Anna is a clinical administrative support assistant who supports our clients with making psychotherapy and counselling appointments and manages the administrative side of the clinic. Anna is on hand to schedule appointments, send out invoices and help with any queries. She can answer any questions you may have prior to booking an initial consultation with one of our psychologists. Anna is highly experienced in the private healthcare sector having worked with counsellors and psychologists for many years and is passionate about helping others. Anna can be contacted directly by email at admin@fouroakspsychology.co.uk
Anna Bunch
Clinical Administrative Support Assistant
Laura is the director and founder of Four Oaks Psychology. She is a fully qualified clinical psychologist and has been providing psychological support to people experiencing emotional difficulties for over 13 years both in the NHS and private settings. She is a doctor of clinical psychology and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) under the protected title practitioner psychologist. Laura's professional qualifications entitle her to chartered membership with the British Psychological Society (BPS) as a clinical psychologist and she complies with the BPS professional code of ethics.
Over the course of her training, Laura has psychologically supported adults and children across a range of settings e.g. mental health services, learning disability services, memory clinic, primary care, counselling services and acute hospitals. She therefore is highly skilled in providing in-depth psychological assessments, and advising from a broadly informed perspective. Beyond her comprehensive training in mental health Laura has a specialist interest in the mind-body relationship, and the impact of psychological stress, adverse life experiences and trauma on the function of the brain, immune, nervous, gastrointestinal, reproductive, circulatory and endocrine systems. She has expertise in supporting people who may have chronic or medically unexplained symptoms, for example chronic fatigue, pain, digestive upset, skin conditions or unexplained infertility. She also possesses specialist interest in developmental attachment styles and how these may impact on the ability to establish or maintain healthy relationships across the lifespan. As a researcher she has passionately studied the impact of adverse life events on help seeking and the development of health conditions.
Therapeutically Laura specialises in adult mental health and provides psychological therapy to a client group aged 16 and over. She has additionally undertaken specialist training in diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder (although currently provides this service in Leicestershire only). Laura values a compassionate and integrative approach to psychotherapy and firmly believes that flexibility to use multiple evidence-based psychological models during therapy is advantageous. In private practice Laura works with a wide range of presenting difficulties. She has significant experience in supporting emotional-related difficulties. Laura likes to explore beyond the typical labels that may often be medically used to describe such difficulties (e.g anxiety, depression, OCD) in order to help clients gain meaningful insight into what underpins their difficulties, giving them the capacity to move forward and flourish.
Training: Laura has been trained in the following evidence based therapeutic approaches:
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing)
CFT (Compassion Focussed Therapy)
Psychoanalytical/Brief Psychodynamic Therapies
Transactional Analysis
Biofeedback Therapy (HeartMath)
Laura says:
"We see time and time again in research and clinical practice, what benefits one person doesn't always work for another. I feel strongly it is my role as a clinical psychologist to be able to tailor therapy to the individual needs of my clients and I really value that my training gives me the flexibility to do this."
By electing to see Laura, you can be confident you are selecting a highly skilled, naturally person-centred, warm, supportive and fully attentive health care professional.
Laura offers in person appointments at The Moat House on Thursdays and evening remote video appointments to a nationwide client base.
Dr Laura Onens
CPsychol, DClinPsy, PgDip, BSc Hons
HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist
Claire joined Four Oaks Psychology in 2022 as an Associate Clinical Psychologist. She is a fully qualified Doctor of Clinical Psychology and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) under the protected title Practitioner Psychologist. Claire's professional qualifications entitle her to chartered membership with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and she complies with the BPS professional code of ethics. Claire has 10 years experience working psychologically with individuals (both adult and children) across both NHS, forensic and private settings.
Claire has worked within a range of settings including; mental health services, learning disabilities services, prisons and secure settings, inpatient services and residential care settings. Claire is skilled at providing in-depth psychological assessment including the use of psychometric assessment. Claire has specialist interests and skills in working with individuals experiencing difficulties such as psychosis, OCD, attachment difficulties, anxiety, depression, self-identity and confidence difficulties.
In private practice, Claire works with a wide range of presenting difficulties. Therapeutically, Claire has an interest in approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focussed Therapy and Cognitive Analytic Therapy informed approaches. Claire has a particular interest in relational approaches within therapy and the impact that early attachments can have upon the development of subsequently relationships, not only with others in our lives but with ourselves and our own experiences.
