Dr Liz Kirkland Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Children & Young people)

BSc (Hons) Psychology University of Lancaster 1991

Clin Psy D University of Manchester 1995


Certificate in Systemic Practice (therapeutic work with families and groups) University of Birmingham 1997
HCPC Registered

Clinical psychology for children, young people and their families.

For over 30 years, I’ve worked with children, young people, and their families. My experience, within the NHS and independent practice, has taught me one central truth: meaningful change begins not with a label, but with a deep, shared understanding of your child’s unique world.

Children’s struggles—whether with anxiety, behaviour, sleep, or school—are often signs of an overwhelmed system. They are adaptations to stress, fear, or past experiences. My work is to help you and your child make sense of these challenges, seeing them through the lens of safety, regulation, and relationship, so that healing can begin.

My Approach – A Formulation-Driven Partnership

While labels can be useful shorthand, they often miss the fine detail that makes your child who they are. Instead, I create a formulation—a shared understanding that explains how and why difficulties developed and what keeps them going. We look at the whole picture: your child’s experiences, their relationships, their strengths, and their context at home, school, and beyond.

For many families, this process of being truly heard and understood is profoundly powerful. Often, within a few sessions, this new clarity is enough to create positive change, as you find your path forward.

Focusing on Safety and Connection

When a child has faced overwhelming experiences, their nervous system can stay on high alert. The behaviours we see—withdrawal, outbursts, anxiety—are often protective shields or signs of a brain in survival mode. The most effective path forward is usually not to revisit the past, but to build a present that feels predictable, safe, and steady.

The core of my work rests on three pillars:

  1. You as the Steady Anchor: Your calm, connected presence is your child’s most powerful regulator. We’ll work on how to use this strength to help your child feel secure.
  2. Protecting Connection Moments: We’ll identify and nurture those times (like shared reading or quiet play) where your child feels safe enough to open up and relax.
  3. Building a Supportive Team: With your permission, I can provide clear guidance to schools or other settings, helping them become partners in your child’s wellbeing.

  1. Detailed Assessment
    We start by meeting (online) to understand not just the problem, but the whole child. I listen to you and your child, exploring developmental history, family life, school, friendships, and strengths.

  1. Shared Formulation & Report
    I will provide a clear, written formulation and spend time explaining it to you and, where appropriate, your child. This map of the problem illuminates the path to change.

  1. Ongoing Intervention & Advice
    If further support is helpful, we can arrange ongoing sessions. Alternatively, I can provide specific advice or recommend other excellent services. My work is integrative, drawing on evidence-based approaches tailored to your family’s needs.

I work with parents and children together. I find this to be the most effective model, especially for younger children. I provide psychological assessment, consultation, and parenting advice for young people up to 18.

Presentations
I can help with a wide range of challenges, always through this understanding, relational lens:

  • Difficulties Rooted in Fear & Anxiety: General anxiety, panic, phobias (including school refusal), OCD, and somatic symptoms (like unexplained aches or seizures).
  • Behaviours as Communication: Anger, aggression, and behavioural challenges that often signal overwhelm, difficulty with regulation, or unmet needs.
  • Adjustment to Life Changes: Coping with loss, bereavement, divorce, or family change.
  • Developmental & Bodily Rhythm Challenges: Sleep problems, eating difficulties, and toileting issues.
  • Understanding Neurodiversity: Supporting children with ASD or ADHD diagnoses, particularly when untangling co-occurring anxiety or trauma responses from core neurodivergent traits.

My Experience & Practicalities
With over three decades of experience — including consultant roles in CAMHS — I now practice entirely online, a mode I have found highly effective since 2020.