DR JESSICA MUIR
I’m Dr Jessica Muir. I’m a registered Clinical Psychologist based in South East London. I offer a warm and non-judgmental space where people can make sense of challenges they are experiencing and create meaningful changes. I have over 15 years' experience supporting the emotional wellbeing of adults, young people and families. I support people with a broad range of difficulties and specialise in areas relating to trauma and women's health. I provide an independent clinical psychology service, offering talking therapy to individuals online and face to face.
About me
I take a holistic and collaborative approach to my work, ensuring people feel respected and safe to explore what is important to them. I'm interested in the ways that unique personal histories as well social and cultural contexts shape our experiences.
I work with people from all backgrounds and welcome diversity in race, ethnicity, religion, sexual identity, gender identity, neurodiversity and physical ability.
I support people experiencing challenges in different areas, including:
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Living with health conditions and new diagnoses
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Work related stress and burnout
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Managing life transitions
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Anxiety and depression
Trauma
I have expertise in supporting people in the aftermath of traumatic experiences, including birth trauma, sexual violence, childhood abuse and domestic violence. I also frequently support healthcare staff who have experienced vicarious and secondary trauma. I draw on a systemic framework, integrating different therapeutic models (such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), Somatic Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy) to fit with people's specific needs and hopes for the work.
Outside of individual therapy I work with services to develop trauma-informed and strengths-based frameworks. In my current NHS role I focus on supporting teams undertaking complex and acute work in the area of women’s health. This work has involved developing proactive strategies that support staff to work with patients and one another in ways aligned with their values.
Women's health
I have a particular interest in women’s wellbeing at all stages of their life. Work in this area includes supporting women living with chronic health conditions, like endometriosis, or managing transitions, such as becoming a parent. Issues related to women’s emotional and physical wellbeing are often minimised and overlooked. Societal stigma combined with a lack of funding and research means that women are frequently provided with inadequate support when experiencing emotional challenges related to their physical and/or maternal health. I provide a compassionate space in which difficulties can be explored in a collaborative way that allows alternative perspectives and possibilities to be considered.
Qualifications and training
The wide range of training I have undertaken supports me to work in a flexible and creative way. My MSc in Development Studies, which involved studying international human rights law and political economics, gave me a good understanding of the wider forces that shape our lives. I have also undertaken psychoanalytically informed courses at the Tavistock and Portman Clinic in which I learnt about child development, neuroscience, attachment theories and how our early experiences can influence our present relationships. My Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology allowed me to bring these different theories and understandings together, whilst also training me in diverse therapeutic modalities, including: Compassion Focused, Systemic, Narrative and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Qualified Clinical Psychologists are required by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to continue enhancing their professional development throughout their career. Some further training I have completed includes: Working with Families with Physical Illness: A Systemic Approach and the complete standard EMDR training as defined by EMDR Europe Association.
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Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, the University of East London
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MSc Psychology (Distinction), the University of East London
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Postgraduate Diploma in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies (Distinction), the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
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Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Communication with Children (Distinction), the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
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MSc Development Studies (Merit), the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
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MA (Hons) 2.1, English Literature, the University of Glasgow