Our Team

Dr Vivien Norris

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director

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

Therapy Manager

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 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

Administrator : 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

Jen leads the work in our Devon office and covers most of the south west. She is a senior Social Worker with many years' experience as a local authority manager for a post-adoption team. Jen is additionally qualified as a certified Theraplay practitioner and is a Sensory Processing specialist and is currently completing Level 2 accreditation in Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI)

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

Administrator : Human Resources and Compliance

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

Julia Metcalf

Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Julia is a Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist with over ten years' experience working with families, children and young adults

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

Cerys McNamara

Assistant Psychologist

Cerys is an assistant psychologist supporting the clinical work of The Family Place

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

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

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 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.

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.