Welcome 

About me

I am a Clinical Psychologist called Jacob Clark. I have worked with children, young people and adults for 15 years, primarily in the NHS. I have extensive expertise of working with people struggling with low mood and depression, anxiety disorders including obsessive compulsive disorder, health anxiety and panic; as well as relationship difficulties, and trauma.  I have lots of experience of adapting therapy for people with a diagnosis of autism.

I acknowledge that there is always a history, context and experience of relationships for all emotional suffering, and that some people wish to explore and understand these factors in therapy, while others wish to focus on more on current coping strategies.   

In my NHS career I have been working with adolescents struggling with suicidality, self harm and symptoms associated with psychosis.  My recent specialism has been in an inpatient setting.  As well as individual, group and family therapy work, I have been working with professional networks to support safe and collaborative care.  I am also trained to undertake specialist cognitive and autism assessments.  I am a committee member of the British Psychological Society Faculty for Children and Young People

I am trained in range of based on evidence based psychological interventions including cognitive behaviour therapy, mentalisation based therapy. I will need to get to know you first, to hear a little about your life, and the people in it, what’s important to you, what has and has not helped in the past, before figuring out together what might be useful.

After an initial telephone consultation I tend to offer several sessions initially to make sense of your difficulties, then come up with a plan together for therapy.  Finding someone you feel safe and comfortable with is essential for any therapy to work.    

At the moment I am only offering therapy virtually.   Please get in touch to arrange an initial consultation if you are interested in working together.

Prices

Initial telephone consultation - 20 minutes - free

Sessions (virtual) are 60 minutes - £120

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a widely used, evidence-based approach to psychological therapy. It’s designed to help people understand and manage the connection between their thoughts (cognitions), feelings (emotions), and behaviours. CBT is grounded in the idea that unhelpful or distorted thinking patterns can influence how we feel and act—and that by identifying these patterns, we can improve our emotional wellbeing and daily functioning.

CBT is a collaborative and structured therapy, typically focused on current difficulties rather than exploring the past in depth (although early experiences may be considered to help understand present-day challenges).

It helps individuals develop practical tools and coping strategies that can be applied in everyday life.

In CBT, we work together to:

  • Identify thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress.

  • Understand how these thoughts affect your feelings and behaviours.

  • Build resilience and confidence in managing stress, anxiety, depression, and other common issues.

CBT is a goal-oriented therapy, often involving tasks or exercises between sessions to support real-world change. It supported by a strong body of research for a range of mental health difficulties.

I like to use some of the ideas and tools from CBT to develop a shared formulation.

What is mentalisation based therapy (MBT)?

Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) is a specialist psychological therapy created to help people better understand themselves and others. It focuses on mentalising—the ability to make sense of our own thoughts, feelings, intentions, and those of the people around us.

When we’re able to mentalise effectively, we can respond to others with empathy, stay emotionally regulated, and better navigate relationships. But under stress—especially in close relationships or during emotional distress—this capacity can break down. MBT helps to strengthen and restore this vital skill.

MBT is particularly helpful for people who experience intense emotions, difficulties in relationships, or patterns of behaviour that feel confusing or hard to manage. It was originally developed for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it is now used more broadly for a range of emotional and relational challenges.

In MBT, we work together to:

  • Explore what might be going on in your mind and in the minds of others.

  • Reflect on how misunderstandings, assumptions, or emotional reactions can impact relationships.

  • Develop greater awareness of your internal world—thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations—and how this influences behaviour.

  • Build more stable, trusting relationships through a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

  • Learn to pause and reflect before reacting, especially in emotionally charged situations.

MBT is a relational therapy. The therapeutic relationship itself is an important space where we explore and experience mentalising in real time.

If you often feel misunderstood, overwhelmed by your emotions, or struggle to make sense of your interactions with others, MBT offers a space to slow down, reflect, and build a stronger, more stable sense of self in relation to others.

Formulation

Formulation is a core part of psychological therapy. It’s the process of building a shared understanding of your difficulties—not just naming symptoms, but exploring why they might be happening, how they developed, and what might be keeping them going.

Unlike a medical diagnosis, which often labels a condition, formulation is a personalised, collaborative explanation. It draws together your experiences, relationships, emotions, thoughts, and behaviours to make sense of what you’re going through in the context of your life story.

Together, we might explore:

  • What’s happening now—the difficulties you're experiencing and the impact on your life.

  • What’s led up to this point—including past experiences, trauma, or key life events.

  • How you cope—strategies that may have helped in the past but might now be causing problems.

  • What’s keeping things going—patterns of thinking, relating, or behaviour that feel stuck.

  • What might help—ideas for change, new perspectives, and meaningful goals for therapy.

Formulation is not a one-off event—it’s a living process that evolves as therapy progresses. It provides a compassionate and respectful way of looking at distress and helps shape a therapy approach that is tailored to you as an individual.

Whether you're seeking clarity, relief, or change, a good formulation can help you feel seen, understood, and empowered to move forward with purpose.

Contact me

Free 20 minute consultation to understand what you’re experiencing and think together about whether I might be able to help.