Our trainers and speakers

Sarah is Director of the Schools and Families Programme and a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering consultancy and training in colleges and universities.

Sarah holds professional qualifications in counselling and psychotherapy, nutritional therapy and coaching. She is a Registered and Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), a Member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Over the last 30 years, Sarah has worked with a wide variety of individuals and groups, particularly children and young people. Prior to joining Charlie Waller, she led a multidisciplinary team as Head of Mental Health at the University of Warwick. Sarah continues to work in private practice and teaches counselling related and psychopathology modules at the University of Warwick and the University of Oxford.

A highly experienced mental health practitioner and educator, Sarah’s passion is supporting others to understand the multitude of biological, psychological and sociological factors which influence mental health and wellbeing, providing training and interventions to facilitate wellbeing at an individual and collective level.

When her eldest son recovered from anorexia over fifteen years ago Jenny left her City job behind and has since focused her attention on raising awareness of mental health and emotional resilience of young people and has a special interest in prevention, early intervention and crisis management in the school environment.

Jenny has written two books, Boys Get Anorexia Too and The New Maudsley Training Manual. Jenny delivers New Maudsley training to professional eating disorder experts on working alongside families. Jenny also supports families affected by eating disorders and teaches carers skills that can help to create a supportive environment within the family setting.

Jenny is a Mental Health First Aid Youth Instructor.

Jenny is not a doctor, counsellor or medical expert, but has worked closely with the Maudsley as well as several mental health charities and has built up a great deal of expertise, participated in several research programmes and helped develop and pilot a range of courses for use in schools and the general community setting.

Mike is a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering consultancy and training in the workplace.

A chartered psychologist and registered health psychologist specialising in workplace health and wellbeing, he works with organisations at all levels, including board level and senior leadership consultation.

During his career, he has worked for a large multinational management consultancy, a global bank, a utilities company, and for himself, specialising in consulting and training in people change management, facilitation and creative thinking.

Having witnessed the pressure that some organisations, either consciously or subconsciously, place on their employees, he was motivated to qualify as a health psychologist, in order to be able to apply evidence-based approaches to health in the workplace.

Mike has carried out in-depth research into the mental and physical benefits of taking meaningful work breaks and uses this knowledge to help organisations and people make positive changes in this area. He is also an Associate Lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University, Keele University and at Staffordshire University, where he is also a Visiting Fellow.

Tracy is a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering consultancy and training in the workplace.

A cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, business psychologist and coach, with an MSc in Occupational Psychology and over 20 years’ experience in mental health, she has a special interest in organisational leadership, workplace mental health, and developing mental health cultures within organisations.

Tracy is experienced in advising at Board and Executive level as well as designing and delivering evidence-based interventions to promote employee understanding and management of mental wellbeing.  She has worked across a range of sectors including financial services, technology, media, legal, and private equity.

She also has specific knowledge of the issues faced by 18-25 year olds in the workplace, having worked clinically with this age group and helped an array of start-ups to support their younger employees in growing confidence, managing anxiety, developing independence and leadership, and addressing workplace bullying.

Tracy is an Associate Lecturer at the University of East Anglia.  Her clinical career began at the Charlie Waller Institute at Reading University where she started her Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy training.

Michael is a PhD student at Durham University studying how higher education policies and practices impact on student mental health and wellbeing. He is CWT's Student Involvement Coordinator, sits on the Trust’s College & University Advisory Board, and also delivers talks on behalf of the Trust.

Best thing about working for Charlie Waller

Working with a super friendly and supportive team, and being part of an organisation that truly values student voice

Rachel is a Consultant Trainer with the Schools & Families Team. Rachel has an MSc in Mental Health Science, where she focussed on biopsychosocial interventions against suicide. She is also an Associate Tutor at the University of East Anglia, and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor.

Rachel has over 20 year’s experience working across the mental health sector. This has previously included being the Director of SelfharmUK and providing mental health advocacy in a medium secure hospital. Rachel has particular interest in eating disorders, self-harm and embedding a whole school approach, and she is passionate about finding creative and engaging ways to communicate difficult or complex issues; drawing on both her professional background and own lived experiences. In her spare time, Rachel runs ultra-marathons for fun.

Ian has been a trainer with Charlie Waller since 2016, working on a range of projects and initiatives across children's mental health.

Ian's background was initially in the field of sport sciences, and subsequently navigated to postgraduate study and roles in the field of public health. He has a particular interest in the social determinants of health.

