Meet Our Team

“It has been a pleasure working with a NESSie therapist to support one of our pupils”

SENCo (Primary)

Work With Us

Rachel Lambie (she/her)
MA, HCPC, BADth, MBACP

Chief Executive Officer

Meet Rachel

Sarah Blackford (she/her)
MA, PGdip, HCPC BADth

Operations Manager and Supervisor

Meet Sarah

Our Team of Experts

All of NESSie’s practitioners are qualified and registered with the relevant authorities. Our team holds current DBS, Child Protection and Prevent training and receive regular supervision.

Charlotte Wilmer-Barbrook (she/her)
PGDip, HCPC, BADth

Dramatherapist

Meet Charlotte

Harri Nicholas (she/her)
MA, HCPC, BAAT

Art Therapist

Meet Harri

Tim Goldman (he/him)
MA, HCPC, BADth

Dramatherapist

Meet Tim

Richard Leigh (he/him)
Dip.Couns, Dip.Sup, MBACP(accred)

Counsellor

Meet Richard

Viv Ofstedahl (she/her)
B.Ed, B.SC

Lead Trainer

Meet Viv

Natasha Crook (she/her)
MA HCPC, BADth

Dramatherapist

Meet Natasha

Sarah Booth (she/her)
MA, PGCE, HCPC, BAAT

Art Therapist

Meet Sarah

Sarah Payne (she/her)
MA, HCPC, NMT, BAMT

Music Therapist,
ASD/LD Specialist

Meet Sarah

George Fisher (them/they)
Dip Couns, MBACP

Counsellor

Meet George

Annette Walker (she/her)
BPS

ASD/LD Specialist

Meet Annette

Ellie Keiller (she/her)
BPS

Dramatherapist

Meet Ellie

Julie Stokes (she/her)
Dip Couns, BACP

Integrative Arts Counsellor

Meet Julie

Yoshi Bear (he/him)

Pet Assisted Therapy Dog

Meet Yoshi Bear

Emma Brummell (she/her)

Play Therapist

Meet Emma

CYP IAPT Trainee Practitioners

Joshua Webb (he/him)
MA, HCPC

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Meet Joshua

Alexandra Lutton (she/her)
MA, HCPC

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Meet Alexandra

Philip Clarke (he/him)
MA, HCPC

Systemic Family Practitioner

Meet Philip

Sarah Foster (she/her)

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Meet Sarah

Extended Team

Claire Twomey

Play Therapist

Katherine Kennedy

Mental Health Nurse

Leigh Edwards

Integrative and Person-Centred Counsellor

Marissa Green

Dramatherapist/Mental Health Practitioner

Sarah Bracey

Art Therapist

Sarah Edmonds

Art Therapist

Suzanne Funiciello

Counsellor

Angela Gillen

Play Therapist

Belinda Hamblin

Dramatherapist

Chandra Chapman

Music Therapist

Cecilia Rangel-Crow

Art Therapist

Rachel Lambie (she/her)

MA, HCPC, BADth, MBACP

Chief Executive Officer

Rachel is the founder and CEO of NESSie. She is a registered Dramatherapist, Counsellor, trainer and Supervisor. She has been working with children and young people in educational settings since qualifying in 1998. She is a passionate social entrepreneur who believes that therapy should be evidence-based and accessible for all. She believes that every child and young person has a right to thrive and that families and professionals in education have the potential to be great ‘therapists’ for their children if given the right training and support. She is currently working on a Professional Doctorate at ARU researching young people’s conceptualisation of Mental Health.

She loves knitting and growing flowers.

Sarah Blackford (she/her)

MA, PGdip, HCPC BADth

Operations Manager

Sarah is an experienced manager and marketing and sales coordinator. She is also a registered Dramatherapist, CYP IAPT evidence-based counselling practitioner and certified supervisor with over 8 years of experience working in child and adolescent mental health multi-agency partnerships. She has a special interest in post adoption support and attachment, as well as experience working with mainstream schools and a children’s hospice supporting siblings of those with life limiting conditions. She is currently training with the Anna Freud Centre and UCL on the Leading Transformation and Change: Children and Young People’s Mental Health Wellbeing Services program.

