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About 

Verna qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1991 and since that time has worked in all stages of the brain injury care pathway from Neuro ITU, inpatient rehab, to outpatient and community rehabilitation. She has spent over 20 years providing home-based Occupational Therapist interventions to clients with Acquired Brain Injury and other complex disabilities.

As an Occupational Therapist, Verna maintains a high level of clinical skills in Acquired Brain Injury and other compex disabilities.  
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As a member of the UK Occupational Therapy Specialist Section Neurological Practice Brain Injury Forum between 1999 and 2013, Verna co-developed National Standards and Guidance for Occupational Therapists working in brain injury.

It was the experience of working alongside individuals who have experienced an Acquired Brain Injury and their families that prompted Verna to train to become a Counsellor in 2004.
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She has been able to use her practical background in Acquired Brain Injury, to work to provide emotional and psychological support to people who have been affected by Brain Injury and other disabilities.
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Clients value a Counsellor who has a good understanding of the many challenges created by brain injury.

 

In addition to her clinical role, Verna is a Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and bespoke trainer, primarily in Motivational Interviewing.
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She first became interested Motivational interviewing in 2004, when after attending introductory training and incorporating some of the learning from this into her practice, she found a real difference in the success and outcomes of her clinical work.
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Verna is a current member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and delivers training and coaching nationally to a wide range of health and social care professionals.

The combination of the different services she provides gives Verna a unique set of skills and ensures that she is both:
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  • An effective practitioner that uses current awareness of evidence based practice, able to draw on motivational interviewing to help to engage and draw out the motivation from the people she is working with to achieve the best possible outcome with and for them.​
  • A motivational interviewing educator providing training that is rooted in real life application.
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As well as her qualifications in Occupational Therapy and Counselling Verna has accredited certification in the following
 
  • Therapeutic use of Mindfulness
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
  • Vocational Rehabilitation
  • Cognitive Rehabilitation
  • Standardised Assessment
  • Working with grief and loss
  • Couple Counselling
  • Adult Learning
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