Ian has worked in a variety of roles including young person's substance use services, local public health, Healthy Schools and Headstart programmes, and writing national guidance documents and resources around alcohol and drug education for Mentor-ADEPIS. He also works for the Open University in the school of Education, Childhood, Youth & Sport, teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in sport and fitness, and mental health in the curriculum. He has a particular interest in how best practice and research is made accessible to practitioners within universal services who work with children, young people and families.

In addition to delivering training to schools and other professionals, Ian also sits on a number of research programmes and networks for both CWT and the Open University.

Julie is a member of the Schools & Families team and has worked alongside the Colleges & Universities team delivering consultancy and training.

Julie has a BPhil Ed degree and NPQH. She has worked on a variety of projects for the Trust and particularly enjoys running sessions with both primary and secondary school children. She is keen to ensure that all schools have a consistent whole school approach to mental health for both staff and young people. She has been part of Dr John Coleman's early adoption group for the Teen Brain workshops. She has also worked with another CWT trainer on a podcast series for the Trust.

Julie has worked in education for over 30 years, her most recent position being as an interim headteacher focussing on school improvement. She is passionate about enabling young people to achieve their full potential, building resilience and focussing on self- esteem and confidence.

Julie lives in Devon and loves being in or on the sea and enjoys unwinding at her beach hut. She is a keen gig rower and has been fortunate enough to row in the world championships on a number of occasions.

Gemma is a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering training and support for schools and families.

An experienced primary teacher specialising in PSHE and a BA Honours in Human Communication, Gemma is also a yoga teacher, Relax Kids coach, Tuning into Teens facilitator, Mental Health First Aider and a Trauma Recovery Model practitioner. She has spent the last six years working for the NSPCC Schools Service, educating children about abuse and supporting schools to safeguard young people.

Her own lived experience and recovery from mental health conditions and anxiety, together with her experience within the education sector has made Gemma passionate about the emotional wellbeing of young people. She believes every child has the right to access the help they need to develop into a mentally and physically healthy person.

Gemma's area of training covers primary age groups with a focus on supporting others to understand factors affecting mental health and wellbeing, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to support young people to thrive.

Gemma is a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering consultancy and training in the workplace.  She is also actively involved in our Schools & Families and Colleges Programmes.

Gemma has over 25 years’ experience working in the field of mental health, including working as a Clinical Team Manager at the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

She worked at the University of Huddersfield for over five years as a Mental Health Adviser supporting students with mental health difficulties and setting up a number of peer support groups including an eating disorder support group. 

Gemma has a specialist interest in eating disorders, and is a Senior Associate Clinical Trainer for Beat, the National Eating Disorder Charity.  She is also a qualified Mental Health First Aid (Adult and Lite) instructor.

Dick has been a housemaster, English teacher, rugby coach and headmaster, and has a passionate interest in the emotional wellbeing of young people.

He delivers talks across the UK on the following topics:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Disordered eating
• Self-harm
• Stress
• Adolescent development

Dick is an instructor in Youth Mental Health First Aid

Lisa works as a mental health trainer for the Schools & Families Programme delivering the Psychological Perspectives in Education and Primary Care training across Berkshire. PPEPCare is fully funded by a collaboration between the NHS and the Charlie Waller Trust.

Lisa has had a long career in a variety of mental health settings within the NHS. She originally trained and registered as a mental health nurse in 1990 and subsequently worked in inpatient and community settings with adults, children, young people and their families. Lisa completed a Masters in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and is a UKCP registered psychotherapist. Lisa completed a postgraduate diploma in Evidence Based Practice leading to qualifying as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist in 2015. Lisa works part time in clinical practice in a specialist CAMHs team for Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust as a Family Therapist and part time as the Strategic Lead for PPEPCare training in Berkshire, as part of a Thames Valley wide project delivering training to frontline professionals in evidence-based approaches in children and young people’s mental health. This project delivers training and trains and supports other CAMHs professionals to deliver evidence-based training in mental health to frontline professionals and foster carers in Berkshire.

Lisa is a longstanding CAMHs clinician who strives to bring practical ideas from the research relating to children, young people and families to all professionals working with young people. Her goal is to enable all adults to have greater understanding, skills and confidence in supporting the mental health, well being and resilience of young people and their families.

Debbie is a member of both the Schools & Families and the Colleges & Universities teams delivering consultancy and training.

Debbie has a psychology degree, a post graduate diploma in careers guidance and counselling, is a trained special educational needs teacher (SpLD) and an experienced PSHE tutor. She has been part of Dr John Coleman’s early adoption group for the Teen Brain Workshops and is qualified to deliver the Mindfulness in Schools Programme and Mental Health First Aid.

Over the past 30 years Debbie has been living and working in boarding education involved in the pastoral care team. She is passionate about educating others around mental health awareness, spotting the early signs to enable good recovery and helping to remove the stigma of poor mental health.

