Gemma Ridge
Gemma is one of our Service Managers, managing our 8-16 session team of therapists and psychotherapists. She has experience of working in a variety of settings including the probation service and working for an adoption support service. She also has experience of working in the private sector and as a clinical supervisor.
As an accredited psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner, she also provides some client sessions within her team.
Sophia Ulhaq
Sophia is one of our Service Managers, responsible for the Perinatal Service. She manages the therapists and ensures the services run smoothly. She has experience as a manager in the third sector working with people who face barriers to support such as refugees, migrants and asylum seekers. Due to previous roles working with and advocating for marginalised groups including neurodiverse, LGBTQIA+, disabled and ethnically diverse communities, she is passionate about delivering inclusive services for women from all backgrounds.
Jill Davice Bird
I can help with emotional distress and psychological difficulties caused by loss, trauma, and intergenerational family problems. I offer long-term weekly therapy groups for adults who would like to work in this way. I’m a qualified Group Work Practitioner and am on a Qualifying Course in Group Analytic Psychotherapy.
I have found that therapy in a group provides a nurturing environment within which it becomes possible to recover from traumatic experiences and also to participate in the therapy of other group members. Therapy comes from being able to put difficult feelings and thoughts into words, and as group members learn to be themselves with others. This type of therapy is often a very effective way to approach a variety of problems and life situations. These include anxiety, depression, interpersonal difficulties, low self-esteem, and psychosomatic conditions. Group analysis is also concerned with uncovering the undeveloped aspirations and creativity of group members.
Tessa Denham
Tessa is our CEO at WCTS, and passionate about supporting women experiencing deprivation and trauma with specialised psychological therapies. As well as taking overall responsibility for service delivery and research here, she represents WCTS and the third sector on the Leeds Strategic Mental Health Partnership Board. She’s also the third sector advocate for sexual violence services to the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner. Tessa’s day-to-day role involves working with staff and service users, partners, funders and our Board of Trustees to promote the mental health recovery and wellbeing of the women and girls we work with.
Laura Pierrepont
Laura is a caseworker working as part of the perinatal team and has experience in working with women and families in the perinatal period. Her role involves working with women in pregnancy and the first year of baby’s birth who are currently in therapy or wanting to access therapy. Laura works in a holistic and compassionate way to support women practically and emotionally with a range of difficulties which could include challenges with housing provision, access to finance and benefits and liaising with other support services and signposting alongside brief interventions for anxiety.
Gemma Ridge
Gemma is an accredited psychotherapist and EMDR practitioner working in our 8-16 session team. As an integrative therapist, she uses a variety of approaches and modalities depending on what the client needs. She believes the most important part of her work is building a warm and compassionate relationship with her clients so they can talk in a safe and trusting space. She has experience of working in a variety of settings including the probation service and working for an adoption support service. She also has experience of working in the private sector and as a clinical supervisor.
Peri O’Connor
Peri is warm, calm and compassionate and offers therapy where clients are accepted just as they are. She works with clients in a supportive way, leading to fresh perspectives and helping people make lasting life changes. Peri is a BACP registered psychotherapist/counsellor using TA (Transactional Analysis – a form of therapy that helps to explain why we think, feel and behave in the way we do). She has experience of working in a variety of settings, including schools, further education, care homes, the voluntary sector and the NHS.
Freya Hirst
Freya is our Operations/Deputy CEO, responsible for the management and admin teams. She is an experienced manager and has worked for a number of services in the third sector over the last 12 years. Due to previous roles supporting people experiencing housing issues and homelessness, and advocating for clients with complex needs, she is passionate about delivering quality services for people who are struggling to access the support they need.
Lorraine Fothergill
Lorraine is an integrative person-centred psychotherapist with additional training in Dialectic Behaviour Therapy and other therapeutic approaches. She has extensive experience working in many different settings including Mind, NHS, and educational settings. She also has a private practice in York. She has great resolve to help clients make meaningful, lasting change and enable a resilient sense of well-being. She is a person with natural warmth and cares very much about the work clients are able to do with her. She has worked with a broad profile of clients bringing many different issues, none of whom are less important than another.
Andrea Campbell
Andrea is our Clinical Lead and works to ensure the safety and excellence of the service through facilitating clinical learning, staff development and ethical practice. She has over 22 years’ experience of working as a therapist, trainer and tutor and is deeply committed to the values of counselling and therapy.