About Us

We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs and health professionals who are dedicated to making psychological therapy widely accessible, especially to those clients disadvantaged by the traditional methods of delivering therapy. By creating an app that allows immediate support from a mobile phone we aim to empower people to manage their mental health more effectively.

Our team at Psyma have handpicked some of the top psychologists who are qualified to the highest standards. Our psychologists go through rigorous interviews, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, are members of their regulatory bodies, have valid private indemnity insurance and receive ongoing supervision to enhance their clinical skills. They are also all registered with their regulatory bodies which includes one or more of the following:

We are dedicated to delivering a high quality clinical service and adhere strictly to NICE guidelines and standards set out by regulatory bodies such as the BPS, BABCP and HCPC.  Our team is supported by specialist advisors and they regularly consult with experts in the field to ensure the service they offer is outstanding.

Meet our team

Dr Saeema Ghafur
Co-Founder & CEO

I am a HCPC, BPS & BABCP accredited chartered Clinical Psychologist with over 10 years of experience working in the NHS. Having seen first-hand clients facing long waiting lists and struggling to attend face to face sessions, I was motivated to create a service that fit around my client’s needs. With mobile phones transforming the way people live their lives, we had the idea of creating an app that would allow clients to video call a psychologist. We built Psyma with the aim of providing the highest quality of care in the most accessible format. We hope Psyma empowers people to take care of their mental health in a way that is relevant to how we live today.

Dr Saira Ghafur
Co-Founder & President

I am the lead for digital health policy at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College and also practice as a consultant in Respiratory Medicine at St Mary’s Hospital. This combination of clinical practice and working in the digital health space gives me firsthand experience in how digital technologies can really help to improve care for patients. I was awarded Harkness Fellowship in health policy in 2016/17 and spent a year based at the Commonwealth Fund, New York. My research focused on patient facing technologies and learning from non-healthcare industries to improve patient engagement and adoption. This has been extremely valuable in developing the best product for our clients and ensuring we have quality content to engage people. I have previously served as a Clinical Fellow to the previous National Medical Director at NHS England, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh.

Lord James O'Shaughnessy
Chair

Conservative member of the House of Lords. Previous Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health and No.10 Director of Policy to PM David Cameron.

Meet our Psychologists

We have carefully selected a team of leading mental health professionals.

Dr Matthew Daniel
Clinical Psychologist
D.Clin.Psy, MSocSci Psych, BA Hons Psych, BA 

Therapies offered: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Integrated Cognitive Therapy, Schema Informed Cognitive Therapy

Dr Daniel has expertise in working with all aspects of emotional distress, such as: Mood difficulties, Anxiety Depression Trauma, Relationship difficulties

Dr Daniel has over 10 years of experience working in mental health and hospital settings across the UK and South Africa. He currently holds a part time post in the NHS where he is working with young people and families. In his private practice he works with adults only at present. He can see clients that are experiencing mental health, emotional and family related difficulties. Dr Daniel has extensive expertise in psychological assessment and therapeutic treatment with individuals, couples and groups. He uses a range of psychological approaches in his work, which can include integrated approaches that connect with the individual client.

Dr Victoria Mee
Clinical Psychologist

Therapies offered: Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy Integrative Therapy

Dr Victoria Mee has expertise in the treatment of a range of emotional difficulties, including: Anxiety Work-related stress, Adjustment disorders, Low mood, Trauma Relationship issues, Bereavement & Loss, Psychotic experiences, Alcohol and substance issues, Impulsivity  

Victoria’s approach to Therapy is one which holds importance on the therapeutic relationship to enable change. She endeavours to create a safe, warm, trusting and collaborating space that empowers clients to explore and begin to overcome their difficulties. Victoria will work to gain a thorough understanding of the individual, their difficulties, and personal values, to inform the therapeutic approach, reviewing regularly, and adapting as necessary.

Victoria has been working mainly in adult mental health services for the last 4 years, and within the NHS for the last 2 1/2 years. Specialist areas of Victoria’s practice include building coping strategies to increase resilience, stress management techniques, increasing self-esteem, and helping individuals to develop compassion for themselves and others.

Dr Vaan Livermore-hardy
Clinical Psychologist
HCPC/BPS registered 

I am a friendly, caring and highly competent Chartered Psychologist, who is passionate about improving the lives of my clients by providing high quality psychological care, through the development of a positive therapeutic relationship.

