Trainers
Jenny Ronayne, MA, MBACP, Director of ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Counselling and Training)
Jenny is the Child Mental Health Worker on the national specialist team on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at the Maudsley Hospital. Her work here includes organising and speaking at training programmes for parents and professionals, advising and supporting adults with ASD, taking part in clinical research projects with young people with ASD, visiting schools and advising other professionals on autism. In her private practice, Jenny is a specialist ASD counsellor, trainer and consultant, working with individuals, couples and family members. Jenny works with ASD students at a specialist college, has worked as autism advisor to a special school and a children’s charity as well as being ASD trainer for a mental health training practice. Jenny has 20 years’ experience of working with ASD, setting up a local support group, counselling parents, giving practical advice and guidance on communication, educational provision and approaches to understanding and managing problematic behaviours. Jenny is also the parent of a young adult with high-functioning autism.
Jenny set up ASPECT (Autism Spectrum Counselling and Training) to provide training and consultancy in the understanding and management of Autism Spectrum Disorders. ASPECT has now expanded to include consultancy, training, counselling and therapy and diagnostic services for autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties and associated mental health issues.
Dr Katingo Giannoulis PhD, MSc, CPsychol, AFBPs, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Dr Katingo Giannoulis has been working in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) for over 10 years. She is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, working both in the Health Service (at the National Specialist ASD Service based at the Michael Rutter Centre, Maudsley Hospital) and in private practice.
Prior to specialising in ASD, Katingo worked in a paediatric community child development team and she has also worked with adults with learning difficulties. Her current role in the Autism and Related Disorders team at the Maudsley Hospital includes providing specialist neurocognitive assessments of the young people referred to the Service as well as psychological treatment. She is particularly interested in developing and adapting the cognitive-behaviour model of therapy for use with people with ASD who also have co-morbid mental health problems (e.g. depression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, fears and phobias etc.)
Katingo offers consultation and training to school staff, as well as behaviour management input to parents and professionals working with both children and adults who present challenging behaviours. She has been actively involved in organising and running group treatments for young people with ASD, including social skills training and, more recently, has developed a group treatment initiative for boys with ASD who are bullied in mainstream school. This is currently being evaluated. She also offers consultation to colleagues and runs a regular ASD specialist supervision group for psychologists working in community services; this is a forum whereby recent research and clinical developments within ASD are discussed and psychologist colleagues can present cases for discussion and consultation.
Dr. Patrizia C. Collard PhD, BABCP accredited, UKCP reg., MISMA, MAC, member of Institute of Health Promotion and Education
Dr Patrizia Collard is a Psychotherapist, Trainer and Coach, specialising in the destructive impact of stress on physical and mental health. Patrizia incorporates a range of techniques and approaches into her work, so that each client receives individually-tailored treatment. Patrizia uses cognitive behavioural therapy, rational emotive behaviour therapy, core energy management, existential therapy, drama therapy, yoga and meditation, relaxation and self-hypnosis and last but not least Mindfulness approaches: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Patrizia is a member of many governing bodies (BABCP, UKCP, ISMA, Association for Coaching, Austrian Association for Behaviour Therapy, Institute for Health Promotion and Education, OCD Action and The Scientific and Medical Network) which keep her practice at the forefront of current developments in her field of expertise.
Patrizia is Senior Lecturer for Integrative Psychotherapy and Counselling (University of East London); Psychotherapist (London Bridge Hospital & Private Practice); Life-Coach; Trainer (UK, Greece, Spain and Austria); Mindfulness Research projects at UeL; Interview Editor for CPQ (Counselling Psychology Quarterly). Publications include: Multimodal Stress Therapy in Integration in Psychotherapy, Routledge 2006; Sensory Awareness Mindfulness Training in Coaching: Accepting Life’s Challenges, Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Springer, Feb 2008; The Counsellor’s Handbook, Third Edition, Nelson Thornes, 2008.
Dr Sarah H Bernard MD., MB ChB., FRCPsych., DRCOG Consultant Psychiatrist in Child and Adolescent Learning Disability
Dr Sarah Bernard has been a consultant psychiatrist in child and adolescent learning disability for almost 14 years. She leads a multidisciplinary national/specialist service at the Michael Rutter Centre, Maudsley Hospital (NHS). Her work includes the assessment and management of behavioural and mental health problems which occur in children/adolescents with learning disability.
Particular areas of interest include service development and Sarah has provided training to a wide range of service providers including child mental health services, schools, social services and voluntary organisations.
Clinically Sarah is interested in genetic disorders associated with learning disability, epilepsy and learning disability, parents with learning disability and young people with learning disability who present a risk to self and others. Sarah has assessed and managed children/adolescents with a range of problems which include Autism, ADHD, offending behaviour, depression and psychosis.
David Ronayne, Co-ordinator and Partner in ASPECT
David takes care of the day-to-day running of this developing company: Liasing with clients and attendees, keeping accounts, managing databases, conducting mailouts, organising training days and trying his best to look after the trainers! He will probably be your first port of call on contacting ASPECT.