Champions Charity offer funded clinical psychology therapy with our resident Consultant Clinical Psychologists Joanne McVey, Hewa Khalilifar, Lesley Glover and Samar Saleh. These sessions are held over Zoom.
Please use the form at the bottom of the page if you would like to self-refer for this service. Someone from the charity will be in touch with you.
Dr Joanne McVey
Here are a few words from Joanne.
“My name is Dr Joanne McVey, and I am a Consultant Clinical Psychologist based in York, UK. I have worked within the NHS for 30 years and I now work independently with individuals and organisations.
I specialise in helping adults who struggle with anxiety problems, depression, the impact of a traumatic event, life transitions, chronic illness and almost any issue that causes day to day psychological distress.
For the last 20 years of my career, I have spent my time working in acute hospitals in Leeds and York with people suffering from physical health problems, including cancer, chronic pain and gastro-intestinal disorders. My physical health clients often became depressed or anxious as a result of facing a life changing diagnosis unexpectedly, as well as the impact it had on their everyday life and close relationships. They often inspired me with their resilience in the face of adversity, and it was great to see how much they benefitted from psychological sessions.
I am trained in a number of evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprogramming (EMDR). I tend to use techniques from all these different therapies to help my clients in the way that I think will help them towards healthy and lasting change, in as short a time as possible.
More importantly than all these qualifications, I am a really good listener and I genuinely want to help people to reach a place where they feel happier and more at peace with themselves.
I have already been impressed with the contact I have had with Claire and the Cauda Equina Champions Charity and I think it is very commendable that the organisation are willing and able to fund psychological work for people struggling as a result of CES.
I am happy to offer face to face sessions in my accessible office on the outskirts of York. Virtual sessions also work really well if you have an mobile phone, ipad or laptop.
I look forward to offering a helpful psychological space to anyone who is referred to me via the CE Champions Charity.”
Lesley Glover
Here are a few words from Lesley.
“Hi, I’m Lesley Glover, I’m an HCPC registered clinical and health psychologist with over 30 years of experience working as a clinician in the NHS and as a teacher and researcher in universities. I’m based in East Yorkshire.
I have worked mostly with people experiencing chronic pain, a range of health problems, women’s health issues and anxiety. I have undertaken research into the difficulties experienced by people with a range of health conditions. I offer 1-1 therapy in person and online. I am also a qualified Alexander Technique teacher and include Alexander Technique in my clinical work as a way of including the whole person. I understand mind and body to be an integrated whole and include the body in the work I do.
My approach is gentle, kind and compassionate. I work with people to find ways to process and manage the difficulties they are experiencing, to increase their resilience and have more choice in how they respond to situations. My work is person centred, trauma informed and creative. I see people as individuals but also consider it important to understand the wider context in which they live. I recognise that there is no one approach that fits everybody so I draw on my broad training and understanding to tailor my work to the individual. When I first meet a potential client we discuss their needs and what I can offer to see if we are a good fit. You can find out more about me from my website www.lesley-glover.co.uk”
Dr Samar Saleh
Here are a few words from Samar.
I believe that the therapeutic relationship is central to the success of psychological support, which should be tailored to meet the needs of individuals. Toward that end, I approach my work with compassion and empathy in a collaborative safe space. And I draw from multiple evidence based therapies, seeking to integrate all areas of a client’s life in our work. I bring to my work 26 years in the field of psychology, including 24 in the NHS and have also held the role of Lead Psychologist in a previous post. In addition to the past seven years helping people cope with and adjust to spinal cord injuries, my experience includes work in cancer and palliative care, diabetes and rheumatology, with both children and adults. This has involved supporting people with low mood and depression, anxiety and trauma, and other mental health and psychological difficulties. My work has also involved leading on training people with various professional backgrounds nationally on the psychological impact of spinal cord injuries, including lecturing Trainee Clinical Psychologists at Oxford University.
I am passionate about working with people with CES. I find the work highly rewarding both professionally and personally. This interest and passion stems from my motivation to improve the experiences of people with CES who often struggle with delayed diagnoses and difficulties in accessing treatment, due to a lack of awareness in the health sector.
I look forward to working with you and to all that we can achieve together. Thank you for taking the time to read about me.
If you would like to access free support from Joanne or Lesley, please contact [email protected] or you can self-refer using the form below.