Our Team
Over the past few years The Family Place has developed a highly skilled and professional multidisciplinary team working in the field of adoption support - no mean feat in a geographically rural and beautiful area which is sparsely populated! We are very fortunate to have clinicians, managers and administrators whose energy and commitment are exemplary in this demanding and complex work. Our therapeutic approach is The Family Place Model : integrating principally but not exclusively Theraplay®, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP), Creative Arts Therapies and Sensory Processing work. We work very closely with parents and their support networks. Our head office is in Hay-on-Wye and we have additional offices in Worcester and Devon. This is our outstanding team.
Dr Vivien Norris
Director and Founder, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Vivien is the Founder and Clinical Director of The Family Place and an acknowledged leader and author in the field of adoption. She is a Clinical Psychologist with over twenty-five years' NHS experience and is fully certified in both Theraplay and DDP as a practitioner, supervisor and trainer: one of only two trainers in the world of both Theraplay and DDP
Laura Harrison
Director, Therapy and Clinical Services
Laura is our Therapy Manager and is central to the effective management of the clinical work, supporting our clinicians in a complex and challenging environment
Michael Howlett
Company Secretary, Finance and Training
Michael is the Company Secretary and has various administrative responsibilities, including finance, training and health & safety
Dr Emily Barnbrook
Clinical Psychologist
Emily is a Clinical Psychologist recruited to support the work in our Worcester office. She is the clinical lead for the TESSA project in collaboration with Adoption UK. She is a certified Theraplay practitioner, trainer and an associate supervisor. Emily is also an accredited DDP practitioner and in training to become a consultant
Dr James Bourne
Clinical Psychologist and Specialist Attachment Practitioner
James works for The Family Place on a sessional basis as a Specialist Attachment Practitioner
Dr Eve Bowyer
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Eve is a sessional Clinical Psychologist who has joined The Family Place to support our clinical work in Wales
Dr Jess Cardy
Clinical Psychologist
Jess is a clinical psychologist who has recently relocated from Oxford to join the Devon team, working for The Family Place as a specialist attachment practitioner. Jess has experience and training in DDP and Theraplay
Anna Carter
Consultant Child and Educational Psychologist
Anna is an Educational Psychologist and intermediate Theraplay practitioner who works principally in our Worcester office. Anna is one of only three neurosequential model of therapeutics (NMT brain mapping) phase II trainers in the UK.
Dr Deborah Curson
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Debbie is a clinical psychologist who works as on a sessional basis with The Family Place.
Becky Couch
Social Worker and Specialist Attachment Practitioner
Becky is a social worker based in South Wales with over 15 years' experience supporting families impacted by developmental trauma and attachment difficulties and has joined The Family Place as a specialist attachment practitioner.
Becky Drysdale
Service Development Manager : Family Interventions and Special Projects
Becky has recently joined The Family Place as an Administrator focusing on a range of projects in development
Emma Decker-Thomas
Social Worker and Specialist Attachment Practitioner
Emma is a social worker with fifteen years' experience working in child protection, adoption and fostering services who has joined The Family Place as an attachment specialist
Charlotte Elliott
Attachment Practitioner
Charlotte is a foundational Theraplay practitioner and is completing an MSc in Play Therapy. She has also completed training in DDP and is training in specialist life story work
Annie Eldon
Art Therapist
Annie is an Art Therapist who has many years’ experience working with children and families in both residential and day services. She is a core member of our multidisciplinary team
Sarah Emmerson
Administrator
Sarah has recently joined The Family Place as an Administrator focusing mainly on family interventions
Kay Exton
Social Worker and Specialist Attachment Practitioner
Kay is a social worker and specialist attachment practitioner based in in our Hay-on-Wye office. Kay retrained as a social worker and has subsequently worked in youth services, charities and a child protection team specialising in mental health, trauma and attachment.
Jennie Forsyth
Senior Social Worker (with Merlin)
Jen leads the work in our Devon office and covers most of the south west. She is a registered children's social worker and a certified Theraplay and DDP practitioner.
Ruthie Gilbert
Therapeutic Family Support Worker
Ruthie is a Therapeutic Family Support Worker who is trained in Theraplay and DDP and will soon start her training to become a Forest School Leader
Dr Josie Hewitt
Clinical Psychologist
Josie managed the opening of our Worcester office and is an experienced Clinical Psychologist and certified Theraplay practitioner and supervisor in training
Dr Rosa Hoshi
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Rosa is an experienced sessional Clinical Psychologist at The Family Place who is additionally qualified as an intermediate level Theraplay practitioner and is trained in DDP. She has NHS experience and a PhD in Psychopharmacology
Sara Howard
Human Resources and Compliance Manager
Sara has been with The Family Place since 2016 and is responsible for keeping everything running smoothly, including the referral process and Human Resources. She is often the first person you'll speak to when you contact our office
Dr Vicky James-Perkins
Clinical Psychologist
Vicky is a sessional Clinical Psychologist who has recently joined The Family Place to support the specialist TESSA project and clinical work in Wales. Vicky has experience and training in DDP and Theraplay.
Dr Nic Jones
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Nic is an accredited DDP practitioner, trained in Theraplay and EMDR and has twenty years' NHS experience working in services for learning disabilities and autism
Erika Lyons
Music Therapist
Erika is a highly experienced Music Therapist who works sessionally in our Hay-on-Wye and Worcester offices as a core member of our multidisciplinary team
Julie McCann
Play Therapist
Following a career as a music teacher in primary schools, Julie now works sessionally in London for The Family Place as a Play Therapist and certified Theraplay practitioner and supervisor
Julia Metcalf
Paediatric Occupational Therapist
Julia is a Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist with over ten years' experience working with families, children and young adults
Cerys McNamara
Assistant Psychologist
Cerys is an assistant psychologist supporting the clinical work of The Family Place
Dr Lauren McPartlan
Clinical Psychologist
Lauren works sessionally for The Family Place as a specialist attachment practitioner
Joy Rickwood
Music Therapist
Joy is a music therapist with twenty years' experience and works in multidisciplinary teams at The Family Place
Scott Robinson
IT Specialist
Scott has become central to the development of the intranet and is working on streamlining the implementation and management of complex therapy plans
Dr Georgie Taylor
Clinical Psychologist
Georgie is a clinical psychologist working sessionally for The Family Place
Sally Twigger
Systemic Counsellor
Sally is a Systemic Counsellor and certified Theraplay practitioner and supervisor who has been closely involved in the development of The Family Place. She also helps everyone with IT issues
Dr Sarah Wassall
Clinical Psychologist
Sarah is a Clinical Psychologist who works with The Family Place on a sessional basis. She is an accredited DDP therapist with 17 years experience of working to improve the mental health and emotional well-being of young people.
Kim Warne
Occupational Therapist
Kim is an HCPC registered Occupational Therapist with over 30 years’ experience working with children and young people with a wide range of needs.
Dr Marielle Wilcox
Clinical Psychologist
Marielle has a passion in offering attachment and trauma-informed support specifically for children and young people (and their support networks) who are experiencing the complex relational difficulties in the context of developmental trauma.
Emma Wise
Social Worker and Specialist Attachment Practitioner
Emma Wise is a qualified Social Worker and Specialist Attachment Practitioner based in Devon.