Dr Lindsay Wilkinson
Clinical Psychologist
I am a consultant psychologist who has been practicing in both the NHS and independently since qualifying in 2003. I originally trained in Southampton but moved up to the north in 2007 and have been here ever since. I have quite a range of different experiences in my career, from working with people to manage their eating disorders right through to working with people who have got into trouble with the law because of their mental health problems. My particular area of specialty is working with adults with personality issues, including borderline personality disorder / emotionally unstable personality disorder and I’ve been a qualified DBT practitioner since 2005. However, I also have a lot of experience of working with people with trauma, anxiety, depression, as well as individuals who don’t have a clear diagnosis but are struggling with specific issues in their life.
I work from a cognitive perspective
..which means that I believe that people’s thoughts and beliefs tend to be at the root of the difficulties that they are having. However, I believe really strongly that it is important to match the therapy approach to the needs of the individual and the way they work and think – some people prefer a very logical approach whereas others work better by expressing themselves more creatively. My approach is to work with the person to come up with a shared understanding of what is going on for them, how it developed and what needs to be changed to make life better. Once we have that shared understanding , we can look at the various styles of therapy available to see what fits for the individual and what will most effectively get us to where we want to be.
I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist
..registered with the British Psychological Society and the HealthCare Professionals Council, which means I hold a doctorate in clinical psychology and an undergraduate degree in psychology. I am also trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), completing the full course run by the original developers of the therapy back in 2005 and have been working in this area ever since. I have completed a number of courses and post qualification training courses in cognitive therapy, particularly in schema therapy and in the approaches of Christine Padesky. I hold up to date registration with the Health Professionals Council, details of which are available upon request.
“My experience so far has been extremely positive and hopefully life changing. There are very few DBT therapists and I feel fortunate to have found such an excellent one. Lindsay’s approach is professional yet person centred. Her expertise and knowledge are exceptional and I really feel as if she is making a difference. I was very nervous making my first appointment but Lindsay was more than willing to discuss my needs and expectations and I feel as if we are now working together on a way forward. I always come away from sessions with a clear understanding of what we have done and what I now need to do. I would have no hesitation in highly recommending Lindsay.”
