DR JANET PILKINGTON

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

Hello, I’m Dr Janet Pilkington. I’m a chartered clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience adults over 18 who are struggling with emotional and psychological distress, trauma, mental health issues and relationship difficulties. I’m able to draw upon a wealth of experience in order to tailor therapy appropriately for your needs.

I offer a safe and comfortable space and find that my genuinely empathic nature facilitates the process of therapy. I work with sensitivity to create an atmosphere in which you will feel heard and where you will start to develop an understanding of what is driving and maintaining your difficulties. This understanding will help to build the foundations for change. I have supported many people through therapy over the years and have helped them to move forward from adversity, trauma and debilitating symptoms leading to improved wellbeing in daily life.

I’ve always been passionate about understanding the reasons why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do. This curious and analytical part of myself sits alongside my empathy and sensitivity and has driven me to do the work that I do. I always wanted to become a clinical psychologist so that I could authentically work in a profession that fits with the person that I am and with the values that I hold. I first began working as a volunteer in a day centre for people who had experienced trauma and were experiencing a range of severe and complex mental health issues. Working here increased my motivation to study and become a clinical psychologist so that I could eventually work in a role where I was able to offer one-to-one therapy to help people with such difficulties. I wanted to be able to help people address the underlying issues that were driving their day-to-day symptoms and distress. I went on to work in a variety of roles prior to completing my Clinical Psychology training, including working with vulnerable and distressed people on psychiatric inpatient wards, in forensic services and in a drug/alcohol service.

I qualified as a clinical psychologist in 2004 and, as part of my journey, I have worked in both clinical and leadership roles across the NHS, voluntary sector and university settings. After qualifying, I spent a significant period of time developing Clinical Psychology Services in Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment teams across Manchester and Lancashire whilst also working therapeutically with people who were in crisis and at significant risk of harm to themselves and/or others.

More recently, i spent time leading the development of a mental health team within the Student Wellbeing Services at Newcastle University and offering evidence-based therapy to young people within Higher Education. Around six years ago, i made the decision to move into a role where I could focus solely on offering one-to-one therapy to people and moved into private practice.

I am trained in a broad range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches and work as an integrative clinical psychologist. This means that I will draw upon well-researched psychological approaches that have been demonstrated to help improve people’s psychological and emotional wellbeing. Through my training and experience, I’ve learned the value of integrating psychological approaches and being flexible with what people feel able and ready to engage with when seeking therapy. I will work collaboratively with you to consider different therapy options and to develop an appropriate plan for therapy. I can offer specific focused psychological interventions or longer-term psychological therapy.

I have undertaken training in a variety of different approaches and I tend to mostly draw from the following evidence-based therapies: Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy; Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT); ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy); Trauma-FocusedModels; Internal Family Systems (IFS); Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

My approach is person-centred, trauma-informed and compassion-focused and incorporates my personal values of integrity, non-judgement and respect. As a clinical psychologist, I’m passionate about making sense of how our life experiences have shaped us, understanding how we’ve learned to cope with our struggles and making sense of how we think, feel and behave towards ourselves and with others. Therapy tends to begin with us exploring together what brings you to therapy and developing our understanding of why you’re experiencing the difficulties that you are. This then helps us to work out and plan the direction that therapy takes and which approaches would be most appropriate to work with. This may involve focusing more on the present day and perhaps drawing from CBT approaches or may be more about focusing on past experiences and drawing from Trauma-Focused approaches. Either way, we will work together to make sense of what is underlying, driving and maintaining your difficulties as a starting point for change.

I appreciate that it can take courage to consider having therapy and that this can be something that takes time. I also appreciate that finding a therapist is often not an easy process and that it can be hard to know how to describe what is going on for you and what you may be looking for. I am an approachable person and would be happy to meet for an assessment appointment to work out together whether what I offer could be suitable for you and whether you would feel comfortable working with me.

Whatever the nature of your difficulties, I will work gently and sensitively with you. Compassion is at the heart of who I am, how I work and why I do the work I do. I have also engaged in my own personal therapy which has helped me to have a sense of how it can feel to have therapy and means that i have lived-experience of how therapy can support healing and growth. I will be committed to working together with you to help you understand what holds you back from living the life you would like and to formulate strategies which can help you move forward and live a more fulfilling life.

Training and qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
• Foundation course at Newcastle Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies Centre
• Training placement at Newcastle Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies Centre
• Bsc. (Hons) 2:1 Degree in Psychology, University of Northumbria

ACCREDITATION TO PROFESSIONAL BODIES

• British Psychological Society (BPS) – Chartered Clinical Psychologist
• Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) 

AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Compassion Focused Therapy
• Anxiety Conditions (including worry and managing uncertainty)
• Depression
• Trauma
• Shame and self-criticism
• Self-esteem
• Difficulties managing emotions