ABOUT
About
Dr Aaron Shaw
Clinical Psychologist
I am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and HCPC-registered practitioner with over 15 years of experience working across psychological and healthcare services.
Throughout my career, I have worked with people experiencing a wide range of psychological, emotional and cognitive difficulties - from anxiety, depression and trauma through to complex mental health difficulties, neurological conditions and dementia.
What I have learned is that effective therapy rarely comes from simply applying a technique.
It begins with understanding the person.
How I Work
My approach is warm, thoughtful and collaborative.
When someone comes to therapy, I want to understand not only what they are struggling with, but also how those difficulties have developed, what may be maintaining them, and what has happened in their life that might help us make sense of their experiences.
Clinical psychologists call this psychological formulation.
Rather than fitting you into a diagnosis or using the same treatment for everyone, formulation allows us to develop an individual understanding of what is happening and use that to guide therapy.
For some people, this involves developing practical strategies for managing anxiety, mood or stress. For others, therapy may involve understanding longstanding patterns, difficult relationships, past experiences, self-criticism or ways of coping that are no longer working as well as they once did.
Often, it involves a combination of both.
My Therapeutic Approach
My clinical psychology training allows me to draw upon a range of evidence-based psychological approaches rather than working exclusively within one therapy model.
Depending on the individual and the difficulties we are working with, therapy may incorporate ideas and techniques from:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
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Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
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Systemic and relational approaches
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Behavioural approaches
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Cognitive rehabilitation and neuropsychological approaches
The particular model is less important than using it thoughtfully.
My aim is to provide therapy that makes psychological sense for you, rather than asking you to fit around a particular therapy.
Experience and Clinical Interests
My professional experience has included work across mental health, physical health, neuropsychology and dementia services.
This has involved psychological assessment and therapy with people experiencing both common and more complex or long-standing difficulties.
I have a particular interest in working with people experiencing:
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Anxiety and persistent worry
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Depression and low mood
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Trauma and difficult life experiences
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Burnout and chronic stress
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Low self-esteem and self-criticism
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Relationship and interpersonal difficulties
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Cognitive and neurological difficulties
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Dementia and the psychological impact of caring for someone with dementia
Alongside my clinical work, I have experience in psychological assessment, supervision, consultation, teaching and supporting the development of other psychology professionals.
Professional Qualifications and Registration
I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and hold Chartered status with the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Qualifications
DClinPsy – Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
MSc – Master of Science
PGDip – Postgraduate Diploma
BSc (Hons) – Bachelor of Science with Honours
Professional Registration
HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist
Registration number: PYL36283
BPS Chartered Psychologist
Membership number: 487148
What You Can Expect From Me
Therapy should feel like something we do together, rather than something that is done to you.
You can expect me to be:
Curious
I will take time to understand your experiences rather than jumping to conclusions.
Collaborative
We will agree together what we are working towards and regularly consider whether therapy is helping.
Evidence-informed
My recommendations and therapeutic approach are informed by psychological research and clinical practice.
Individualised
Therapy will be adapted to your circumstances, goals and needs rather than following a generic programme.
Open and straightforward
If I think another service or professional would be better placed to help you, I will tell you.
Appointments
I offer in-person psychological therapy in Bristol on selected weekday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Online appointments are also available across the UK.
If you are considering therapy but are unsure whether I am the right psychologist for you, you are welcome to arrange a free 15-minute enquiry call before deciding whether to book an initial appointment.