About us

Dr Matthew Whalley is a clinical psychologist and founder of Psychology Tools, a leading digital publisher and technology company dedicated to supporting mental health professionals. He holds a PhD and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), and his research has examined unwanted memories in trauma survivors, functional pain conditions, suggestibility, and cognitive–behavioral approaches to dizziness.

Dr Whalley established Psychology Tools to make evidence-based resources more accessible and practical for clinicians worldwide. His focus is on the judicious use of digital technology to enhance therapist practice, ensuring the platform combines scientific rigour with innovation. Under his leadership, Psychology Tools has become a trusted global provider of resources and digital solutions that empower clinicians and advance evidence-based care.

Professor Roz Shafran is a leading psychologist whose research and clinical innovations have shaped modern mental health practice. She is Emeritus Professor of Translational Psychology at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Fellow of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy.

Professor Shafran is senior scientific advisor to Psychology Tools, supporting the development and dissemination of high-quality evidence-based resources for mental health professionals. She founded the Charlie Waller Institute of Evidence-Based Psychological Treatment at the University of Reading and co-founded Bespoke Mental Health, which delivers world-class training in psychological therapies. She has authored over 400 academic papers and six books, including bestsellers for professionals and the public such as How to Cope When Your Child Can’t.

Dr Matthew Pugh is a clinical psychologist and lead for clinical resource development at Psychology Tools. He specialises in eating disorders, experiential methods in psychotherapy, and working with ‘parts’ of the self. He has advanced training in cognitive behavioral therapies, schema therapy, and voice dialogue, and is the author of Cognitive Behavioral Chairwork.

Before joining Psychology Tools, Dr Pugh spent more than 15 years in NHS mental health services as a senior therapist and team leader. He is also Co-Director of Chairwork, an international training organisation dedicated to advancing experiential methods in psychotherapy.

Dr May Sarsam is a consultant clinical psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in the NHS. She has worked with adults affected by trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), paranoia, anxiety, depression, workplace stress, moral injury, and burnout. She has particular expertise supporting healthcare and emergency service staff, and advising leaders across sectors.

Dr Sarsam is passionate about delivering accessible, jargon-free, evidence-based interventions that help people overcome difficulties and move forward with resilience and confidence. She is committed to making psychological care practical and effective, ensuring that evidence-based approaches lead to meaningful change in people’s lives.

Dr Hardeep Kaur is a specialist in addictions and trauma, a qualified mindfulness teacher, and a clinical supervisor. Dr Kaur’s primary clinical role is as lead of an NHS psychological therapies service. She has also led psychology teams in an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service and at Combat Stress, and has worked in an NHS tertiary trauma service. Dr Kaur is a British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) accredited CBT therapist and has expertise in ACT, CFT, and EMDR.

Sophie Freeman has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starting out in business reporting before switching to science – with a special focus on psychology – a decade ago. She has a BSc in psychology from the University of Liverpool, and loves that her job allows her to combine her love of writing with her passion for psychology. She is a regular contributor to The Times and writes frequently for other national newspapers, as well as the BBC's Science Focus magazine.

Dr Chris Irons is a clinical psychologist, researcher, writer, and trainer specializing in compassion focused therapy (CFT). He co-directs Balanced Minds and BalO, which aim to promote compassion-based psychological interventions and training and to integrate these approaches into organizations. With over 20 years of experience, Chris has worked with Professor Paul Gilbert on the research and clinical developments linked to CFT. He has authored five books and published numerous articles and chapters on compassion, attachment, shame, and self-criticism. Chris regularly provides CFT teaching, training, workshops, and retreats worldwide and focuses on developing CFT-based resources for the general public while integrating compassion-based approaches in organizations. Recently, Chris and Dr. Elaine Beaumont released The Self Compassion App. Psychology Tools worked with Dr Irons to develop the Psychology Tools For Developing Self-Compassion audio collection.

Dr Jenna LeJeune is President and co-founder of Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research and Training Center in Portland, Oregon. As a licensed clinical psychologist, Jenna is deeply interested in issues of meaning, purpose, and values. In her clinical practice, Dr. LeJeune specialises in using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help those she serves connect with what is most meaningful, so that they are able to live lives of purpose and integrity even in the midst of suffering. She is an ACT Peer Reviewed Trainer, and co-author of the book Values in Therapy: A Clinician’s Guide to Helping Clients Develop Psychological Flexibility and Live a More Meaningful Life. Psychology Tools worked with Dr LeJeune to create the guide Values: Connecting To What Matters.

Dr Thomas Richardson is a clinical psychologist and CBT therapist. He is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology and CBT in the School of Psychology, University of Southampton where he leads teaching on bipolar disorder and has various research projects around bipolar disorder. Prior to this he worked in NHS community mental health services for adults. Thomas is the editor of the Handbook of Psychological Therapies for Bipolar Disorder. He is a commission member and member of the Expert Advisory Panel for Bipolar UK, Chair of the Bipolar Special Interest Group for the BABCP, and a member of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders Psychological Therapies Taskforce.

Simon Proudlock is a consultant psychologist, EMDR Europe Accredited Trainer and author. He is clinical director of EMDR Consultancy and Counselling Psychology Solutions. In 2012 he was awarded the Practice Prize by the Division of Counselling Psychology for his work in solution-focused brief therapy and is author of The Solution Focused Way: Incorporating Solution Focused Therapy Tools and Techniques into Your Everyday Work. More recently, he achieved the award for Innovative Practice for his research in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) with people who are suicidal. Psychology Tools worked with Simon to develop information handouts on EMDR and solution-focused brief therapy.

Dr Emma Baldock is a clinical psychologist working at the Oxford Health Specialist Psychological Interventions Clinic (OHSPIC), which is a National & Specialist Service for children and adults with anxiety problems, including obsessive compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). She also works in private practice as a cognitive therapist and schema therapist. Emma trained in Clinical Psychology at King’s College London where she had previously done a PhD in mental health ethics in anorexia nervosa. She published her clinical doctoral research on mirror-gazing in body dysmorphic disorder and she went onto run the CBT module of the IAPT diploma in therapies for children and young people. She delivers training on body dysmorphic disorder for the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre. Psychology Tools worked with Dr Baldock to create the Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder guide.

Dr Lisa Wood is a principal clinical psychologist working in acute mental health inpatient services in the NHS and is also an associate professor at University College London. She completed her Clinical Psychology Training at the University of East London and her PhD at the University of Manchester. Her interests are working with people who experience psychosis, especially those who are in crisis. She also undertakes research to try and improve talking therapies for this population. Psychology Tools worked with Dr Wood to create the Understanding Psychosis guide.