Meet our Team

I am a HCPC registered Dramatherapist and full member of the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth) with qualifications MA Dramatherapy (Distinction), BA Drama (Hons).

I have worked across the public sector with children, young people and families since 2004, predominantly in the homeless sector supporting young people with complex needs and children leaving care. I am also a trained family mediator assisting families in conflict.

As a dramatherapist I have worked with both adults and children across many settings; NHS, Mental health services, Children’s Services - complex trauma and attachment disorders, Looked After, Fostered and Adopted Children, Primary and Secondary Schools, Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and privately

I am passionate about working with families and I sincerely hope that The Whale Therapy Project can provide some solace to those in search.

Neil is an experienced manager with an extensive background in Children's Services; leading a specialist outreach service for families and managing 'Ofsted outstanding' children's residential homes.

In addition, Neil is experienced in providing structured interventions to children and families using therapeutic frameworks such as the ARC model (Attachment, Regulation and Competency) and Theraplay. He has proven experience working with children in the care system and carries a vast knowledge of Trauma and Attachment. Neil has a First Class Honours degree in Psychology and Criminal Behaviour alongside extensive training within Health and Social Care.

Neil's role is to ensure that The Whale Therapy Project meets the clinical standards required so that our service delivers effective, high quality and robust client care. Neil oversees the daily operations, developing the service forward, liaising with professional networks, communicating with families and supporting and managing our team of therapists.

Acting as our Safeguarding Lead, Neil is at the forefront of risk management and maintaining safe practice.

Sam is a HCPC registered Dramatherapist and full member of the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADth). She is extremely passionate about children’s emotional and mental well-being and believes in early intervention.

Prior to studying the therapeutic arts at university, she worked in education with children with ASD and learning difficulties. She currently works as a Counsellor / Creative Therapist in schools and works privately providing individual therapy at home. She works extensively, with attachment and children who are looked after or adopted. In her work in education with young adolescents issues vary from abuse, self-esteem issues, building confidence, ADHD, trauma, anxiety, friendship, bullying and attachment.

Sam takes a holistic child centered approach and works in the best interests of her client’s needs. She uses her knowledge and skills to build emotional resilience and stability.

My name is Katy and I am a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, fully accredited with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). I am also a qualified EMDR Therapist which recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence as an effective treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. .

Throughout my career, I have gained lots of experience working with children, young people and adults delivering these therapies in a range of contexts including a charitable organisation, county council and the NHS.

I began my journey by studying an undergraduate master’s degree in Psychology at the University of Birmingham in 2009. This was where it became clear to me that I wanted to pursue a career where I could help people. Following this, I started a job working as an outreach worker supporting children who had experienced considerable trauma.

Here, I learned a lot about working with complex individuals and gained skills in building trust and promoting positive changes in those who had perhaps struggled to access help before. In 2016, I decided to train as a CBT therapist. I completed my training at the University of Hertfordshire (where I now also work, supporting trainee therapists).

Later, I completed my training in EMDR with the EMDR Academy. Since then, I have been practising both CBT and EMDR with young people as well as with adults. Whilst I have dedicated much of my professional career so far to working with trauma, I have worked with a wide range of common difficulties including anxiety, low mood/depression, phobias, low self-esteem and many more.

Ryan is a queer identifying and LGBTQIA+ affirming integrative therapist. His approach focuses on flexibility, reflection, practice, and compassion.

Ryan works as an individual, couples, and group therapist, and has worked with substance misuse, sexual health, LGBTQIA + wellbeing, general adult mental health, and children’s mental health within education. This has given him a well-rounded understanding of a person’s lifespan, as well as the importance of relationships in our lives. He has a particular interest in sexual, gender, and relationship diversity.

Alongside his therapeutic practice, Ryan has developed Affirming Families: a specialist service for parents/carers/families of LGBTQI+ children and young people. This service aims to:

• Support adults to process their own thoughts and feelings in their responsibilities as parents/carers.
• Support adults to affirm, accept, and support the journey of their children and young people.
• Support adults with resources, education, and tools which may further enhance the love and care they provide to their children and young people.

Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Psychosexual & Relationships Therapy, MA Dramatherapy, MA Hons Politics and Theatre Studies, Registered member HCPC and Professional Associate member of COSRT.

You can contact Ryan directly via: https://ryanvaladas.com/getintouch

Rachael is a HCPC registered Dramatherapist with a special interest in Autism, ADHD and Neurodiversity.

She has worked within specialist education provisions with Autistic children and adolescents including expert mentoring to neurodivergent young people in higher education. Alongside her work with special educational needs she has supported clients with anxiety related difficulties and insecure attachment.

Rachel adopts a child-centred approach and places an emphasis on using the creative expressive model, allowing space for child-led play and facilitating role-play.

"I believe that a child will always know instinctively what he or she needs and so my job is to create a safe space and meet them on their level in order that they can feel free to build their own unique pathway in therapy".

Rachel offers individual & group Dramatherapy and also facilitates on our Sibshop Workshop Programme.

Charlotte is a children’s integrative therapist who takes a holistic, attachment-based approach to emotional wellbeing. She combines play, movement, and creative techniques to support children in exploring and expressing their feelings in ways that feel safe and meaningful to them.

With a background in supporting schools, she has worked closely with children with additional needs, helping them to understand and regulate their emotions. Her work is always child-led, creating space for each child to feel seen, heard, and accepted exactly as they are.

At the heart of her practice is the belief that strong, trusting relationships and creative expression are key to helping children build resilience, confidence, and emotional awareness.

I’m a qualified counsellor with a Master’s in Counselling from the University of Northampton, specialising in working with children and young people. My journey into counselling grew from a deep passion for supporting the emotional wellbeing of children—particularly those who may find it difficult to express themselves through words alone. I have worked across a range of school settings, offering a safe, supportive and creative space where young people feel seen, heard and valued.

As an integrative and child-centred therapist, I adapt my approach to meet each young person’s individual needs, drawing on a range of therapeutic models to build trust, support emotional expression, and promote resilience. My work is grounded in building strong, trusting relationships that allow children to explore their experiences at their own pace and in their own way.