When not working for the Trust Debbie combines her mental health training with careers guidance counselling helping young people with decision making and enabling them to cope with navigating the difficulties of being launched into the workplace in this tough and competitive world.

Andy his a trainer with the Schools & Families Team, working in both primary and secondary settings as well as delivering training for parents, carers and those working in informal education.

Andy holds a PGDip in Youth and Community Work, a PGCE in Secondary History and most recently has been awarded an MA in Child and Adolescent Mental Health from the University of South Wales.

Over the last 15 years, Andy has worked with a wide variety of individuals and groups, particularly children and young people. Prior to joining Charlie Waller, he worked in a range of settings including delivering the Prince's Trust TEAM programme, the National Citizen Service programme and as a neighbourhood youth worker. Andy is also a licensed chaperone who has worked on a number of professional UK and international theatre productions.

A highly experienced mental health trainer and educator, Andy has a particular passion for supporting young people experiencing self-harm and suicidal ideation. He also wants to support schools hoping to implement a whole school approach to create a supportive environment for pupils in their care.

Best thing about working for Charlie Waller:

The opportunity to work as part of such a passionate and supportive team of people, all of whom bring their own knowledge, experience and energy to their work.

Julie is a Trainer for the Colleges & Universities Programme. She has over 18 years’ experience of working in mental health. She is a qualified counsellor and Accredited Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Julie has worked in private practice, educational and workplace settings, including nine years as the Team Leader for the Counselling and Mental Health Service at the University of Bath.

Julie has experience of developing and delivering bespoke mental health awareness training, including developing the BEGIN framework, now incorporated into training delivered through the Workplace Programme. She is an MHFA National Trainer and a Suicide First Aid National Tutor, delivering the UK’s National, City and Guilds qualification in Suicide Prevention.

Julie is passionate about raising awareness of the continuum of mental health and providing training in the wider community, workplace and educational settings. Her desire is to help people build confidence in recognising the signs of poor mental health, reducing stigma and enabling the support of others whilst enhancing people's own wellbeing.

Reena is a counsellor and psychotherapist accredited with BACP and registered with UKCP.  She is also a trainer and supervisor, delivering and leading psychotherapy courses at the Minster Centre in London.  Reena has a particular interest in training on issues of difference and diversity, and in opening up conversations and explorations around race in the UK.

Barbara is a CWT mental health trainer delivering training and consultancy to universities and colleges.

Before joining CWT, Barbara worked in education for over 30 years, initially as a teacher in secondary schools and colleges in Berkshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire, then as a counsellor and lecturer at the University of Leeds, where she taught modules relating to mental health on various degree courses including Counselling and Psychotherapy, Medicine and the PGCE. She is a registered, senior accredited member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and a former Chair of its Universities and Colleges Division.

As well as working one to one with students at Leeds University’s Student Wellbeing Centre, Barbara also facilitated a support group for post graduate researchers and ran regular workshops on topics such as developing confidence and self esteem, building resilience and using active listening skills.

Barbara is a highly experienced mental health professional and trainer with a particular interest in student wellbeing and effective ways to help students protect their mental health.

Jackie is a Consultant Trainer for Universities at the Charlie Waller Trust.

Jackie has worked as a counsellor since 1987 within NHS Community Health and since 1992 within higher education. She has set up counselling services for students and staff within higher education and managed staff and developments within these services. This has included developing psycho-educational groups for students on a range of mental health topics and facilitating these. Jackie has lectured at senior level for both undergraduate and postgraduate students on integrative psychotherapy training at both the University of Central Lancashire and Warwick University.

Dr Maryanne Freer is a CWT University trainer. She is a doctor has recently retired from her clinical work as a psychiatrist, as well as a clinical lectureship at Newcastle University. She has a substantive number of years experience in clinical practice, undergraduate education and professional education in young people mental health. Maryanne has held senior academic posts including student mentoring, student co-partnership, staff training, teaching of mental wellbeing, mental health and diversity and inclusion, as well as curriculum review and development. She taught undergraduates throughout the Covid epidemic and has considerable online training experience. Maryanne Is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Institute.

In her role as a trainer for the Charlie Waller Trust, Sheila has developed and delivers mental health and wellbeing training to nurses and allied health care professionals in primary care, and mentors nurses undertaking projects. She is part of a small team at the University of Hull evaluating a Big Lottery mental health project.

Sheila has worked for a foundation trust as Senior Research Fellow and an academic health science network as an education fellow. She has twenty years of experience in primary care where her clinical work included consulting with patients with physical and mental health problems.

