Annie Higgs

Independent Mental Health Practitioner

I am keen to promote well-being by exploring options available that are physiological, practical, emotional and psychological. I work in partnership in a structured way, using compassionate approaches to enable people to cope with life's stresses. I work with individuals and am also able to work with those offering a supportive and or caring role to someone.

About Me

SRN, RMN, Dip N, Dip IASMI(Thorn accredited), BSc (Hons), PGCE, MSc MH Practice, Certificate in the Advanced Diploma in Relational Supervision.

I am currently working as an Independent Mental Health Practitioner, Supervisor and Trainer.

Practitioner

I am keen to promote well-being by exploring options available that are physiological, practical, emotional and psychological. I work in partnership in a structured way, using compassionate approaches to enable people to cope with life’s stresses. I work with individuals and am also able to work with those offering a supportive and or caring role to someone.

Specific issues explored often include poor self-confidence, stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. These issues are often linked to changes in behaviour such as not going out, poor sleep patterns, weight management or use of alcohol. We can also look for opportunities for you to change how you feel by changing how you think.

I have worked in health services since 1977, training as a general Nurse & then as a psychiatric nurse. I have worked in both hospital and community settings, alongside those with a number of different health related issues, across a variety of age ranges. I have experience of working with individuals, groups and a variety of organisations. Before leaving the local NHS MH Trust in 2008 I was part of Psychological Therapies.

Trainer

Since 1996 I have designed and delivered courses at varying levels of academia from awareness training to varying levels of skill development.

In my role as Clinical Specialist for Psychosocial Interventions in the local NHS Foundation Trust I offered training, with both individual and group supervision, across a range of services, in a number of settings. My specialist subjects included family work for psychosis, medication management, working with high-risk patients and facilitating weight management groups and improving the physical health of those who use mental health services.

I have been module leader and delivered course at degree level training in the local university, in a variety of organisations including hospitals, community health and social services centres, charities and other non-statutory community based projects.

I am able to design and deliver training as well as supervise specific projects within organisations. Integrating supervision into training courses has improved skills development, client outcomes and service provision.

Supervisor

I have a Certificate in the Advanced Diploma in Relational Supervision. I am used to working with a range of professional groups including Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists and Doctors both within and alongside NHS services.

My supervision could be described at different times as educational, consultancy, and reparative. I offer supervision in an individual or group setting in which we negotiate the purpose of our meeting, the length and regularity of meetings, and the recording of any notes made. We conclude by summarising what has been discussed and agreed and how the meeting has been experienced by those present.

My supervisor is a counsellor, coach, and trainer working in both small and large organisational settings.

Publications

I was part of a national project by the Institute of Psychiatry to supervise & train others to combine Cognitive Behavioural Interventions with Motivational Interviewing Techniques. Co-author with Gray. R. (2002) ‘Medication Management dissemination project group. Sweetening the pills’. Mental Health Today. February, pages 22-24.

This reported on the national dissemination programme about Medication Management co-ordinated by the Institute of Psychiatry. This followed a PhD by Richard Gray, which improved patient outcomes by using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Motivational Interviewing to increase concordance with antipsychotic medication. I was one of a small number of clinicians invited from across the nation to attend training at the IOP. As an honorary tutor of the IOP I then returned to my locality to train other practitioners to use these techniques when working with service users.

I have written about individual and family work with someone experiencing a severe and enduring mental illness. Co-authored with Thompson. R. (2007) ‘Integrating approaches: how family and individual work went beyond managing the illness & transformed Roger’s life’ in Davis. E, Drage. M, Smith. G and Velleman. R. (Eds) Changing Outcomes in Psychosis: Case studies from users, carers and practitioners. Blackwell Publishing. Chapter 5.

This chapter was co authored with a service user who had a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. The chapter discusses how I offered individual relapse prevention work, alongside family work, to promote his recovery. It gives the rationale for using evidence based interventions, which are service user focussed

I have also co authored a manual for practitioners offering family work to those who experience enduring mental health such as psychosis and dementia. Co-authored with Gina Smith and Karl Gregory (2007). An Integrated Approach to Family Work for Psychosis. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London.

This manual is for those working with families or carers of people with severe mental illness, using a structured approach alongside a working relationship. It discusses the core components of family work, why it is offered, who is it for, what it comprises, when it might be offered, where it can be applied and how to do so. It is a practical handbook, which aims to promote recovery from psychosis.

Research Article

 

More from Severn Talking Therapy

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Systemic Constellations

Supervision Training & CPD

Counselling & Psychotherapy