Dr Anna Symonds BA(Hons), MSc, DClinPsy,
CPsychol, CSi qualified as a Clinical Psychologist at the University of Leicester.
She is registered with the Health
Professions Council (HPC) and is Chartered with the British Psychological
Society (BPS). She is also a Chartered Scientist with The Science Council and
is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Medicine. She holds a permanent Clinical
Psychologist post within the NHS working with children from the ages of 0 to 18
years. Dr Symonds holds private practice clinics in Nottingham and West Midlands with flexible out-of-school hours including
Saturdays and weekday evenings.
Dr Symonds assesses and treats children and
young people who present with a variety of emotional and behavioural
difficulties. She has a special interest in Looked After Children and Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Psychological assessment of children and adolescents
Before beginning any therapeutic intervention, Dr Symonds will assess your child. This appointment lasts about 1 hour and it is most helpful if a parent/carer is also present. An initial assessment usually begins with the child and parent/carer together, followed by a short period of time alone with the child, then an opportunity for the parent/carer to talk in the absence of the child. Towards the end of the assessment, Dr Symonds will share her thoughts with you as to the most appropriate way forward. There is no obligation to continue into therapeutic intervention at this stage. Dr Symonds encourages her clients to think about their options prior to committing to any further sessions. However, a further appointment can be organised should both parties feel this to be appropriate.
Therapeutic intervention for children and adolescents
Depending on the nature of the presenting difficulty, Dr Symonds uses a range of therapies including cognitive-behavioural therapy, behaviour therapy, solution focused ideas, systemic and narrative approaches and developmental models, specifically tailored to your child’s needs and identified goals.
Appointments are 50 minutes in duration and start and end promptly. Parents and carers are often included at the beginning and end of each session in order to support the intervention, although this can vary depending on the needs and aims of the child. With your permission and when appropriate, it sometimes it is helpful to involve school and other organisations in the process.
Dr Symonds works in a practical and creative way, as well as talking, and finds this a helpful way of engaging young people in therapeutic work. Her friendly, warm manner allows her to connect with children and adolescents in a way which they find to be empathic, non-critical and supportive. Dr Symonds finds that this way of working often helps to promote positive change for children and adolescents and their families.