Training and continued professional development in evidence based therapeutic approaches:
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
• Compassion Focussed Therapy
• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (Introductory course)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis and Bipolar (Postgraduate Certificate in CBTp)
• Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)
Claire says: “In therapy, I hope to create a safe space in order to put people at ease. Talking about difficulties can be really tough, I recognise the courage it takes to talk about personal experiences and I aim to help this process feel containing and non-judgemental. Through my compassionate style, I will be alongside you, collaboratively, to develop ways of reducing distress and suffering”
Claire offers in person appointments at the Moat House, Sutton Coldfield on Fridays.
Dr Claire Sweeney
HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist
Natalie joined Four Oaks Psychology in 2021 as an Associate. She is a fully qualified Counselling Psychologist and has been working in the field of psychology for over 10 years in public, charity, and private settings. She is a doctor of counselling psychology and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) under the protected title practitioner psychologist. Natalie's professional qualifications entitle her to chartered membership with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and she complies with the BPS professional code of ethics.
Over her career Natalie has worked with a wide variety of client populations in the UK, Europe, and Central and South America. Her interest in discovering approaches from around the globe and her dedication to ‘less mainstream’ continued professional trainings align with Natalie’s passion for working openly and adaptively with the unique needs of each individual client. Her areas of expertise range from working with trauma, sexual violence, relationships, death and loss, neurodiversity, gender identity, sex and sexuality, miscarriages, abortion, family challenges, adverse childhood experiences, and addiction.
As a researcher Natalie has studied the impact of trauma on individuals, specifically gaining insight into the aftermath of painful experiences. Her research invites both practitioners and the general public to use these findings to improve life beyond trauma.
Therapeutically, Natalie is deeply influenced by existential philosophies which focus on themes such as meaning making, humans’ freedoms and responsibilities, the capacity for choice and change, and the impermanence of life. Natalie integrates an ever-growing variety of different psychological and philosophical approaches in her work. However, first and foremost, Natalie believes that building a safe and trusting relationship between the client and therapist is the most fundamental part of the therapeutic process. By electing to see Natalie, you can be confident that your sessions will be a safe and often surprisingly enjoyable space where you will co-create your own personal journey of health, healing, and hope.
Natalie says:
“Just because life has been painful, doesn’t mean that therapy has to be!
For each and every person the journey of existence is one of ups, of downs, and of everything in between. No matter what we’ve been through, we have an incredible power to choose how we carry our experiences into our future. Engaging in a therapeutic process with someone you trust, and who allows you to find and trust your own truths, can be an especially valuable resource for life beyond pain.”
Natalie offers appointments by remote video at present. You can elect to see Natalie Monday to Fridays 9.00am to 5.00pm. Natalie has immediate availability.
Dr Natalie Fraser
HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologist
Melissa joined Four Oaks Psychology in 2021 as an Associate Counselling Psychologist. She
is a fully qualified Doctor of Counselling Psychology and is registered with the Health and Care
Professions Council (HCPC) under the protected title Practitioner Psychologist. Melissa’s
professional qualifications entitle her to chartered membership with the British Psychological
Society (BPS) and she complies with the BPS professional code of ethics.
Melissa has been working clinically for over 10 years within public sector services, namely that
of the NHS and Her Majesty’s Prison Service. Over the course of her training and clinical work
Melissa has provided psychological assessments and therapies to a wide range of
presentations and ages. Melissa has also worked within Physical Health Psychology services
supporting those with severe and enduring health conditions. Melissa has supervised other
members of staff working clinically, and her current role as a Senior Counselling Psychologist
with the NHS involves providing secondary mental health care to local communities.
Melissa has a specialist interest in how trauma manifests for individuals who have
encountered adverse life experiences. Melissa is also invested in understanding altered lived
experiences such as hallucinatory occurrences. As such, Melissa has pursued roles within
Psychosis services working to support those who have been diagnosed with Psychotic
Disorders. Whilst Melissa’s training had an Existential psychotherapeutic leaning, she values
an integrative approach meaning that she utilises a number of therapeutic modalities within
her work. Melissa values a compassionate and empowering approach to psychotherapy,
helping her clients to feel in control of this process and their lives.
In private practice Melissa works with a wide range of presenting difficulties.
Melissa offers appointments by remote video at present. You can elect to see Melissa during evenings and weekends. Melissa has immediate availability.
Dr Melissa Crutchley
HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologist and Existential Psychotherapist
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