The Team
At Dr Stuart Psychologists we make sure that you are carefully matched with with highly qualified and experienced clinical and counselling psychologists.
Meet Our Psychologists

Dr Jo Stuart
Consultant Psychologist
Dr Jo Stuart has been a practicing psychologist for over 20 years. She is a trainer of psychological treatments and regularly supervises other psychologists. Jo works with older teenagers and adults, providing evidenced-based treatments for all mental health problems. In her private practice she works with c-level executives, consultants, professionals and people in the public eye. Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, stress management, trauma, pain management, health anxiety and working with diversity and LGBTQ+ community are her areas of specialist interest.

Dr Sarah Jane Khalid
Counselling Psychologist
Dr. Sarah Jane Khalid is a highly qualified and experienced Counselling Psychologist, Coach and Meditation Teacher. She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise working in various sectors, including the NHS, charitable organisations, and private clinics. Dr. Sarah Jane has undertaken extensive training in different therapeutic modalities, with a particular focus on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Compassion Focused Therapy. ​ Her areas of specialisation include anxiety, stress management, low self-esteem and confidence, work-place issues, dermatological conditions, women's issues, including identity, fertility, challenges, returning to the workplace and post-natal depression/anxiety, peri-menopause and menopause issues. Dr Sarah Jane also enjoys working with black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and the nuanced issues or challenges they can face. ​ In recent years, Dr Sarah Jane has expanded her expertise to include meditation teaching certified by the British School of Meditation and the Chopra Centre in the US. Her incorporation of meditative and positive psychology aspects into her work allows her to offer a holistic and comprehensive approach to well-being and personal growth.

Dr Prarthana Shetty
Counselling Psychologist
Dr Prarthana Shetty is a counselling psychologist experienced in working with a range of human experiences such as life transitions and adjustment, anxiety, shame, grief and loss, issues around faith and spirituality, low mood and self-esteem issues. She has a keen interest in attachment, trauma, intersectional identity, and neurodivergence. Prarthana uses a variety of therapeutic models including attachment theory, CFT, ACT, and DBT. Whilst therapeutic techniques are important – and indeed consistently woven into the work – her overarching aim is to provide an attuned relational experience in which clients’ past experiences can be understood and integrated into their present journey. She believes that therapy is a collaborative process, working with clients to support them in moving towards a life that feels authentic and aligned with their values.

Caroline Taylor
Clinical Psychologist
Caroline has been a psychologist for over 15 years. She has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and post-doctoral training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She is the clinical lead for a large private company and has a wealth of experience. Her training and skill set allow her to work effectively with all trauma presentations from childhood trauma, rape, multiple traumas and PTSD, where she helps her clients to reclaim their lives. The spectrum of anxiety disorders, including phobia, OCD and social anxiety, is also an area of expertise for Caroline. She has specialist training and experience in working with grief, bereavement, eating problems, psychosexual therapy and working with the LGBTQ+ community. She enjoys working transparently, collaboratively, and pragmatically, with formulations that give a clear roadmap to support people in their goals and hopes for the future.

Dr Shabnam Hariri
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Shabnam Hariri is a chartered clinical psychologist and has been in the field of psychology for over twenty years. She provides high quality therapy to individuals and couples. She is able to work effectively with ADHD, OCD, health anxiety, women's health issues, diabetes, chronic pain, stress management, public speaking anxiety, self-confidence issues, depression and sleep problems. Shabnam describes her treatment as 'a non-judgemental and a safe space to explore your thoughts and feelings. Through empathetic listening, you have the opportunity not only to understand yourself better but also to develop new ways to view and approach your problems'. Her clinical approach is integrative, using a range of therapeutic techniques, cognitive-behavioural therapy, person-centred, psychodynamic, mindfulness, and acceptance committed therapy (ACT). Drawing on this array of therapies, she is able to consider both the latest evidenced based treatments and your individual's needs to help you to achieve your goals.

