Hi, I’m Dr Jo Coombs
Welcome to my practice, Join Psychology which offers a number of different services, including therapy, autism spectrum assessments, expert witness services, consultation, training and supervision. I set-up Join Psychology so that I could help people by offering consistent, high-quality and effective services which are genuinely tailored to each person's needs. I have created a warm, safe space to understand your difficulties so we can work collaboratively together to discover your strengths and make meaningful changes.
Jo graduated from university with a First Class Honours degree in Psychology and went on to complete a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, initially specialising in systemic approaches with children, adolescents and families. Jo has worked extensively in the field of adult neurodevelopmental conditions and has also worked with children and adolescents affected by developmental trauma and attachment difficulties.
Throughout her career, Jo has had a strong interest in understanding how our earliest experiences and relationships shape our lives, wellbeing and relationships over time. She has specialised in attachment, trauma and systemically-focused approaches to understanding and working with people’s difficulties and relationships. For Jo, the relationship between client and therapist is key and she builds strong, safe relationships with open, honest dialogues between client and therapist.
Upon completion of her doctorate, further systemic training and many years working in the NHS, she decided in 2017 to move into private practice. Doing this has enabled her to offer far more flexibility with the care offered to her clients. She has also been able to focus on areas of special interest including attachment and trauma-informed psychological therapies such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC), particularly in adults.
Dr Jo Coombs is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Registered Practitioner (Clinical) Psychologist with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Her qualifications and specialist training include:
Psychology & Clinical Psychology:
- BSc (Hons) Psychology.
- PsychD Clinical Psychology.
Psychological Therapies:
- Graduate and Post-Graduate Certificates in Systemic Practice (Families and Couples).
- Attachment Narrative Therapy (ANT).
- Integrative Restoration and Yoga Nidra.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
- Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
- Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR – Adults and Children).
- Dynamic Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM).
Neurodevelopmental Conditions:
- Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO).
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Version Two (ADOS-2).
- Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults (DIVA).
Expert Witness Services:
- The Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Expert Witness Family Certificate (2022), including Bond Solon training courses in Family Law and Procedure, Excellence in Report Writing, Courtroom Skills and Cross Examination.
Healthcare Management:
- Level 5 Qualification in Leadership from the Institute of Healthcare Management.
Based in Berkshire, Jo offers therapy options in-person and online for individuals, couples and families. Alongside her therapeutic work, Jo also specialises in neurodevelopmental conditions, including adult autism assessment, post-diagnostic support, adapted psychological therapies and autism assessment in the courts.
Psychological Therapy
Jo works therapeutically with individuals, couples and families either online or from her comfortable, spacious and welcoming practice in Berkshire.
Autism and ADHD Assessments
Jo also specialises in diagnostic assessments of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) for young people and adults (aged 16+).
Expert Witness Services
Dr. Jo Coombs offers a range of assessments of adults and children in family Court proceedings.
Training and Consultation
Jo works with professionals, teams and services who might be in need of training in relation to mental health, psychological therapies and neurodevelopmental conditions. High-quality training packages that are individually tailored to your needs can be arranged for small groups and larger audiences.
Clinical Supervision
Jo offers a range of services for psychologists and other health professionals such as clinical supervision and consultation for teams and services. Jo has many years experience of supervising health care professionals and psychologists.