Augmentive

18/08/2025

“I believe neurodevelopmental differences are not deficits, but diverse blueprints for brilliance and my role is to help decode that brilliance.”

We are honoured to welcome Dr Saman Shahzad, a highly experienced Consultant Psychiatrist, to Augmentive.

With over two decades of clinical experience across the NHS and private sector, Dr Shahzad has dedicated her career to supporting neurodivergent adults. She specialises in the assessment, diagnosis and management of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Her approach is rooted in compassion and understanding. She views diagnostic assessments not as labels, but as keys to understanding how someone thinks, learns and thrives.

She supports her patients with:
• Comprehensive ADHD assessment & diagnosis
• Autism spectrum assessment & diagnosis
• Collaborative, tailored treatment plans

“At every step, I’m here to uncover potential, not problems.”

At Augmentive, we help people understand their minds and take meaningful action. That begins with exceptional experts. That’s why we’re so proud to have Dr Shahzad on our team.

👉 Learn more about Dr Shahzad on her profile.

The world needs your mind in action. 🌍

03/07/2025

“Treating adult ADHD is one of the most satisfying periods in my psychiatric career to date.”

We are honoured to welcome Dr Micheal Shortt, a fantastic Consultant Psychiatrist, to Augmentive. 

Michael’s journey began in the Ministry of Defence, treating undiagnosed patients whose mental health was impacting their ability to serve. What stood out? Many were struggling with undiagnosed ADHD having been misunderstood, mislabeled and unsupported for years.

Michael’s mission is clear: to help people understand themselves, get the care they deserve and live up to their full potential.


Dr Shortt is a true expert in understanding neurodivergent minds. 🧠

He supports his patients with:

• Comprehensive ADHD assessment & diagnosis
• Ongoing treatment plans
• Practical, real-world support

“Helping undiagnosed adults with ADHD go from misunderstood to empowered, so they can excel in life.” 

At Augmentive, we help people understand their minds and take meaningful action. That begins with exceptional experts. That’s why we’re so proud to have Dr Shortt on our team.

👉 Head to his profile to learn more about Dr Shortt.

The world needs your mind in action. 🌍

22/05/2025

A late diagnosis doesn’t mean late understanding, it means finally understanding. Many adults discover their ADHD through their children’s diagnosis. When parents get the right support first, the entire family benefits.” 🌱✨

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Vicky Cleak, a highly experienced Consultant Psychiatrist, to Augmentive. 🎉

Having received her own ADHD diagnosis later in life and as a mother of children with ADHD, Dr Cleak deeply understands the nuances of her patients’ experiences and the importance of compassionate, personalised care.

With over 20 years in psychiatry across the NHS and private care, Dr Cleak specialises in adult ADHD diagnosis and ongoing treatment. 🧠

Dr Cleak supports her patients with:

✨ Comprehensive ADHD assessments & medication management
✨ Sleep issues linked to ADHD
✨ Hormonal influences (menstrual cycles, menopause)
✨ Holistic care (physical health, nutrition, lifestyle)
✨ Broader mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder)

“You bring your lived experience. I bring the ADHD expertise. Together, we make sense of it for you.” 🌱

At Augmentive, we help people understand their minds and take meaningful action. That begins with exceptional experts, like Dr Cleak.

👉 Head to our website to learn more about Dr Cleak and book an appointment.

The world needs your mind in action. 🌎

10/04/2025

“Being seen, heard, and accepted after a diagnosis can be more powerful than starting treatment.”

🧠 At Augmentive, we help people understand their minds – and take action.

That starts with having the right experts.

We’re excited to welcome Dr Johnny Iyiola, a highly experienced Consultant Psychiatrist, to the Augmentive platform.

Dr Iyiola brings over a decade of experience in psychiatry across the NHS and private sector, specialising in ADHD, Autism, and AuDHD diagnostic assessments, as well as ongoing treatment.

He can help people with:
* ADHD & Autism
* AuDHD
* Neurodiversity education and support

“A diagnosis is empowering as it validates one’s experiences. My goal isn’t just to treat, but to educate individuals on how to embrace their neurodiversity. Working together, we tailor treatment to each person’s unique needs.”

