Aspire Psychological Services Ltd

20/11/2025

🌟 Alfie’s story is one of strength and purpose. 🌟

After losing his dad to su***de at just eight years old, Alfie turned his grief into action, inspiring the creation of Alfie’s Squad, a charity supporting children and young people bereaved by su***de.

💙 They provide safe peer-support groups where young people can connect, heal, and know they’re not alone. 💙

👉 Read Alfie’s story and see how you can help: https://alfiessquad.org/alfies-story/

19/11/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofkWVWKX6Bw

What is blocked care - a neurological process often experienced when looking after traumatised young people that we need to have empathy and compassion for those experiencing it and help them to work through this

Dan Hughes, founder of DDP, and colleagues from DDP Connects UK and the University of Glasgow discuss readiness for therapy and blocked care. They describe b...

19/11/2025

🌟An amazing resource from the brilliant

🌟New downloadable resource🌟

Boundaries are not seasonal - protecting neurodivergent needs during the holidays.

The holidays do not suspend needs, autonomy, dignity, sensory limits, communication preferences or emotional safety.
Neurodivergent boundaries are all year around and the festive season doesn't get to override them, because joy should feel like joy. Not like masking. Not like overwhelm.
How many times have we heard "it's just one day, just push through" or "it's rude to leave early!".

Downloadable PDF highlighting neuro-affirming reframes of common holiday pressures.
I'll pop the unmentionable in the comments - hope you find it useful!

19/11/2025

Tomorrow afternoon I’m on Times Radio between 315 and 415. I will be speaking about therapeutic parenting and how important it is for all local authorities to get trauma informed.
The vast majority of people don’t understand the difference it makes to our children’s lives so I really want to continue to raise awareness about this.
Tune in! 

(Pic from Public Health Wales).

19/11/2025

🌟 Exciting Opportunities with Aspire 🌟

We’re expanding our team to meet the ever-growing demand for trauma specialist psychologists across the UK.

What’s on offer:
📍 Location: Based in the North East, with opportunities to support children’s residential homes nationwide
🧠 Role: Specialist trauma assessments, consultation and reflective space sessions, therapeutic input, and delivering expert training
💼 Position: £57-59k depending on experience
🎓 Development: CPD budget, annual bonus, and supervision by experienced clinical psychologists
🤝 Support: Strong peer network, learning & development opportunities, and regular social activities
🍩 Culture: A team that values connection, growth, and plenty treats!
📅 Recruitment Timeline
Keep your eyes peeled — we’ll be advertising formally in early 2026.

19/11/2025

19/11/2025

🌟Meet James 🌟

James is an Occupational Therapist and qualified Sensory Integration Practitioner.

Since qualifying in 2017, he’s worked mostly in paediatric settings, from specialist sensory integration clinics to acute inpatient hospital wards.

When he’s not helping others, James enjoys music, movies, exercise, hiking in woodlands, and spending time with his family, ideally somewhere sunny! ☀️

Now, James works with Aspire to help children and families understand sensory and functional challenges, with the goal of boosting independence, building confidence, and removing barriers to meaningful activities.

We are so glad to have James on board! 🎉🙌

19/11/2025

Standing in solidarity with every man struggling with their mental health this .

17/11/2025

✨ Welcome Back, Emma! ✨

We’re delighted that Emma, our Clinical Psychologist, has re-joined the Aspire team! 🎉

Emma has a specialist interest in attachment theory and developmental trauma, and she’s passionate about helping staff teams understand the impact of complex trauma on young people and their families.

She brings a wealth of experience from roles across the NHS and private services, including secure inpatient settings, Looked After Children’s CAMHS, psychological staff support services, and her time as a Senior Lecturer at Teesside University. 🏥📚

Emma previously worked with Aspire as an associate in 2021–2022, and we’re thrilled to have her back with us from November 2025.

Outside of work, Emma enjoys playing tennis a couple of times a week and spending time with her friends and family. 🎾

Please join us in giving her a warm welcome back! 🌟👏

15/11/2025

When a young person’s protective response is activated, their body moves faster than their thinking brain. Co-regulation isn’t about 'calming them down' — it’s about offering the steady nervous system they can borrow while theirs finds its way back to safety.

Co-Regulation in Action, breaks down what this actually looks like in real moments: the posture, the pacing, the tone, and the choices that help a child feel safe enough to reconnect.

If you’d like a deeper dive into this approach, you can explore the full resource, the Protection Response, available now (link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio).

There are two more posts going up today to complete the The Protective Response Series — Safe Before Sorry and Recovery After the Response — so make sure to check those out if you want the complete picture.

11/11/2025