Sheila is keen to improve the care of people with mental health issues and has carried out research in this area. She writes educational articles for nursing journals and has co-authored and authored books and book chapters. Sheila has sat on several national expert reference and steering groups. In 2018 she won an Award of Merit from the Royal College of Nursing for her work on the physical health of people with mental illness.

Abigail joined us in 2020 from Acas, the independent national advisory body for employers and employees, where she was Head of Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing.

She has worked in the field of mental health and wellbeing for more than 25 years, has an MA in Psychotherapy, an MSc in Psychology, and extensive research experience in occupational psychology.

She joined Acas in 2015 as Senior Adviser on Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing and was appointed to lead this area in 2017. Her work included leading on strategic wellbeing projects with executive boards, advising government on key policy issues and delivering keynote presentations and thought leadership on systemic issues relating to mental health and wellbeing at work.

Until recently she sat as the workplace expert for the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on mental wellbeing and is an active member of several mental health at work advisory groups.

Katie is a member of the Charlie Waller team delivering consultancy and training in the workplace.

Katie graduated in medicine from the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospitals, London and then trained to become a GP.

After working in the Cayman Islands, she returned to London to work at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Medical Adviser providing care and and occupational health advice for employees posted overseas. She then took up a GP partnership in a London teaching practice where she taught Imperial College undergraduates, before moving to Singapore as part of a team setting up a new medical school in collaboration with Imperial College and Nanyang Technological University. She created and implemented part of the early clinical practice course, delivered teaching in clinical communication and examination skills, and became a house tutor looking after the welfare of medical students.

Her experience to date has given her wide-reaching insight into varied institutions, cultures and socio-economic groups.

With lived experience of her own mental health struggles and a subsequent awareness of the day-to-day stigma it can be met with, Alice has embarked on a career whereby she is able to speak to those who may be struggling or supporting those struggling from a place of perception and integrity.

As well as being a public speaker for CWT, Alice is also a workshop facilitator for Making Generation Resilience, a campaign designed to inspire resilience amongst young people via the power of storytelling from those who've experienced extreme adversity. She is currently the Project Co-Ordinator of Bravo 22 Company, a recovery through the arts programme for ex-military in the UK.

She is ASIST trained (Papyrus UK- Suicide intervention Skills Training) and qualified in Mental Health First Aid.

In the past Alice has worked in settings ranging from refugee camps in France to urban schools in Malawi and homeless shelters in South London, utilising the arts to assist with wellbeing and self-expression.

Anvita is a trainer with the Charlie Waller Trust.

Anvita holds a PhD in Counselling Psychology. She specializes in multicultural psychology and psychosexual and relational therapy. Her interests include cross-cultural psychology, diversity issues, sexual well being, abuse and trauma.

She has developed and facilitated diversity training at various universities and organizations. The topics have ranged from race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion and sexual identity. She has extensive experience in understanding and conceptualizing issues based on diversity and culture. She is most passionate about designing culturally based programs that address minority based issues. She designed one such program for her dissertation, using Bollywood films clips to discuss comprehensive sexuality education with South Asian girls in New York. The dissertation was published as a book: Sexual Health and Bollywood Films: A Culturally Based Program for South Asian Teenage Girls. NY: Cambria Press.

She provides therapy to survivors of violence (both gender-based violence as well as trauma due to displacement and conflict). She develops and facilitates workshops at organizations working with refugees, asylum seekers and recent immigrants. Most important she works towards reducing the taboo around sex and sexuality. Anvita currently lives in London, and works as a therapist, trainer and lecturer

Mark has over 20 years experience of working within mental health within higher education and prior to this in health promotion and community development. He is the current chair of BACP Universities and Colleges division and is passionate about multi-disciplinary approaches to mental health. He is a founder member of SCORE and is committed to extending the evidence base for counselling within education.

Kathryn Pugh is a member of the Parent Carer Peer Support team. She is a parent with lived experience and has worked for almost 20 years to improve in children and young people’s mental health services, leading strategy development, programme implementation, and partnership working at local, regional and national levels.

She was Deputy Head of Mental Health in NHS England, leading the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Community Transformation Programme.   She was the programme lead for CYP IAPT and worked on the development, implementation and system wide assurance of Future in Mind, the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health – Green Paper   and the NHS Long Term Plan.   

She was previously a member of the National CAMHS Support Service and the National Mental Health Development Unit where she led the national implementation of the children and young people’s programme following the amendments to the Mental Health Act in 2007 and developed a national programme to improve transition services. These roles allowed her to deliver the changes she instigated as Head of Policy at YoungMinds, where she led the Stressed out and Struggling Project to improve services for 16–25-year-olds and the collaborative work of the Mental Health Coalition to secure amendments to the Mental Health Act 2007 regarding age-appropriate environments and consent.    

