We have over 25 years of dedicated experience.
Dr Jan Ferris
Qualifications:
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – University of Edinburgh
Professional Affiliation:
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registration PYL26968
I have worked with people with intellectual disabilities for 30 years. As a support worker, assistant psychologist, trainee clinical psychologist and, since 2008, as a qualified clinical psychologist. During my clinical training my specialist placements and doctoral thesis centred on clinical work with this client group. Since qualifying I have predominantly worked with people with intellectual disabilities, their families and systems of support. I have offered assessment, formulation and intervention to people with learning disabilities who live in a range of settings (e.g. community and inpatient settings). I have extensive experience of assessing and treating those who are diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and other neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism or ADHD.
I was a clinical psychologist within a NHS community learning disability team for 13 years. One of the core components in this role was to provide intellectual disability diagnostic assessments. I have extensive experience in doing these and have completed hundreds of these over the course of my career. Another core component of my role was to contribute to multi-agency decision making around capacity and supporting legal processes such as Welfare Guardianship. My expertise centred on assessing capacity to make decisions in areas such as: finance; sexual and interpersonal relationships; housing; social support and healthcare. In this role I have presented evidence to the court on several occasions as a professional witness.
My work with people with intellectual disabilities is driven by my values of respect, compassion, fairness and empowerment. I am always aware of the power differentials that people with intellectual disabilities face and I would endeavour to support anyone I work with to tell their story and have their views heard. To support this, I am skilled in adapting communication to empower those who may struggle to engage in decisions making where they can. I am also deeply aware of the stresses and challenges that families face in ensuring that their loved one lives their best life. On occasion, clients and their families can hold different perspectives, or the outcome of assessments do not meet hopes and expectations. When this happens I am skilled in having compassionate conversations to ensure that everyone is heard whilst holding clear professional boundaries around decision making.
In my NHS role I provided clinical placements to 25 trainee clinical psychologists to supervise and support them develop the necessary clinical competences to work as a clinical psychologist with people with intellectual disabilities. I have taught on a range of topics, including the assessment of capacity, on the intellectual disabilities teaching block on the Glasgow and Edinburgh Doctorate in Clinical Psychology courses. I now work solely in private practice.
For private practice enquiries please visit North Glasgow Psychology Practice.
Dr Jennifer Hadden
Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) in Psychology – University of Newcastle
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – University of Leeds
Professional Affiliation:
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
My journey with people with intellectual disabilities commenced in 2007 as an Assistant Psychologist, with a busy Community Learning Disability Team. This experience has profoundly influenced my professional trajectory. Since attaining qualification in 2012, my primary clinical endeavours have centred around this demographic, encompassing individuals with various neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder and ADHD. Spanning diverse settings including community, care homes, inpatient facilities, and forensic environments, my work has predominantly entailed meticulous diagnostic assessments, consultation, and systemic interventions. A pivotal aspect of my role has revolved around assessing capacity in domains such as finance, interpersonal relationships, marital decisions, housing, and healthcare, often supporting legal processes such as Welfare Guardianship applications within a multidisciplinary framework.
My evolution within this specialty is grounded in respect for individuals within this cohort, who frequently grapple with power differentials in their daily lives. I value facilitating their pursuit of the best quality of life and empowering them to participate in decision-making processes whenever possible. Communication and empathy are key in this process, allowing people to feel engaged and heard. Given the diverse challenges inherent to this client base, I take an individualised approach, bringing creativity into my practice and adopting a holistic, person-centred ethos to cater to their unique needs.
Following 10 years working as a qualified clinician within a community learning disability team, I am actively engaged in private practice, catering to adults presenting with a diverse spectrum of psychological concerns. Additionally, I work at the University of Edinburgh, in the training of Clinical Psychologists. This role was attained after supervising approximately 20 trainees on placement. It involves teaching, supporting and assessing trainees throughout their doctorate training. It is a privilege to contribute to the advancement of my profession, thereby bolstering mental health services across Scotland for the foreseeable future.