Meet the Team

ABC Counselling, Play Therapy and Family Solutions C.I.C. (Community Interest Company) has 16 talented, experienced and highly qualified therapists who are passionate about making a positive difference for the children, young people and families that we work with. They are led by 4 directors who have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of well-being and psychological services.

Directors

Peter Lowe MBE

Peter qualified as a Social worker and is an accredited Play Therapist. Peter received his MBE in 2011 for developing and delivering innovative restorative approaches to heal the harm/trauma caused by crime.

Peter joined ABC in 2015 as a Director and become one of only a handful of certified play therapists working across Teesside. Peter is a qualified FMA mediator and restorative facilitator.

Peter is a certified Clinical Supervisor and is trained in Level 2 (DDP) Dyadic Development Psychotherapy & Theraplay approaches. In his spare time Peter likes to spend time with his family, enjoying long beach walks with his dogs. He also enjoys pizza and the occasional Teesside delicacy known as a parmo.

More About Peter

Peter has completed training in Filial Play and REWIND trauma therapy. He is an experienced, dedicated, skilled and trusted therapist who has a track record of delivering excellent outcomes for children, young people and families in a wide range of settings, including pre and post adoption work.

Peter is experienced in delivering child and family centred psychotherapy approaches, with a proven history of achieving successful outcomes for children, young people who have experienced loss, trauma and/or attachment issues. In order to tailor therapy packages, Peter uses a range of evidence based assessment tools aimed at better understanding the needs of children and young people who need help in forming secure attachments.

Peter is a contributing author to the Sage 2018 2nd Edition Handbook for Counselling Children and Young People, which is widely used as a main university text and reference point

Karen Lowe

Karen Lowe (MA) is a BACP Accredited Counsellor, PTUK Accredited Play Therapist and qualified Clinical Supervisor. She has a particular interest in trauma and attachment and a significant amount of her time is spent working with adopted children and their families and with those children and young people in the looked after system.

More About Karen

Karen has undertaken training in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Theraplay (both levels 1 & 2), Filial Therapy, Online Therapy and Eye Movement and Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR). Karen is trained in both child and adult EMDR and has undertaken all three levels of adult EMDR training and both levels of child EMDR training. As well as being an experienced therapist and clinical supervisor, Karen leads on ABC therapy services and has previously worked as Assistant Course Director for Play Therapy United Kingdom (PTUK) on the MA In Practice – Based Play Therapy. Karen has completed the Train the Trainers Programme with Kim Golding to deliver Foundations for Attachments and Nurturing Attachments group work programmes. She delivers group work for foster carers and adoptive parents as well as bespoke training packages for school staff, residential care workers and other professionals.

Susan Jackson

Susan Jackson recently retired from her post as lead Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer based in Redcar & Cleveland. Susan has specialised in Children & Families, particularly as Lead Officer for Safeguarding and until recently, was the senior manager for SEND & Safeguarding for Redcar & Cleveland Local Authority.

More About Susan

Susan has significant expertise in vulnerable, exploited, missing and trafficked children, and has chaired the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) sub group. Other responsibilities have included taking lead roles on workforce development, staff supervision, appraisal management, capability and complaints processes. Previously Susan acted as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and has delivered safeguarding training to social care students and professionals internally and externally on behalf of Teesside University. Susan is responsible for delivering Reflective Learning Time supervision for school leaders across a range of education establishments in Teesside.

Dr Sue Pattison

Dr Sue Pattison is a counsellor, supervisor and trainer. She was Director of a PhD programme at Newcastle University for many years and is now Lecturer in Psychology at Arden University. Sue teaches and researches counselling internationally, and has a busy counselling and supervision practice. She is a Joint Chair of the BACP Children, Young People and Families Division, founder member of Counselling in Schools Research Consortium and joint editor of the Sage Handbook for Counselling Children and Young People. Sue also runs her own online training courses as SPC Online Training Academy.

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Emma Dixon

Service Manager & Senior Therapist

Angie Boaler

Business Administrator & Development Officer

Lorraine Lucas

Business Administrator

Kate Fletcher

Therapists

Rachel Bailey

Sue Barry

Sandra Bell

Joanne Bruce

Petra Cookland

Rachel Flowers

Joanne Knox

Our team of qualified children and family therapists are experienced in working with a wide range of wellbeing, trauma and attachment issues. All work is clinically overseen and supported to ensure it is safe, measurable and impactful. The therapists are professionally qualified and experienced counsellors who hold an enhanced DBS disclosure and work within the ABC Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. The therapists deliver the service according to the ‘Ethical Framework for Good Practice’ of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Dr Emma Dixon

Emma Kavanagh

Amy Linighan

Sarah Porritt

Charmian Purvis

Jo Radcliffe

Rachael Scrafton

Deborah Williamson