Dr Julie Hannan
Counselling Psychologist
Dr Julie Hannan is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist, Psychotherapist, published author, is a regular contributor to The Times, The Telegraph and Inews, and inspires her followers on social media with regular posts about relationships, parenting and surviving a crisis. ​ Julie helps individuals understand themselves and how their life's journey has brought them to where they are and how to become the best they possibly can be for the future. Julie works with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, trauma, feelings of underachievement or failure and specialises in relationship challenges, divorce, feeling lost, midlife identity issues and existential concerns.

Dr Caroline Douglas-Pennant
Counselling Psychologist
Caroline has studied or worked in the field of mental health for over twenty years. Following on from the completion of her doctorate, Caroline completed a post-doctoral masters in systemic therapy. She is a Principal CAMHS psychologist in the NHS and has a breadth of experience working with teenagers and parents. She is a trained EMDR therapist and is able to treat all general mental health issues including anxiety, depression and trauma. In her private practice, Caroline runs a busy couples counselling service. She has extensive experience and training in working with couples. Caroline's specialist interests are working with teenagers and couples providing a space to help develop meaning and providing the tools necessary to overcome difficulties.

Nicholas Messing
Consultant Psychologist
Nicholas is a Counselling Psychologist and Parent-Infant Psychotherapist, spending the vast majority of his 20+ year career in the NHS, working in adult, child and family and parent and baby settings, serving as the clinical lead and supervising teams. This breadth and depth of experience has meant that Nicholas is adept at helping individuals, couples and families, particularly in understanding relationships, both with oneself and between others. He uses a psychodynamic therapeutic framework, which helps make sense of the distress you may be experiencing, by placing it in the context of your whole life. ​ Nicholas specialises in supporting parents with their mental health, your relationship with your baby and your couple relationship. Therapy may take place individually, as a couple or together with your baby.

Dr Esther Cole
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Esther Cole is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. She has worked and studied within the field of clinical psychology for over 15 years. Esther has a breadth of experience across the life span and can provide expert treatment for multiple presentations. She is first Black Clinical Psychologist to receive the British Psychological Society (BPS) Early Career Award (2020) and won the Prestige Award Specialist Therapy Provider of the Year, 2022 and 2024. Esther has a degree in Experimental Psychology from Oxford University, a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and post graduate training in CBT. She has experience of ACT, SFT, Narrative Therapy, Systemic Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Neuro-rehabilitation, Reminiscence Therapy and Life story work. She is able to work across the spectrum of psychological problems including anxiety, panic, trauma, OCD, depression, trauma, sleep issues and health conditions. Esther describes her clinical approach as, ' As a third-generation British Jamaican Psychologist, managing long-term conditions whilst being a mother of three, I warmly welcome clients from all walks of life, have a passion for men’s mental health and supporting people living alongside mental, physical or neurological difficulties and trauma. My main therapeutic approaches are CBT, ACT, alongside systemic and integrative approaches that draw on different evidence-based therapies and models of rehabilitation. All psychological therapies are tailor-made to the client, child or family.'

Dr Daria Bonanno
Consultant Psychologist
Dr Daria Bonanno is a Consultant Psychologist and has been a Clinical Psychologist for over 27 years. She regularly offers psychological training and supervision to both psychologists and non-psychologists. Daria is able to work with teenagers, couples and adults, providing evidenced-based treatments for all mental health and physical health conditions. She is highly skilled in working with people affected by cancer, bariatric needs, HIV, long-term conditions, and palliative care needs. ​ Daria has a breath of experience in working with general mental health problems such as anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, stress management, trauma, health anxiety and eating disorder. Amongst all her therapeutic skills, including post-doctoral training in CBT and ACT, Daria is an EMDR therapist, which she can deliver it online or face to face.

Simon Birke
Consultant Psychologist
Simon Birke has worked as a clinical psychologist for over 30 years, initially in the NHS and now as an independent practitioner. Simon has experience in a wide range of areas, primarily using a cognitive behavioural approach. Working collaboratively, usually on a 1 -1 basis, he sees people with anxiety, depression, OCD, phobias, sleep, low self - esteem and anger /assertiveness issues. He also has seen clients with drug and alcohol problems, gambling habits and men who are abusive to their partners.