I worked in the NHS for over 15 years, most recently as Team Coordinator of the Neurodevelopmental team in CAMHS at Great Ormond Street Hospital. During this time, I was selected to attend the prestigious Leadership Excellence program aimed at promoting leaders within the NHS. I have published papers, articles and presented conference posters on diverse issues such as psychological mindedness in adults with anxiety and/or depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, girls with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and psycho-education groups for young people. I currently work as an associate Clinical Tutor post at UCL, teaching and supervising Trainee Psychologists and providing consultation on psychological difficulties.

I offer a range of therapeutic models (such as; behavioural, ACT, systemic, cognitive-behavioural and schema focused therapy) depending on your style, needs and the type of difficulty presented. I currently work across the lifespan with adults, children and families. Sessions are warm and collaborative in a style that will put you at ease. Taking account of your strengths, our work will aim to reduce your current difficulties, finding a more resilient way forward for the future.

Katrina Waller
Systemic Psychotherapist

I have over 20 years experience as a psychotherapist specialising in helping people with relationship problems, including the impact on couple and family relationships when a partner or member of the family has a mental health condition such as depression.

Prior to training as a psychotherapist I had a career in global marketing with Unilever which has enabled me to combine my skills as a psychotherapist with the insight and knowledge for also helping people with workplace stress and anxiety.

I have experience of working in an NHS adult community mental health team, as an employee counsellor, and as a private psychotherapist.

My approach with clients is dynamic and practical, providing insight and support alongside developing skills for their relationship and/or managing anxiety and stress

Dr Towhida Rahman
Consultant Psychiatrist
MBChB, MRCPsych

Dr Towhida Rahman is a Consultant Psychiatrist with 12 years’ experience in Psychiatry. She has worked in a wide range of Psychiatric specialities including General Adult Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry. She is currently working as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disabilities.

Towhida routinely conducts comprehensive mental health assessments including reviewing medication, assessing the impact of physical health conditions and medication on mental health, signposting to appropriate specialities and offering complete treatment plans to manage mental health conditions. Through her work over the years, Towhida feels mental health conditions should be managed with a holistic approach.

Currently she is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disabilities but through her training has specialised in assessing neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism and ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) at The Maudsley Hospital, London. Dr Rahman is on the Specialist Register with the General Medical Council and is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dragana Savcic Sanders
Counselling Psychologist
HCPC Registered Practitioner, BSc, MSc Psychology  

Dragana Savcic-Sanders is senior specialist Counselling Psychologist who has worked in the NHS psychological services since 1999. She has a special clinical interest in the psychological impact of traumatic experiences including childhood sexual abuse and the effect of adult trauma such as rape, torture and accidents. 

Dragana has experience and expertise in treating adults presenting with a wide range of psychological difficulties such as anxiety-related disorders, depression, trauma-related psychological difficulties including PTSD, coping with an illness, personality disorder, anger, self-esteem issues and inter-relational and intra-relational difficulty. 

She is highly experienced in providing psychological assessment and therapy as well as supervision, consultancy, group work and psycho-educational programmes. She works within the integrative approach and has further specialist expertise in EMDR and cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). Her expertise and experience allows her to tailor the best approach according to clients’ needs. She is flexible in her approach in terms of frequency, lengths and intensity of therapy.

Dragana is originally from the former Yugoslavia and is fluent in the languages of the Balkans (Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian). She can help with the difficulty arising from adjustments of relocation/living abroad.

Dr Shomsi Khanom
Specialist Clinical Psychologist
BA (Hons), DClinPsy, PGDip CAT, CPsychol

Dr Shomsi Khanom is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with a wide breadth of experience spanning over a decade of working in the NHS. More specifically, she has experience of working with adult clients' presenting with severe and enduring emotional difficulties.

Shomsi's training has provided her with the skills to draw on a range of therapeutic models, as well as specialist knowledge and practise of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Shomsi's additional training established her in the practise of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT).   In some cases, she takes an integrative approach to therapy drawing on a combination of therapeutic models (e.g. psychodynamic, systemic, humanistic). She is skilled in working on a range of psychological issues which include anxiety, OCD, panic, stress, depression or low mood, self-esteem issues, interpersonal/relationship issues and anger. Shomsi believes it is important to build a safe and secure therapeutic relationship in which a client feels understood and not judged but also one which is emotionally challenging.  

