About me
Dr Charlotte Merriman
Chartered Clinical Psychologist
My interest in psychology started at a young age. I have always been by nature a very sensitive and caring person; feeling the pain of others deeply and driven by a strong desire to help others. As a young person I loved spending time with the elderly residents at the Care Home my grandparents ran, and as teenager I became a Care Assistant for the British Nursing Association, supporting elderly adults and those with learning disabilities. I then went on to take an undergraduate Psychology and Sociology degree at The University of Bath, where I undertook a year's work experience with Professor Richard Velleman, Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in drug and alcohol addiction settings. His inspiring spirit, support and guidance led to me to then train as a Clinical Psychologist at The University of Sheffield where I graduated in 2003.
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Since this time I have worked extensively in the NHS mental health services; starting with three years in a Child Development Centre, followed by ten years in community Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, and six years at Sheffield Children's Hospital Paediatric Clinical Psychology Service. In this role I led psychology provision in the Gastroenterology, ME/CFS and Post-Covid Services. In 2022 I became a Clinical Tutor on the University of Sheffield Doctorate in Clinical Psychology Course, where I am responsible for coaching, mentoring, teaching & line managing the next generation of Clinical Psychologists.
Since 2014 I have also worked in private practice with young people, parents & adult clients, as well as providing supervision to counsellors, therapists & psychologists, & conducting expert witness assessments for the courts.
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In my NHS career I have brought together psychologists from around the UK to share skills and knowledge in order to improve our support of patients with chronic health conditions such as ME/CFS and Long Covid. I’ve also worked with hundreds of young people and their families to support them in finding a way through their difficulties towards a better future for themselves, and have developed and facilitated countless workshops and trainings on different aspects of mental health and well-being.
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During this time I have never stopped learning & growing, undertaking further training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Clinical Supervision, Creative Therapies, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, Hypnotherapy, Leadership and most recently Coaching. I have also experienced many years of therapy myself, giving me a profound sense of the transformative power of therapy both inside and out.
My Philosophy
I am passionate about making people feel really cared about and nurtured in a way that enables them to grow and flourish. I am at my most fulfilled when I am working in collaboration with others & I love nothing more than the privilege of being the guide on people’s life journeys; supporting them with compassion and wisdom to help them find & inhabit their own happier, more fulfilling and connected lives.
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​I am utterly fascinated by psychology & how its kind and heartfelt application can relieve people’s suffering and their improve quality of life. For me, psychology is a vocation, & so not only do I bring over 20 years of diverse senior experience from the public sector as a doctor of psychology I also bring a lot of love and enthusiasm to my role.
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As a Clinical Psychologist I bring high level skills in psychological assessment, psychological formulation, therapy, teaching & research. The nature of the doctoral level training means that I have a deep understanding of a wide range of psychological theories and approaches, and am competent in a range of different therapies.
While I always make sure to tailor my approach to the specific needs of the person I am working with, my preferred approach to therapy integrates a systemic & interpersonal understanding of how difficulties develop and are resolved, with a sensitive understanding of attachment, neurodiversity & developmental psychology. All of this is held within a frame of unconditional positive regard, and a commitment to supporting others to become their own self-healer through increased awareness and self-compassion.
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I strongly believe that our experiences as children shape the adults we become; the beliefs we hold about ourselves, others & the world, & the actions we take or avoid. This in turn shapes the parent, friend, colleague & societal member we become & the influence we have on others & the world. In being open to self-development in the service of realizing our true potential & becoming ourselves fully, we can each have a profound impact not only on the trajectory of our own lives, but also on those around us.