Meet Kath

Clinical Team Therapeutic Assistant and Administration

Kath has been part of Teenage Mental Health since its early days and is often one of the first people young people, parents and carers meet or speak to.

Warm, patient and reassuring, she combines her role in reception and therapeutic support with many years of experience working directly with children and families, especially those facing difficult circumstances.

Experience

Kath originally joined TMH to support the reception and administrative side of the service. She built her therapeutic knowledge alongside this role, adding to the empathy and understanding she already brought to her work with young people and families.

Her background includes many years working in education and therapeutic fostering, including as a long-serving foster carer in Suffolk. Through this work, she gained extensive experience supporting children and young people affected by trauma, loss, disrupted relationships and complex family circumstances.

Her interest in working with young people began in her local community, where she worked as a play worker on the Gainsborough Estate where she grew up. Later, while working in education, she completed Nurture Lead training through the Faculty of Education in Cambridge, which sparked a particular interest in attachment, emotional development and the importance of supportive environments.

Her experience as a therapeutic foster carer also shaped her understanding of the wider relationships around a child and the importance of supporting parents, carers and families alongside the young person.

Kath has also completed a BA in Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations and is currently completing an MA in Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Essex.

Qualifications and training

BA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations
MA Psychodynamic Counselling and Psychotherapy (in progress) – University of Essex
Nurture Lead Training – Faculty of Education, Cambridge
Extensive experience in education support and therapeutic fostering

Kath’s approach

Kath knows that reaching out for support can be difficult, particularly for young people and families who may already have been through challenging experiences. She takes time to listen, understand what’s happening and help people feel comfortable from their first contact with TMH.

Her style is warm, patient and empathic, shaped by many years of working with children, parents and carers in different settings.

Through her psychodynamic training, she has developed a strong interest in how relationships, past experiences and family dynamics can affect a young person’s wellbeing. She also believes that supporting the people around a child can be an important part of helping that young person move forward.

As she continues her training, Kath hopes to expand her work with individuals and families, supporting parents and carers through family-focused work, support groups and psychoeducation.