Assessment Team
Gemma Holmes
Chartered Psychologist / Clinical Lead
Gemma is an HCPC Registered and Chartered Psychologist, BABCP Accredited Psychotherapist and qualified EMDR Therapist. Gemma has over eighteen years’ experience of working in mental health settings, ranging from secure forensic psychiatric inpatient services to general adult/private outpatient clinics. As such, Gemma has experience working with a wide range of psychological difficulties and disorders including anxiety, depression, phobias, OCD, addictions, trauma, attachment and relational difficulties, psychosis and offending behaviour. Gemma has trained extensively in several different therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT), Mindfulness and uses Schema and Compassion Focussed approaches.
Gemma holds an Advanced Professional Practice Certificate in the Supervision of Counsellors and Psychotherapists from Strathclyde University and is registered with the British Psychological Society as a RAPPS Accredited Clinical Supervisor. Gemma is also on the BPS Register of Psychologists Specialising in Psychotherapy (ROPSIP).
Gemma has a specialist interest in the assessment of ADHD and Autism/ ASD, having completed her ADHD assessment and diagnosis training via Kings College London and UKAAN. Gemma trained and worked initially at the prestigious Harley Psychiatry Clinic, London, providing ADHD assessments for adults. Gemma is also furthering her professional development by studying the BPS Diploma in Autism and Mental Health.
Emma
Specialist Occupational Therapist / Neurodevelopmental Assessor
Emma is a late identified neurodivergent Occupational Therapist, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). She has been an Occupational Therapist for over ten years and prior to this she worked as a primary school teacher. Having worked both in the NHS, the private sector and for charities her experience has spanned across the age ranges and has included neurodiversity identification most recently in an NHS neurodevelopmental service for children and young people.
Emma is passionate about working with individuals to help with the identification process from a collaborative based approach with the person at the centre and their families or important people in their lives where they are available.
Emma has a keen interest in both evidence based practice as well as practice based evidence and in addition to her MSc in Occupational Therapy she is currently undertaking a MEd in Autism at the University of Strathclyde. Emma has also studied Sensory Integration Education through the University of Ulster as well as practice based specialist courses including topics such as ‘ADHD’, ‘Trauma’, ‘Sleep’, ‘Developmental Coordination Disorder’ (DCD), ‘Hypermobility’ and ‘Handwriting’, amongst others.
Emma aims to provide an affirming and supportive service underpinned by the perspective that being neurodivergent is a natural form of human variation and is not a disease or illness that needs to be fixed.
Outside of work Emma loves animals and enjoys spending time with her dog Coco going for nice walks or runs with him. She also loves spending time with her family, listening to music and DIY.
Nichola
Social Worker / Neurodevelopmental Assessor
Nichola is a qualified and registered Social Worker with the SSSC. Nichola graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2018. Prior to this Nichola supported autistic adults for 14 years.
Nichola is a fully qualified ADOS 2 and ADI-R assessment clinician with 3 years’ experience of administering autism diagnostic assessments.
When in not working Nichola likes to spend time with her cats obi and Otis and her partner, doing DIY, planning city breaks or at the gym.
Thembie
Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)/ Neurodevelopmental Assessor
Thembie is a Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Practitioner. Thembie has a strong interest in neurodevelopmental conditions and has extensive experience in the asssessment of Autism and ADHD.
Thembie is fully qualified in various assessment tools incuding the ADI-R, ADOS 2 and ACIA. Thembie can be seen remotely via video call.
Sarah
Speech and Langauge Therapist/ Neurodevelopmental Assessor
Sarah can be seen remotely by video call.
Emily
Speech and Language Therapist/ Neurodevelopmental Assessor
Emily is a qualified and experienced Speech and Language Therapist. Emily works here at Enlightened Minds as a Neurodevelopmental Assessor and is trained in the use of the ADOS 2, ADI-R and other developmental interview tools. Emily has extensive experince in working with children and young people as well as adults.
Emily can be seen remotely by video call.
Treatment Team
We also have a number of Specialist Neurodevelopmental Support Practitioners who can support you, after your assessment.
Please see their information below,
Jacob Williams
Specialist Neurodevelopmental Support Practitioner
Jacob is a psychological therapist with a PG Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Jacob has 8+ years working within applied psychology and 6+ years of related academia, including a BSc Psychology (Hons), MSc Health Psychology. Jacob has worked within residential care (developmental trauma), domestic abuse and eating disorder services, general psychiatric hospital, and, most recently, an NHS Talking Therapies services.
Jacob works specifically within areas of anxiety and depression, including PTSD, Complex-PTSD, panic and agoraphobia, generalised anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, specific phobias, OCD, body dysmorphic disorder and low self-esteem. Jacob works with those experiencing poor mental health due to physical health conditions, including chronic pain and stress, and difficulties associated with neurodiversity.
Here at Enlightened Minds, Jacob is one of our Specialist Neurodevelopmental Support Practitioners and delivers our modular Managing ADHD group programme.
Patience Mawema Muchena
Specialist Neurodevelopmental Practitioner
Patience is a Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) and has 21 years’ experience working with children, young adults and families in the UK. She holds a BSc in Nursing, a PgDip in Systemic Practice and a Diploma in Mental Health.
Patience has a specialist interest in the mental and emotional well being of children/young people. She has worked as a therapist and manager for a number of services. Patience has worked in clinics, schools and the criminal justice system. Here at Enlightened Psychology & Counselling, Patience provides a specialist post diagnosis support service for clients with ADHD and/or Autism. Patience provides 1:1 and group support.
Please enquire for more information or to register an interest in our post-diagnostic support service.
Melanie
Specialist Neurodevelopmental Coach & Counsellor
Melanie is a qualified and experienced, BACP Registered Counsellor and Coach. Melanie has been working, studying, researching and teaching in the field of mental health since 1998. She has a degree in Psychology and originally trained at Regents School of Existential Psychotherapy in London, before going on to complete her Masters in Counselling.
For the last 8 years, alongside her therapeutic practice, Melanie has mentored university students with ADHD and Autism: assisting them to recognise their barriers to learning and providing strategies to develop their skills in the management of the impact of their condition. Melanie has extensive experince in working with young people as well as adults.
Melanie can be seen remotely by video call.
Hannah
Specialist ADHD Therapist
Hannah is a qualified CBT Therapist with over 6 years experience of working in mental health. Hannah was diagnosed with ADHD herself in 2021. This gives her an understanding of the day-to-day challenges and nuances of neurodiversity.
Since her own diagnosis, Hannah has taken an interest in learning about and working with ADHD and has completed additional CPD on ADHD and executive functioning to learn how to support and adapt her practice to work in an ADHD friendly way. Hannah works with clients who are diagnosed or have suspected ADHD. Clients have found her understanding and passion about ADHD to be a benefit to them in therapy. Hannah is qualified and has experience working with a number of other mental health conditions including depression, anxiety disorders (generalised, health and social anxiety), OCD, phobias and general mental health such as self-esteem. She has undertaken additional CPD alongside original training in trauma and PTSD to be a trauma-informed therapist.
Hannah offers appointments via video-call.