She loves spending time gardening and creating weird and wonderful dishes whilst cooking!

Charlotte Wilmer-Barbrook (she/her)

PGDip, HCPC, BADth

Dramatherapist

Charlotte has been working in education as a Drama and Movement therapist for over twenty-five years. ‘I am passionate about the psychological and physical well-being of children and young people. I practice using integrative therapy skills as well as Jungian psychotherapy’. Charlotte works with groups and individuals offering creative tools for self-expression. Her particular areas of interest are ASD and trauma.

In her spare time, she looks after her cheeky dogs, chickens, ducks and horses!

Harri Nicholas (she/her)

HCPC, BAAT

Art Therapist

Harri has worked with children in a variety of educational settings providing group and 1:1 Art Therapy sessions. ‘I have experience working with children and young people with Learning Disabilities which means I have to adapt my practice to be flexible and practical for those with complex physical and learning needs. My interest areas are ASD, LD, Bereavement and Trauma’.

When she’s not working, she’s usually on her yoga mat!

Tim Goldman (he/him)

MA, HCPC, BADth

St Albans and Harpenden Arts Therapist (Drama)

Tim is a Sesame-trained Dramatherapist and previously worked as a teacher and an actor. Much of Tim’s work has been in schools, particularly alongside children with various Special Educational Needs. More recently he has been working in mainstream schools with children who have experienced trauma or high levels of anxiety. Tim also trained as a CYP-IAPT CBT and Humanistic therapist for anxiety and low mood.

Tim enjoys getting outdoors as much as possible, particularly when it is wet and muddy.

Richard Leigh (he/him)

Dip.Couns, Dip.Sup, CYP IAPT, MBACP(accred)

Supervisor, CYP IAPT CBT and Humanistic Therapist, BACP accredited Counsellor, and NESSie Private Counselling Coordinator

Richard is an accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, with 20 years of experience counselling adults and young people.

‘I am a NESSie counsellor, working online and face to face supporting young people and their parents. My counselling method is based on the Person-Centred Therapy approach for a range of mental health concerns. I also offer CBT for anxiety’.

Viv Ofstedahl (she/her)

B.Ed, B.SC

Lead Trainer

Viv has been a teacher for over 30 yrs – teaching PE in both secondary and middle schools. She has spent the majority of her career in Hertfordshire after returning from a teaching post in the Bahamas. In most recent years she has been supporting pupils in school with social & emotional difficulties and has taken on a mental health and wellbeing lead role in school.

Since 2015 she has been working closely with NESSie focusing on supporting staff in schools with a variety of training in particular; self-harm, LGBT foundation and positive mental health & wellbeing.

Natasha Crook (she/her)

MA HCPC, BADth

Dramatherapist

Natasha is a qualified Dramatherapist and CYP IAPT trained supervisor with experience working within SEN and mainstream schools across Hertfordshire. Within these settings her work is often with young people who are in foster care, have experienced bereavement and trauma and are on the Autistic spectrum. ‘Expressing and allowing creativity is fundamental within my life and my work and I hope to give space for young people to find this within themselves.’

She loves playing netball as well as baking nice treats!

Sarah Booth (she/her)

MA, PGCE, HCPC, BAAT

Art Therapist

Sarah is a trained primary school teacher and a qualified art therapist working with children and young people across North Herts. She has experience across a range of settings including; Nursery Centres, pupil’s referrals units and residential children’s homes. Her particular interests are preverbal trauma and attachment difficulties. ‘I am privileged to be an art therapist and love my job’. When not at work she can be found creating her own works of art.

Sarah Payne (she/her)

MA, HCPC, NMT, BAMT

Music Therapist and ASD/LD Specialist (CYP-IAPT)

Sarah is a qualified music teacher, therapist and ASC/LD specialist. She has experience across a range of settings including neuro-rehab and educational settings, both mainstream and special school. She now specialises working with autistic and neurodiverse children and young people, adoption and neurological rehab.

When she is not at work, she can be found playing football, working on her podcast or performing with her band across the UK.

