ABOUT US
Our conception and birth!
We are Amy & Adele, two Clinical Psychologists with a particular interest in the emotional well being of parents and and their children during the early years of family life. We are both experienced at delivering talking therapy for a range of issues which might be a struggle for parents in this stage of life; mood, worry, guilt, birth and bonding.
There is an old saying that "it takes a village to raise a child", meaning that parents need to be supported by a community around them to raise their children. Sadly, for many parents, that sense of a supportive community around them is not there any more. We saw the need for community based care and support and this is our venture to fill some of those gaps and create a sense of 'the village'.
The Koala Tree is an evolving project. We want it to be right for the people who might use it, so please feel free to tell us what we are doing right and how we might do things better.
We have based ourselves within another fantastic local community project - The Old Needle Works in Redditch. Here we can create a space that promotes understanding and growth, healing and care.
OUR BELIEFS & VALUES
Relationships
We believe in the importance of relationships, and that as humans we are born to seek connections.
Compassion
We believe in the importance of sensitivity to emotional suffering and a commitment to alleviate it.
Community
We believe in a community based, accessible service. After all "it takes a village to raise a child."
Growth
We believe that wellbeing in infancy promotes lifelong wellbeing.
Safeness
We believe in creating a space where people feel welcomed, accepted and understood.
MEET THE TEAM
Dr Amy Woolston
Director & Clinical Psychologist D.Clin.Psy, HCPC Reg.
My name is Amy and I have been working as a qualified Clinical Psychologist since 2007. I have worked with children and adolescents, adults, and with families from conception and into the early years.
I am particularly interested in working with mums and dads during their transition to parenthood and the early years. Whilst this can be a psychologically difficult time, I also believe it is also a window of opportunity for therapeutic work.
I am an eclective practitioner, drawing on a number of theoretical psychological models. I have a particular interest in attachment theory and believe that understanding our own early relationships and experiences can give people the framework to move forward. I work with clients as individuals, collaboratively and at their own pace.
Dr Adele Phillips
Director & Clinical Psychologist D.Clin.Psy, HCPC Reg.
My name is Adele and I am a Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in psychological wellbeing throughout the journey to parenthood, from pre-conception through to the early years. I am passionate about supporting people to make sense of their struggles and to find strength and courage during this huge life transition. I believe that everybody needs help sometimes.
I aim to provide a safe space for parents and parents-to-be to explore and reflect on their experiences. I have worked with many individuals, couples and families who have experienced various difficult life events. My therapeutic approach is grounded in compassion and guided by each individual and their needs.
I draw on a number of psychological approaches within my therapeutic work, including (but not limited to) Compassion Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing).
Dr Kelly Wade
Clinical Psychologist D.Clin.Psy, HCPC Reg.
My name is Kelly and I am a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with families, children and parents for a number of years in settings across the West Midlands. Supporting parents through the many joys and challenges of parenting is something I have a great passion for, but I have also spent many years building a practice that celebrates neurodiversity - be that working with parents to understand the needs of a neurodivergent child, or supporting neurodivergent parents in their parenting journey.
I aim to create a safe place free from judgement where people know that their identity and experience is valid. My own experience is that when people feel recognised and heard then they can start to safely explore the difficulties they face and make changes to their life.
I work eclectically and collaboratively with all my clients to develop a therapeutic approach that works for them. The models I draw upon include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Systemic Therapy. At the core of my work is the idea that distress is a universal human experience and that all people are capable of working through it with the right support.
Dr Rose Papadopoullos
Clinical Psychologist D.Clin.Psy, HCPC Reg.
I'm Rose and I am a Clinical Psychologist. The journey to become a parent is totally unique and unpredictable. Supporting people at any point along this journey is a privilege, and I have loved working parents, children and families of all shapes and sizes, including adoptive and foster families.
I work with a variety of therapeutic models and theories, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy and Attachment-Focused Family Therapy and Parenting informed by Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy.
Sometimes people come to therapy with a specific question or struggle in mind, but often this isn't the case. Sometimes we just feel stuck. I believe in providing a compassionate, non-judgemental space where people feel safe, supported and accepted for they are and the life they want to live.
Anna Cabildo
Peer Supporter
My name is Anna and I am a Peer Supporter with The Koala Tree. I have been attending Koala Cuppa for over 2 years with my daughters and my husband attends the Dads' Group.
Through my own experience of perinatal depression and anxiety, and birth-related PTSD, I have found compassionate community and having a safe space to be 'real' continue to be key elements in my own journey of mental wellness. I have the privilege of befriending and encouraging new parents in The Koala Tree group settings, and fostering a sense of community outside of regular meetings.
TESTIMONIALS
"Thank you so much for the kindness and compassion you have shown over the past few months. Thanks to your support I now feel I am able to enjoy my daughter like I had hoped to."
"Your warmth and non-judgement have been invaluable in setting me on a better path."