We’re proud to have him on board.

📍 Visit his profile to learn more and book an appointment.

The world needs your mind in action.

14/02/2025

We are thrilled to welcome Dr Simmi Sachdeva-Mohan, a highly regarded Consultant Psychiatrist, to Augmentive. 👋

“I have been a psychiatrist since 1995, but every day is different. No patient is the same and despite many having similar symptoms, they all have a different story.”

“In ADHD diagnoses, it is helpful to consider a person as a whole in correlation with information from their childhood. This is when neurodivergence starts however, many people aren’t diagnosed till later in life, which impairs areas of their jobs and social life. Medication is helpful for many but for others just understanding their condition improves their quality of life. It is similar in ASD, where individuals may have always felt they are a little different but they never get a chance to understand why they feel different. Having that diagnosis as an adult can validate the feelings they have had all along and help them find mechanisms to adapt to better routines.”

Visit Dr Sachdeva-Mohan’s profile to get to know her better. 🤳

06/02/2025

It is a pleasure to welcome James Lakey, an accomplished Counselling Psychologist at Augmentive. 👋

James has over 15 years of experience in NHS Psychological Therapy services. He has treated a wide range of issues, including depression, anxiety disorders (PTSD, OCD, agoraphobia), psychosis, and personality disorders, as well as challenges with self-harm, impulsivity, and emotional regulation. He also offers consultation, supervision, and training to colleagues in mental health.

“The NHS is fantastic as a free point of entry for mental health care which people can access no matter their financial situation. However, support is restricted by set time frames that are not dictated by the therapist. In private practice the goals can be more needs-led without time limitations, allowing therapists to be more creative around how they develop shared goals which meet client needs.”

With a specific interest in trauma therapy, he is further qualified and fully accredited as an Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist, which is offered as an intervention integrated into a longer-term therapy.

“I am passionate about EDMR as my primary therapeutic approach. It has the ability to help so many issues as well as trauma. My expertise in working with complex long-standing concerns was developed working in secondary care NHS Services, alongside this I now also specialise in everyday difficulties and less complex PTSD. Seeking therapy can feel like a daunting step, however I aim to create a safe space where I can develop a treatment plan with my client, focusing on what they want to change, directed by them to meet the goals we set together. This process is strongly collaborative, during on my expertise as a Psychologist and my client’s expert knowledge of themselves as a person.”

Visit Jame’s profile to get to know him better. 🤳

06/02/2025

21/01/2025

Introducing Sonia Costantini, a compassionate and highly insightful Psychotherapist here at Augmentive. 👋

Sonia’s training in Psychotherapeutic Counselling provides her with an integrative approach that builds a collaborative client therapist relationship. Her practice offers support to those experiencing anxiety, low mood, overwhelm and relationship difficulties as well as those feeling lost, powerless or having trouble navigating a period of change.

Warm, friendly and relaxed, Sonia creates a non-judgemental space in her sessions that allows for self-exploration, growth and recovery. She prides making her clients feel heard and understood in a safe space as a priority in supporting real change in one’s thought patterns and beliefs.

“I went into psychotherapy as a second career, prior to this I was in the corporate software security world. I have lived in four different countries (Italy, South Africa, the US and the UK) and speak English, Italian and Afrikaans fluently. I have connected with many people and cultures which is what led me to the therapeutic world.”

As part of Sonia’s recent Masters in Psychotherapy she completed a research project in Cultural Homelessness, exploring what it means to feel out of place in any situation and how to overcome that sense of difference and being on the outside.

“I consider myself integrative which means looking at the person as a whole and what they bring from their past. It is a mind-body approach that takes in the complexities of each different client. Given my experience and what I have lived through, I have a strong ability to connect and relate to different people therapeutically.”

Sonia offers her sessions both online and in person in both Richmond and Hampton.