Dr Michelle Hamill
Consultant Psychologist
Dr Michelle Hamill is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years' experience working in mental health and leading psychological services in the NHS. She is experienced working with a diverse range of emotional, physical, and relationship concerns including those related to life transitions, across the adult life span. She can treat anxiety, trauma, OCD, health anxiety, depression, stress, burnout and relationship issues. Michelle also has specialist skills working with family members adjusting to a caring role in the context of changing health presentations in later life and has co-authored two books in this field.

Gemma Lutwyche
Counselling Psychologist
Dr Gemma Lutwyche qualified as a counselling psychologist in 2001. Since that time, she has had extensive experience working with a variety of psychological difficulties and with people across the ages both in the NHS and private practice. She has had substantive posts within the NHS at both highly specialist and principal levels where she has supervised and managed other specialist psychologists. Gemma is able to work with children, adults, families and with couples. Her approach is integrative, focused and goal centred. She uses a combination of CBT and other psychotherapies to help clients achieve their goals. Her specialist areas include mood disorders, trauma and attachment/relationship issues and she has a special interest in perinatal psychology.

Dr Stephanie Leyland
Counselling Psychologist
Dr Stephanie Leyland is a Senior Counselling Psychologist. She has been studying and working in the field of mental health for over 15 years. Stephanie has a doctorate in counselling psychology and postgraduate training in systemic practice. Stephanie's career as a psychologist has spanned both NHS and private settings where she has been both senior and lead psychologist for several services. She is a CAMHS psychologist with experience of working with new parents, with younger children and with teenagers. In addition to this, Stephanie is an expert couple’s counsellor and is experienced in working with adult mental health. Stephanie can offer treatment for anxiety, eating disorders, depression, trauma, bereavement, insomnia, stress and physical health conditions. Drawing on a variety of treatments, Stephanie is skilled at using CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and systemic approaches. Couples counselling is described by Stephanie as 'a systemic underpinning. During therapy we explore the experience of the couple, their family stories, how they came together, what ruptures are happening. We will then look at what changes they can make moving forward'. Work with teenagers is described by Stephanie as, 'for many teenagers there will be unmet needs. Therapy is about working out what those unmet needs are and thinking together about how those needs can be met. At times this might be through conversations with family but often times it is about teaching skills to help them move forward.'

Dr Anne Lane
Principal Psychologist
Dr Anne Lane has been providing evidence based therapeutic interventions for a wide range of psychological disorders in adults and children since 1996. She has worked in the NHS as a Specialist, Highly Specialist and Principal Clinical Psychologist / Professional Manager. She provides supervision, training and consultation to psychologists and people from other disciplines. She has a doctorate in clinical psychology and a masters in systemic therapy.

Dr Jayne Griffiths
Principal Psychologist
Dr Jayne Griffiths has been a practicing psychologist for 20 years and has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. NHS posts held included a highly specialist and principal psychology role where Jayne provided supervision, training and management to other psychologists. Jayne has undertaken highly specialist training in Neuropsychology, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and EMDR. Anxiety disorders, trauma, sleep disorders and neuropsychological rehabilitation are her specialist interests.

Cheryl Hanshaw
Client Support Manager
Cheryl has worked with the team for the past 10 years. She has a wealth of knowledge and will be able to help you think about your problem and which psychologist might be best for you. Â Cheryl can organise an appointment or a brief chat with one of the psychologists, should this be helpful to you. She is also available to answer any questions you may have about the service. If you have any further questions, please do be in touch on the number above.

Dr Marianna Murin
Principal Psychologist
Dr Marianna Murin has spent her career specialising in the area of the autistic spectrum disorders. She spent ten years working as a principle psychologist at Great Ormond Street Children's hospital and has conducted extensive research in this field. Autism affects both individuals and families and Marianna helps our team to understand the issues that can emerge. Marianna is an international Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule trainer and has works with-in a multi-disciplinary team providing assessments and treatment for children, young people and adults with neuro-spectrum disorders.
Contact
Get in touch to book a consultation
Office hours are 09:00 - 17:00 Monday to Friday.
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We have some evening and weekend appointments.
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Call 020 3488 2438 for an appointment or use the form below.