Dr Sharie Coombes
Neuropsychotherapist
Child, Adolescent & Family Psychodynamic Psychotherapist
Senior Specialist Children's Hypnotherapist

Ed.D, MA, DHypPsych(UK), SQHP, B.Ed

British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC)
Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists (TSP)
General Hypnotherapy Register (GHR)
Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) 

Working in private practice, state and independent schools,
The British Red Cross and previously the NHS

Author of Factors Which May Improve Children's Early Language Development (click to download)

 

You care passionately about your child's well-being so choosing me to help is an ideal first step.

You will want to entrust your child only to an experienced paediatric psychotherapist or specialist children's hypnotherapist with significant up-to-date knowledge and a solid understanding of neuroscience, family therapies, child psychology and development. When this is combined with 30 years of successful practical experience of working professionally with children and proven ability to quickly build great rapport and a sense of trust, paediatric hypnosis and therapy results are often truly amazing. I've worked as a psychotherapist in private practice, the NHS and in schools and as a psychosocial practitioner in the British Red Cross. 

Utilising my self-devised and tested Creative Play Technique (CPT) with children and young people in and out of educational settings, I have been able to help clients to move towards a more positive future. CPT is a unique combination of  psychodynamic psychotherapy, solution-focused psychotherapy, paediatric hypnotherapy, hypnosis, mindfulness, psychoanalytic therapy, play therapy, creativity, CBT, counselling, role-play and NLP. I also work with adults, couples and families and provide well-being and emotional health training for schools and education staff at all levels as well as training and relocation support for large corporate companies.

I have full CRB/DBS clearance and work within the strict codes of ethics of the registered bodies I am accredited by as well as complying with all local authority child protection guidelines.

Like many active researcher-practitioners, I sometimes publish academic journal papers derived from my work with clients for professional psychotherapists aimed at developing their knowledge and skills; where this occurs, some necessary background information to the case being documented may be included but client anonymity is always preserved and non-essential details are changed.

NHS advice: whether you choose me or another therapist, please remember that your child should not be hypnotised by anyone who is not  trained to work with the relevant age group. If in doubt, ask for their qualifications and how they are trained to work with children.

Explaining the letters after my name...

Ed.D
My doctoral study centred on child psychology (behavioural, cognitive, educational, linguistic, developmental and social) and was completed at the University of Brighton (Ed.D, 2007) while undertaking 3 small-scale research projects and a large-scale research project, carried out over 4 years and involving over 100 children. My 100,000 word thesis was externally examined and commended as excellent work by a BPS registered Chartered Psychologist.

MA (Psychodynamic Psychotherapy)
I was awarded (with distinction in all units) the clinical Post-Graduate MA in Psychological Therapies (psychodynamic psychotherapy, systemic, CBT and Mindfulness) for Children, Adolescents and Families (Multi-Disciplinary Practice) from the *Tavistock and Portman NHS Clinic in London, specialising in working with looked-after children and in the use of neuroscience in psychotherapy. The Tavistock Clinic is the country's leading NHS mental health training hospital and internationally renowned clinic, where I held the post of Honorary Psychotherapist in the Fostering, Adoption and Kinship Care team within the Child and Family Department from 2012 to 2015.  I have registration and accreditation with the TSP (Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists) and the BPC (British Psychoanalytic Council). Tavi qualifications are accredited by the University of East London.

DHypPsych(UK), SQHP
In 2008, I qualified as a solution-focused psychotherapist and hypnotherapist at the prestigious and renowned 'Uncommon Knowledge' training school at Brighton University and am accredited by the General Hypnotherapy Register as a Senior Hypnotherapist, having gained the Senior Qualification in Hypnotherapy Practice. I keep up to date by reading current research and undertaking further study in advanced post-graduate psychotherapy and clinical hypnotherapy with the National College of Hypnosis & Psychotherapy to complete UKCP registration as an advanced psychotherapist and hypnotherapist.

B.Ed
I have worked professionally with children and young people from 3 to 18 years of age for 34 years, qualifying as a primary teacher in 1985. I have also taught trainee teachers (aged 18+) at Southampton University as a senior lecturer in education. I have worked as a local authority adviser and consultant to schools. Until 2010 I was also a primary school headteacher, a post I held for over 10 years.

*The Tavistock & Portman has a worldwide reputation for therapeutic approaches in mental health and is a leading provider of post-graduate training and academic courses for mental health and social care professions.