Visit Sonia’s profile to get to know her better. 🤳

https://augmentive.io/professionals/sonia-costantini

09/01/2025

Introducing Ben Gold, a dynamic and multifaceted Psychotherapist at Augmentive. 👋

Ben is a person centred psychotherapist with further training in anger management, sexuality and working with groups.

Ben’s core area of interest is around working with couples and couples as parents. This often begins looking at a clients general relationship perspective, leading onto looking at their role as parents. His clients in the past have been of both the older and younger generations as well as all sexualities. Ben really is able to work with almost all scenarios.

“Parenting work often looks at how parents communicate with their children, considering whether they are subconsciously acting out the behaviours they grew up with. We look at different ways of responding and talking to their children, making shifts in generational communication. Furthermore we consider what we as adults bring into our relationship and parenting styles, unravelling them to make things more conscious, perhaps making different choices as a result of that.”

Alongside his work at Augmentive, Ben is a tutor at Homa that runs a four year humanistic psychotherapy diploma training program and has been a leader in The Mankind Project since 2009, a worldwide men’s organisation that provides alternative training weekends, alongside men’s groups and a network of support. A truly approachable and experienced therapist, Ben is an asset to the therapists we work with.

Head to his profile to learn more. 🤳

https://lnkd.in/dZWd5K6P

19/12/2024

Introducing Nick Buscall another esteemed Psychotherapist offering support at Augmentive. 👋

Nick’s therapeutic background includes a 5 year MSc in Integrative Humanistic Psychotherapy as well as extensive training in coaching and meditation practices. This has provided him with an integrated approach to personal development and mental wellbeing to support clients to foster positive habits and challenge outdated patterns.

“Life is a blend of joys and sorrows, and true growth embraces both. Coaching offers support which is progressive, focused on life as it is today, balanced between internal transformation and external action. Therapy offers a compassionate approach, inclusive of challenging emotions and experiences. Together they build a neural architecture capable of meeting the polarities of life and rewarding everyday change and benefit.”

Alongside psychotherapy and coaching, Nick also teaches contemplative practices to support clients in accessing states of wellbeing on their own through meditation and breathwork.

Head to his profile to learn more. 🤳

12/12/2024

Meet Shona Gibbs, a Counsellor and Psychotherapist at Augmentive with a unique approach. 👋

Shona has 28 years of experience in this field. Her journey originally began in social work, leading to counselling and then going on to study at The Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy. She works with people of all ages and social backgrounds, seeing something unique in the stories of every one of her clients. She draws off both Person-Centred, Psychodynamic and CBT methods, as well as a Pluralist approach, using creative techniques to form a collaborative relationship which is authentic to her clients needs and experiences.

“I reel against having a unique selling point or niche in my practice because one of my core values is to see what makes each individual unique. I invite every situation in, opposed to having a narrow focus.”

Shona is based in Perthshire and sees clients remotely all over Europe and London as well as closer to her home in person. Having previously been based in the South of England and then Italy where she brought up her three children, she has an understanding of expatriation and the difficulties and adaptations presented to children through merging cultures.

Through skilful communication Shona encourages people to feel safe, listened to and comfortable in her presence.

Head to her profile to learn more. 🤳

03/12/2024

Introducing Dr Sanjay Nelson, a highly valued Consultant Psychiatrist at Augmentive. 👋

Dr Nelson has been working as a Consultant Psychiatrist for almost 15 years, specialising in the support of adults with neurodevelopmental conditions and learning disabilities.

Within this field he is an expert in the diagnostic assessment of adults with Autism (ASD.)

“My passion is about reducing health inequalities and inequities in people with learning disabilities and autism. In my experience as a diagnostic clinician, people who have been diagnosed autistic, can find that it helps them understand their strengths better and make the reasonable adjustments they deserve within both education and employment.”

Dr Nelson holds to high esteem an interest in psychopathology of psychiatric illnesses and the accuracy of his diagnostic work. Further to his position at Augmentive, he also has a CCT in the psychiatry of intellectual disability and serves as the Clinical Director for Learning Disability services at an NHS Foundation Trust.

Head to his profile to learn more. 🤳

https://augmentive.io/professionals/sanjay-nelson