Ruth Simmons - Clinical Nurse Therapist

Hello, I’m Ruth Simmons, a postgraduate Mental Health Practitioner and Mindfulness Teacher. I have a BSc degree in Psychology from the University of Reading, a postgraduate diploma with Registration in Mental Health Nursing from King’s College London and a Mindfulness teacher accreditation with Breathworks.  I have 12 years’ experience working in NHS and social care community settings, across a lifespan with children, young people, adults, couples and families.

My first clinical role involved providing life skills coaching to fostered children (within the MTFC programme), as well as being part of a reflective team for family therapy sessions at CAMHS, and I also assisting with reseach developments at the Charlie Waller Unit, Reading University's child anxiety clinic. 

As a student nurse in London, I contributed to 24-hour mental health care across specialist community and inpatient health care settings including child, adolescent, adult and older adult acute wards, and a community psychosis team. During my elective placement in Uganda, I gained experience at a general nursing hospital and a psychiatric hospital.

I worked as a Multisystemic Therapist in London then Reading; working intensively and systemically with young people and their families, schools, their peer groups, and their local community. My work focused on restoring relationships within the family home, improving emotional wellbeing and engaging these young people in education, pro-social activities and making healthier choices.

I then worked as a Primary Mental Health Specialist in Reading’s Tier 2 CAMHS service. This involved assessment and treatment for children and young people, as well as providing training and consultation mainly within schools and to social care teams. Training modules focused on anxiety, self-harm, attachment and trauma, depression, and eating disorders. I regularly interfaced with parents and carers and delivered the ‘overcoming programme’ to parents of anxious children.

After completing the MBCT Course with Oxford University in 2017, I trained as a Mindfulness Teacher and gained accreditation with Breathworks in 2022.

I am practised in carrying out holistic mental health assessments and selecting appropriate evidence-based interventions from my ‘toolkit’. I work systemically, and draw on relevant aspects of these models and concepts during sessions: mindfulness for health and stress, trauma sensitive mindfulness, mindful movement, self compassion, acceptance and commitment therapy informed mindfulness, attachment parenting, holistic family sleep coaching, graded exposure for overcoming anxiety, mentalisation, trauma and the developing brain, responsive mindful parenting and emotional regulation.

I am able to therapeutically support clients with the following difficulties:

  • Low mood and Depression
  • Phobias and Fears
  • Generalised Anxiety
  • Social Anxiety
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Chronic pain
  • Sleep problems
  • Poor self-worth and self-criticism
  • Family relationship difficulties including parental mental health issues
  • Relationship difficulties within Couples 
  • Pre and postnatal mental health issues
  • Systemic concerns around a child including impact of family, peer, education and community issues
  • Attachment and bonding concerns between child-caregiver

I am passionate about providing systemic and effective therapeutic intervention which connects talking therapies with contemplative practices including mindfulness and self-compassion. Sessions will be a safe and non-judgmental space.

For every unique individual or family who seeks my support, my hope is to meet you where you are at, and with care, compassion and competence, aim to alleviate suffering, and provide you with skills to feel empowered, regain balance, and self-sustain your mental health and physical well-being through life’s ups and downs.


Age range:

Children, Adolescents and Adults.

Registration:

NMC Registered


Membership:

Breathworks Accredited

Enhanced DBS


Working Online Only at this time.