Dr Tim Shore - Profile

As a Clinical Psychologist, I have been trained to understand the different ways in which psychological distress can present itself and negatively impact upon people’s lives. The breadth of my training and clinical experience enables me to draw upon different therapeutic approaches to help address these difficulties. This allows for a flexible, person-centred approach, tailored to a person’s needs and own set of circumstances.

A major interest of mine is considering how presenting difficulties can be understood from a relational perspective. Often this involves trying to consider the impact of unhelpful repeating patterns of social interaction, which may be reinforcing low self-esteem and maintaining unhappiness and distress. I have experience in my clinical work of focusing on relational difficulties between couples or between inter-generational family members. In the context of individual therapy, I seek to hold a relational focus in mind, supporting people to notice and break unhelpful cycles of social behaviour.

I also have an interest in the links between physical and mental health. This stems from my experience of working with people with long-term health conditions, such as chronic pain and fatigue, as well as people with neurological disorders. I am interested in supporting people adjust to living with a long-term health condition; helping people explore themes of acceptance and loss, whilst prioritising a values-based approach to living.

Naturally there may be doubts about finding a therapist who you feel will be validating of your difficulties and understand the nature of your distress. I endeavour to ensure that clients feel able to relate to and confide in me throughout a course of therapy, while also exploring when this might not be the case (such as noticing when the relationship may be feeling ‘off-track’ or stuck). I have experience of engaging clients with negative previous experiences of therapy, and believe close attendance to the therapeutic relationship can make a key difference to therapeutic outcomes. Working in close alliance, I will aim to increase your insight into how emotional difficulties have developed over time and support you to make meaningful changes in the way you approach difficult situations in your work, family or social life.

In my experience, an initial assessment session provides a good opportunity for someone to gauge if they would feel comfortable working with a therapist moving forwards. Please contact me if you are interested in arranging this. Therapy sessions would typically then proceed on a weekly basis.

Since qualifying as a Clinical Psychologist in 2014, I have had the opportunity to have worked with a diverse group of patients in a variety of services within the NHS.

I have previously worked in primary care Talking Therapies IAPT using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to treat a range of difficulties linked to anxiety and depression. I have also worked with more complex mental health presentations within secondary care services, drawing upon Compassion-Focused and Narrative Therapy models, as well as psychodynamic approaches to help understand longstanding relational difficulties. I also have experience of working in more specialist services, using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT to support people with adjustment to long-term health conditions.

Having worked quite extensively in older people’s mental health services within the NHS, I also have experience of providing therapeutic interventions for older people. This has included working with bereavement and loss, as well as complex issues related to carer stress.