Before that, she worked in primary care, commissioning primary, secondary and specialist care in both acute and mental health for all ages following a successful career in advertising and direct marketing.    

She is deeply committed to ensuring children, young people, parents and carers  and professionals are all able to contribute to shaping services – whether NHS, VCSE or in Children’s services. In 2015 she was awarded an MBE for services to children and young people’s mental health. 

Ros Rea has been working as a Clinical Manager, Carers Lead, Service Transformation Lead, CAMHS Pathway Lead and FREED co-ordinator within the NHS and has been a nurse for over 25 years. Ros has qualifications in Counselling and Psychotherapy and is a Systemic Family Practitioner and has experience delivering a variety of evidenced based treatment for adults young people and their carers.

Ros has been developing and delivering eating disorder training both within the health and education sectors for over a decade. Ros has a specialist interest in eating disorders and is a Senior Clinical Associate Trainer for Beat. She has worked alongside Health Education England and Beat to develop e-Learning platforms for nurses and GPs to have a shared understanding and language around eating disorders.

Ros has presented at a variety of different conferences both nationally and internationally.

Early intervention and empowering families and young people, alongside healthcare professionals and schools, through knowledge and understanding, is at the heart of what motivates her.

Hannah is a Trainer for the HE and Colleges Programme. She has previously worked as a Youth Justice practitioner and as an Advocate for looked after children and children on child protection plans.
Hannah is a Mental Health First Aid England instructor and a Suicide First Aid Associate Tutor, delivering the City and Guild’s qualification in Suicide Prevention both for adults and for young people. Hannah has also developed and delivered bespoke mental health training for a number of industries including Super Yachts.
Hannah is passionate about creating kinder and happier education settings and workplaces where people feel supported and heard. She is particularly passionate about the language we use and how we create connection with others. Hannah’s focus will always be educating people about mental health, how we can recognise signs of distress and how we can support ourselves and others whilst challenging stigma and promoting empathy.

Since 2015, Pauline has worked as a therapist in a university Student Health and Wellbeing Service. She works individually and in groups with students who have a range of mental health problems. Prior to this she worked in a primary care, mental health setting in the NHS.Previously Pauline had a twenty-year career in community arts and arts management in both the voluntary and public sectors.
While a firm advocate of therapy, Pauline is also a strong believer in the therapeutic value of creative and constructive, everyday activities. her book 'Bread Therapy: The Mindful Art of Baking Bread' was published in 2020 and explores the ways in which a practical endeavour such as bread-making can positively contribute to our mental wellbeing.

Pamela is a qualified trainer, parenting group facilitator and conflict resolution mediator, with over 15 years experience. Her approach to training embodies a commitment to promoting inclusion, positive mental health and well-being, using her personability to create space for deep, open discussions and critical thought.

In her current role as Head of Services and Development for a leading Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy training centre charity, Pamela manages every aspect of delivering therapeutic services to schools and organisations. She has extensive experience as a senior leader and practitioner working directly with professionals, parents and young people.

Pamela has been credited for developing bespoke training, resources and sharing evidence-based strategies which help raise awareness of mental health and break down the stigma that prevents individuals seeking support when it is needed.

Beyond her work, Pamela is a postgraduate student at UCL’s Institute of Education and is passionate about thinking practically and philosophically about ethical issues, especially, how to overcome barriers to engagement with services and matters of parental consent.

Jane was previously a policy fellow working for the employers’ team within the government’s Work and Health Unit; she advised ministers and engaged employers in delivering new programmes under the government’s work, health, wellbeing and inclusion agenda.

Previously Jane had a strategic role in the original Work, Health and Wellbeing Directorate delivering the Black Report on health inequalities (2008). She has over 25 years’ experience in health and wellbeing at work and is a ‘critical friend’’ to many boards who want to improve wellbeing and inclusion.

Jane is a non-executive director for Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust and has a private consultancy working with charities, academic institutes and other organisations. She recently became a Trustee for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Citizens Advice.

An experienced trainer and health promotion specialist, Natalie has worked for 10 years as a manager in mental health social care. She has also been a teacher and vocational assessor of mental health and social care at City Lit and Morley College in London since 2012.

Natalie has been a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor since 2009 and recently worked as National Training Lead (Adult and Workplace) for MHFA Ireland where she developed products including bespoke programmes for corporate clients.

Natalie has a special interest in employee engagement, listening, communication and leadership skills. She is currently developing a programme to promote the health and wellbeing of shift workers.