About

Lydia’s career in Clinical Psychology spans more than 25 years in a range of settings in the NHS, working with children, adolescents and their families. She qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1992 and has provided individual care for patients as well as developing and leading psychology services for eating disorders, adolescents and paediatric psychology services.

On completion of her first degree in Psychology in 1986 Lydia worked in California in a diagnostic and treatment centre for adolescents.

She completed her post graduate clinical psychology training at Leicester University in 1992, with specialist training at Great Ormond Street Hospital. She undertook further specialist training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) at Oxford University in 1996.

Lydia completed the full four-part EMDR (Eye Movement Desesnsitisation and Reprocessing) Europe Accredited training in 2018.

Lydia worked for Leicester Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and in paediatric liaison at Leicester Royal Infirmary, setting up services for pain management, cystic fibrosis and the Neonatal Unit.

She went on to establish the clinical psychology service within the Cambridge Adolescent Unit. This was an inpatient unit providing assessment and treatment for adolescents experiencing serious mental health problems. In addition, she provided outpatient clinics for a range of problems including depression, anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, grief, and difficulties following trauma. Lydia developed a specialist interest in adolescents with eating disorders and was part of the founding team who set up The Phoenix Centre in Cambridge.

Throughout her career Lydia has had strong links with universities providing teaching, clinical and research supervision to doctoral clinical psychology trainees. She has supervised students undertaking the CBT diploma at UEA and has worked on research on CBT for adolescent depression at Cambridge University.

After moving to Suffolk with her young family, Lydia worked for the CAMHS in Ipswich and led the East Suffolk Adolescent Eating Disorder Service. She joined Ipswich Hospital and became their Lead Clinical Psychologist for Paediatrics. This role addressed the psychological needs of children, adolescents and their families with long term medical conditions such as type 1 diabetes and cystic fibrosis.