About
Gemma Houghton is an experienced accredited psychotherapist, specialising in supporting children and young people across various settings. Her background includes work in primary schools, rape charities, child exploitation charities, and the NHS' emotional wellbeing and mental health service (EWMHS).
Gemma's approach of combining talking therapy, creative therapy and play techniques is a holistic and versatile strategy that can be very effective, especially for children and young people, helping them to express their thoughts and feelings openly, and to manage difficulties such as anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide.
Gemma also collaborates with parents to help them understand their child's distress and find effective ways to support them.
Gemma is qualified in person-centred therapy and trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT). She is also in the process of completing a qualification in eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a specialised approach for people who have experienced traumatic events.
Position at Priory
Gemma is a child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) therapist, accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and has been working at Priory for 2 years.
Training
Gemma has undergone training in:
- Safeguarding
- Suicidal ideation
- Families Learning About Self-Harm (FLASH)
- Sexual violence and abuse
- TF-CBT
- Creative therapies
- Dream completion
- Autism
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Cyber bullying/grooming
- Sand play
- Sexual health