A tailor made approach is taken during assessment and treatment. Treatment is flexible and there is the option of short or longer term work to bring about effective change. She aims to promote inner strength and build on resources an individual has in order to enhance emotional and physical wellbeing.
Dr Shomsi Khanom is a Chartered Clinical  Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and registered as Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Dr Roberta Babb
Registered Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist
BSc (Hons), MSc, DClinPsy, CPsychol, CSci AFBPsS

Dr Babb is a Chartered Psychologist who is registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). She is also a Registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a trainee/student member of British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC). Dr Babb works to the set standards, values, and ethical guidelines of the professional bodies.

She has worked within different adult mental health settings as a psychologist since 2008 in the NHS, and more recently in private practice. Dr Babb can offer sessions in the early morning (from 07:00), evenings (from 19:00) and weekends (by prior arrangement). Dr Babb works with adults and with the full spectrum of clinical presentations. Her work is influenced by psychodynamic psychotherapy, transference focused psychotherapy, cultural psychology as well as schema therapy and relational psychology. Dr Babb seeks to facilitate a safe, confidential, non-judgmental and thoughtful space.

Through the therapeutic relationship, you can explore a range of problematic emotional and behavioural issues. The therapeutic experience may help you develop meaning within your experiences which in turn may enable you to make a deferent sense of your difficulties. Dr Babb will work with you at your own pace, and for as long as you both feel it is beneficial to safely explore your past, present and future. The therapy also aims to build long lasting internal resources which may help you actively take responsibility to promote positive changes in your life.

Dr Fiona Patterson
Highly Specialist Practitioner Clinical Psychologist
BSc(Hons), PGCert, DClinPsy

Dr Fiona Patterson qualified from the University of Hertfordshire’s Doctor of Clinical Psychology training program in 2011. Since that time Fiona has worked in both community and acute adult mental health services. This included working in a service offering specialist assessments for adults seeking a diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions. She also worked in a service that offered individual and group interventions for people with anxiety, depression, anger issues, PTSD and people with a complex trauma. Fiona has been working in an age-inclusive dementia and older adult mental health service. This includes working in the Memory Assessment Service offering neuropsychological assessments as well as post-diagnostic therapies for individuals and their families, and as an inpatient psychologist for people in the advanced stages of dementia and for older adults with complex mental health problems.

Clinical training provided Fiona with knowledge and skills of various evidence-based models such as CBT, personal construct psychology, psychodynamic, systemic and compassion focused therapy. She is trained to work integratively using these models to empower people to overcome and manage a range of difficulties that may emerge during difficult or challenging times. Fiona has also engaged in post-doctoral training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as completing the IPT–UK Accredited Level B Course and is in the process of registering with IPT-UK as an IPT Practitioner. Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a structured therapy for people with depression. Fiona is registered with the Health Care Professions Council.

Dr Alice Green
Counselling Psychologist
B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., PGDip, D.Couns.Psych., C.Sci, C.Psych, AFBPsS  

Dr Alice Green is a highly specialised Counselling Psychologist with over 15 years of experience working as the lead psychologist within adult crisis and acute mental health services in the NHS and within private practice. Alice has collaborated in research for articles in various published books, national magazines and websites including Netmums, Sainsbury Magazine, Grazia and Lighter Life Magazine. Alice lectures on the doctorate programme in Clinical Psychology on an ad hoc basis for University College London. She also contributes her time to the local Parkinson’s disease support group as a visiting expert on a voluntary basis.

Alice has extensive experience in working with clients presenting with a wide variety of issues including trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, stress management issues, managing life changes and adjustment to illness, with a keen interest in CFS/ME and Parkinson’s disease. She is qualified in the use of various therapy domains including CBT, systemic therapy and psychodynamic therapy, and utilises Mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy techniques and solution-focused ways to assist in finding ways of managing life difficulties. Alice believes in working collaboratively with all her clients, helping them to make changes to their life according to each person’s unique needs.

Alice is a chartered counselling psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and is an Associate Fellow of the BPS. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Dr Ruth Rose
Clinical Psychologist

Dr Rose is a Clinical Psychologist with experience of working within mental health and psychological services since 2004. She has experience working with people across the life span, including children and families, and with a wide range of difficulties from mild to moderate anxiety and depression, to severe and enduring mental health problems. Dr Rose currently works within a community adult mental health NHS service with clients presenting with complex and enduring mental health problems. 

Ruth mainly applies a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) approach to her work, and is also influenced by ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and narrative ways of working. She will work in an integrative and collaborative manner with a client in order to develop a personal and tailored psychological formulation and treatment plan to aid understanding of what has contributed to and maintains problems, and to assist the client in making changes.

