long-term health conditions (LTCs).
Professional memberships and activities
I am accredited by the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) as a CBT Therapist. I am also working towards chartership as a Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Academic qualifications
- University of Exeter – PGDip Psychological Therapies Practice
- University of Birmingham – Postgraduate Certificate in Low Intensity CBT
- University of the West of England - MSc Health Psychology
- University of Gloucestershire – BSc Upper Second Class Honours in Psychology
Expertise
I have a passion for empowering individuals to live healthier, more fulfilling, and autonomous lives. Alongside working with common mental health conditions, including depression and a range of anxiety disorders, I am also interested in health psychology, taking a holistic approach to health care by considering the interplay between mental and physical health. I completed my MSc stage 1 training in health psychology in 2017 and am now completing a professional doctorate in health psychology at UWE Bristol to gain chartership as a Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Teaching
I predominantly teach on the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), training professionals to qualify as high intensity CBT Therapists. However, I also support with teaching on both the long term conditions (LTC) training course and supervision training course for qualified CBT therapists. I have also worked on Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) training courses in the past at other universities.
Publications
Thompson, M., Parker, H., & Cave, J. (2022). Exploring which aspects of a low‐intensity CBT intervention were found to contribute to a successful outcome from the service user point of view: A mixed methods study. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 22(2), 279-291. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12433