George Fisher (them/they)

Dip Couns, MBACP

Counsellor

George has over 20 years’ experience as an autism specialist, working with children, parents, carers and professionals. Through extensive training in this field, George has offered support, advice and guidance to families and those working in education and Children’s Services within Hertfordshire. George is a BACP registered person-centred therapist with experience of counselling adult’s children and young people and is currently completing a PG Cert in CYP IAPT Supervision. George also has a background of teaching performing arts and enjoys tai chi as a way to relax.

Annette Walker (she/her)

BPS

ASD/LD Specialist

Annette is an CYP-IAPT ASD/LD specialist practitioner and member of the BPS.

She has 15 years' experience of working within SEND across mainstream early years, primary and secondary educational settings and is passionate about supporting neurodiverse children, young people and their families.

When she’s not working, Annette loves being outside and spending time with her family and friends.

Ellie Keiller (she/her)

Dramatherapist

Ellie is a newly qualified Dramatherapist and a NESSie Transition Support Worker. So far, she has worked with children who have profound and multiple disabilities and, in the NHS, with adults in inpatient mental health settings.

Before her Dramatherapy training, Ellie worked in a number of charities and spent some time living in Paris. When she’s away from work, you’ll probably find her playing netball, cycling or catching up with friends over coffee!

Julie Stokes (she/her)

Dip Couns, BSCP

School Integrative Arts Counsellor in DSPL5 (Coordinator), DSPL 2 and at Hitchin Girls’ School

Julie is a BACP registered Child and Adolescent Integrative Arts Counsellor.

She has experience of working in both primary and secondary schools across Hertfordshire and practices child-centred counselling using creativity and play.

When she’s not working, she loves the outdoors, Pilates, creating her own art and baking.

Yoshi Bear (he/him)

Pet Assisted Therapy Dog

Yoshi Bear is seven years old and is a cocker spaniel. He lives and works with Charlotte, the Area Co-ordinator for Stevenage, and loves nothing better than helping CYP relax, laugh and have fun. His particular areas of expertise are with CYP with ASD/ADHD and PDA.

Yoshi Bear won the Hertfordshire NHS Leading Lights Award 2019 for his contribution as a volunteer at the Watford Neurological Rehabilitation Unit. His sessions have been described as ‘magical’! He also won the North London Community NHS Trust Award 2020 for Dog Volunteer!

Emma Brummell

(she/her)

Emma is an Integrative Play Therapist working with nursery and Primary school aged children. Emma mainly provides play therapy in Primary and nursery school settings, however she has also worked as a Play Therapist in a range of other settings including children’s centres and Women’s refuges. Emma has experience working with children who have experienced DV, children who are in foster care, children who have experienced complex trauma, loss and attachment difficulties.

She most enjoys a cup of tea and a good book, preferably curled up with a blanket.

Joshua Webb (he/him)

MA, HCPC

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Josh is a student CYP-IAPT ASD/LD specialist practitioner and a qualified Drama and Movement Therapist and is currently training as a CYP IAPT Practitioner. He has experience across a range of settings including school children, young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, LGBTQ+ persons, ASD, LD and PMLD.

He loves going on long drives in the country!

Alexandra Lutton (she/her)

MA, HCPC

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Alex is a is a student CYP-IAPT ASD/LD specialist practitioner and registered Dramatherapist . She has experience working in mainstream primary school settings as well as adult learning disability services. Alex worked abroad in Miami as part of a team delivering a mental wellness programme in impoverished areas to children between the ages of 5-18.

Alex loves to knit and in her spare time loves to make teddies!

Philip Clarke (he/him)

MA, HCPC

Systemic Family Practitioner

Phil is a student CYP-IAPT Systemic Family Practitoner and HCPC registered Music Therapist who trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. As well as being a multi-instrumentalist and recording producer, his Music Therapy experience varies from working in the NHS, Alternative Provision Schools and working within his local community. His continuing training includes attending the Society of Analytical Psychology and Philadelphia Association.

Phil enjoys swimming and walking his dog Hendrix.

Sarah Foster (she/her)

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Learning Disabilities

Sarah is currently completing the is a student CYP-IAPT ASD/LD specialist in working with autistic children and those with learning disabilities. She has experience working in mainstream nurseries, primary and secondary school settings, and specialist provision, and is a qualified early years teacher.

She loves nothing more than a day on the beach with her four children.