Ruth works across a range of clinical presentations, from mild to severe, including anxiety disorders, depression, phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, panic, experiences of paranoia and suspicious thoughts, distressing thoughts, bipolar affective disorder, psychosis, assertiveness issues and low self-esteem. She offers sessions around specific problems, developing specific goals, strategies and strengthening existing coping skills, and also a time and space to increase understanding of difficulties and problems, relationships and patterns that we find ourselves within via psychological formulation. Dr Rose is fully registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Dr Charlie Tyack
Clinical Psychologist
BSc. (Hons), DClinPsy, PGDip CBT

Dr Charlie Tyack is a clinical psychologist with over seven years of experience working in the NHS. Charlie has worked in various settings, and currently works in a national Paediatric Sleep Service in London. This involves working with young people experiencing significant sleep difficulties and their families. He worked for three years as a primary care mental health worker in the IAPT programme, working with adults with a variety of mental health concerns. He has also worked in secondary adult mental health settings with people experiencing long-term difficulties.

Charlie’s range of experience covers various therapeutic models and he was a clinical tutor on the UCL course in primary care CBT approaches. He continues to deliver specialist training sessions on the course. He also teaches service users and other professionals about effective ways to support people with sleep difficulties. Charlie works with his clients to establish therapeutic relationships, and is guided by clients’ goals. He is informed by theory from CBT, psychodynamic and systemic approaches.

Charlie works with people experiencing a wide range of difficulties, including low mood and anxiety, interpersonal difficulties and concerns in relation to sleep. Charlie is registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS), and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). He has specialist training in interventions to support people with sleep difficulties.

Dr Joana Johnson
Clinical Psychologist
BSc (Hons), PgCert CBT, DClinPsy

Therapies offered: Solution-Focused Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Dr Joana Johnson has expertise in working with all aspects of emotional distress, such as: Anxiety, Work-related stress, Relationship issues, Low mood and Trauma

Joana's perspective will assist with thinking about how to overcome issues using a positive, proactive approach with a focus on strengths and resources. She believes the two key ingredients to successful therapy are establishing a trusting relationship and a willingness on your part to try something new. She will gain a thorough understanding of your personal values which will inform the direction of the therapeutic work, regularly reviewing it to ensure it is useful.

Joana has been working mainly in NHS adult mental health services since 2012. Specialist areas of Jo’s practice include maintenance of physical health and its key impact on good mental health, psychological techniques to enhance cognitive performance, sleep hygiene, and assisting people to build coping strategies for stress management and resilience.

Dr Marianne Rabassa
Counselling Psychologist
Bsc(Hons), Msc, DPsych, PGDpCBT

Dr Marianne Rabassa is a senior counselling psychologist predominantly employed within the NHS. She is currently working in a specialist service for those with psychosis and complex needs. She has over ten years experience working with clients presenting with difficulties including anxiety, depression, low self esteem, OCD, relationship difficulties, and post trauma. She also has experience of working with more unusual experiences such as hearing voices and paranoia.

Marianne has a post graduate qualification in cognitive behavioural therapy but her core training also incorporated a number of different approaches including psychodynamic, person centred and systemic. Marianne also has a strong interest in mindfulness and compassion focussed therapy and draws extensively on these principles in her work. She will work with you to identify a full understanding of how your problems have developed and what now keeps them going. She will also help you to think through what approaches might work best for you.

Marianne is a chartered counselling psychologist, registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is an fully accredited member of the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).

Dr Saeema Ghafur
Clinical Psychologist
BA(Hons), M.Phil, DClinPsy, PGDip CBT, CPsychol

Dr Saeema Ghafur is a highly specialised clinical psychologist, with over ten years of experience working in the NHS.  Saeema has worked in a variety of settings, before establishing herself in the field of Adult Community Mental Health Services, where she worked extensively with clients presenting with PTSD. She is now the Co-founder and CEO of Psyma Mental Health Technologies.

Saeema’s training has provided her with the ability to use a range of therapeutic models and additional training had provided her with specialist knowledge and practice of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Saeema ultimately favours an integrative approach to assessment and treatment. She incorporates elements of CBT, psychodynamic, compassion-focussed and systemic therapeutic approaches into her work. She believes in working collaboratively with her clients and initially focuses on forming a shared understanding of her client’s difficulties.

  Saeema works with the full spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from mild to severe, including anxiety disorders, depression, self-esteem issues, relational problems, anger issues, abuse and specifically has expertise in working with post-traumatic stress disorder. Saeema is a chartered clinical psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS).  She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is an accredited member of the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). 

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