Dr Valérie Savoie

I am a registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

My professional qualifications are:

BA in Psychology, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
MSc in Forensic Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University
PhD in Investigative Psychology, University of Huddersfield
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Edinburgh

I have over 10 years experience of working in psychological services in the NHS. I have experience working with clients of all ages, but most of it has been with adults within forensic settings, including inpatients, community and prisons. I have worked with individuals with a broad range of presentations including but not limited to; anxiety, depression, emotional difficulties, grief, stress, low self-esteem, difficulties with relationships, complex trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and substance use disorder. In my current role in the NHS, I work with adults in prison settings. My work involves individual therapy, cognitive assessment, and consultation. Therapeutic work in this area can be challenging as the clients present with a wide range of complex difficulties, which routinely requires an individually adapted approach. My experience allows me to take a holistic and person-centred approach, adapting my input to the individual’s needs.

Creating a trustful and safe therapeutic relationship is key to any psychological work. My primary aim is to offer a non-judgemental and safe environment to enable collaborative work with clients to develop a shared understanding (formulation) of current difficulties and therefore tailor the intervention to the clients’ needs. In my clinical practice, I draw on a number of evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT).