GIC - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Trainee
• Trainee Counselling Psychologist

Abigail Turner is a Trainee Counselling Phsychologist. She sees clients for individual psychological therapy working from a range of therapeutic modalities, tailoring a flexible approach for each client. Abigail has worked across a variety of settings including NHS and third sector, with a particular interest in adolescent mental health. She is undertaking research into the experience of self-harm in adolescent males to explore disparity across genders. Abigail is delighted to be a part of the team and passionate about working with gender diversity.

Job Titles:

• Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job Titles:

• Specialist Speech and Language Therapist ( Voice and Communication )

Job Titles:

• Specialist
• Specialist Registrar in Gender Identity

Dr Alison May Berner is a Specialist Trainee and Academic Clinical Fellow in Medical Oncology and part-time Speciality Registrar in Gender Medicine. She studied undergraduate medicine at University of Cambridge and University College London. She qualified in 2012 and has undertaken her postgraduate training in hospitals across north-east London. After developing an interest in health inequalities for transgender patients accessing cancer screening and treatment services, she commenced a part-time registrar post at the GIC. She is also running a number of research projects at the interface of oncology and gender medicine, and acting as a liaison between the GIC and other organisations involved in cancer care.

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist
• Consultant in Adult Gender Dysphoria Medicine

Dr Andrew Davies is a Consultant in Adult Gender Dysphoria Medicine. He qualified with a Bachelor of Medicine at Southampton University in 1997. He trained within the Charing Cross Psychiatry Training Scheme, qualifying in 2007 with a Certificate of Completion of Training in General Adult, Old Age and Rehabilitation Psychiatry. In 2005 he began Special Interest sessions at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic before becoming employed full time as a Consultant at the clinic in 2007. Aside from his role as a core clinician he has been involved in Audit and Service Evaluation projects within the clinic as well as the co-facilitation of the fortnightly psychotherapy group. Aside from his role as a core clinician he is the Clinical Lead for Training and is a co-facilitator of the fortnightly psychotherapy group

Job Titles:

• Chartered Counselling Psychologist

Dr Angharad Vaughan is an HCPC Registered Counselling Psychologist with several years of experience working in the NHS, across primary, secondary and tertiary care. Her preferred way of working psychotherapeutically is informed by existential, psychodynamic and cognitive approaches. In particular, she works relationally, paying attention to important factors such as cultural background, sexual and gender identity, disability - and how these and other intersecting identities influence lived experience, meaning-making and wellbeing. Her research interests include sexuality, gender, trauma, growth, embodiment, spirituality. She completed her doctoral research across these areas - exploring how cis women in same-sex relationships, experience growth following emotional abuse. Angharad has a passion for working in Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diversity and feels very privileged to be continuing her journey at the GIC.

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist

Dr Anna BARNES is a consultant psychiatrist. After studying psychology at an undergraduate level and working as an assistant psychologist, she studied medicine and qualified as a medical doctor from St George's, University of London in 2009. She trained as a psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. She started to work a day a week at the GIC under an honorary contract in 2016, and has been working here full-time since finishing her training in August 2017. She is also the clinical governance lead for the GIC, and co-runs a monthly psychosocial support group.

Job Titles:

• Trainee to Be a Gender Identity Specialist

Dr Danial Bennion-Leahy is training to be a Gender Identity Specialist at the clinic and is a GP Partner at a practice in Southwark, South East London. He completed a degree in Biomedical Science at St George's Hospital Medical School before completing the Medicine course at the same institution. Following graduation in 2008 he worked in posts at Guys and St Thomas Hospital in London and Darent Valley Hospital in Kent before completing his GP training at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on the Greenwich training scheme. He worked during this time across specialties including Emergency Medicine, Gynaecology, Urology and Psychiatry. After qualifying as a GP in 2013 and working in Woolwich practices he developed a strong interest in Sexual and Reproductive Health having gained qualifications and experience working in a Contraception and Sexual Health Clinic in Woolwich before spending time working at the Genitourinary Medicine Clinic 56 Dean Street in central London known for promoting sexual health amongst the LGBT community. Danial is training to conduct core assessments at the Adult Gender Clinic and is looking forward to furthering his knowledge and experience working to improve health for the Transgender population, furthering his interest in LGBT Health and using this to inform his work as a GP in Primary Care.

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist

Dr Elizabeth VAN HORN trained as a doctor at the University of Southampton and completed her postgraduate training in Cambridge and at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington and spent 3 years as a Clinical Research Fellow at Imperial College. She has been a Consultant Psychiatrist since 1999 and has worked in General Adult and Community Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Offender Care. Dr Van Horn joined the Gender Identity Clinic in May 2017 and has interests in quality improvement and service development. She is the Transition Lead for the GIC, focusing on the patient journey between the young person's service - the Gender Development Service- and the adult service.

Job Titles:

• Gender Identity Specialist
• Trainee Gender Identity Specialist

Dr Ellen Kay is a trainee Gender Identity Specialist. She studied medicine at the University of Bristol and completed her foundation programme in and around Birmingham. Her interest in Gender Identity began with a period of study leave spent observing clinicians at the GIC during her foundation programme and since then she has been passionate about pursuing a career in this field. She plans to complete GP training as well as continuing training at the GIC.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Psychologist

Dr Emma Wallis is a clinical psychologist who qualified at the University of Hertfordshire. Emma sees patients for initial assessments at the clinic as well as individual and group psychotherapy. She is trained in a range of therapeutic modalities including Compassion-Focussed Therapy (CFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Systemic approaches (including Narrative Therapy), and integrative ways of working, which are applied in collaboration with each client in response to their goals. Person-centred and social justice approaches underpin her clinical work. Prior to the GIC, Emma has worked in a number of NHS and third-sector services with people across the lifespan, such as neurorehabilitation, paediatrics, intellectual disabilities and adult mental health. She is passionate about identity work and social inclusion, and as such feels privileged to be a part of the team at the GIC.

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist

Dr Gurleen BHATIA is a Consultant Psychiatrist. She completed her primary medical qualification from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India in 1994 . She gained further experience in general practice, and obstetrics and gynaecology, prior to pursuing her career in psychiatry. She completed her junior and higher training in the Charing Cross Scheme and obtained her CCT in General Adult Psychiatry with an endorsement in Rehabilitation Psychiatry. She has experience working in the forensic, older adult services and with patients with complex physical health needs. She has been associated with the clinic as a specialist registrar and now employed as a substantive Consultant. She has also been involved in Audit and Service Evaluation projects within the clinic.

Job Titles:

• Director
• Lead Clinician

Dr James Barrett is the Director the Gender Identity Clinic and also an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Imperial College of Science and Medicine. He is the Editor and main psychiatric author of the standard United Kingdom textbook in this area and was the first, elected, President of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists. Dr Barrett qualified with an Honours M.B.,B.S. Medical degree from the University of London and has an intercalated Bachelor's degree in Pharmacology from the same institution. He trained at the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals and obtained a Masters' degree in Psychiatry from the Institute of Psychiatry (University of London). He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2009. Although originally trained as a psychiatrist, Dr Barrett considers himself now to be best described as a Consultant in Adult Gender Dysphoria Medicine.

Job Titles:

• Highly Specialist Counselling Psychologist
• Highly Specialist Psychologist

Dr Jess GRAN is a Counselling Psychologist who qualified at the University of East London. Jess sees patients for assessments, individual and group psychological therapy and co-facilitates workshops run by the psychology department. Jess is trained in several therapeutic modalities and practices within an integrative framework using Cognitive Behavioural, Psychodynamic and Humanistic approaches. Prior to working at the GIC she worked in a range of specialist and non-specialist NHS services and charities. She first worked in this area during a year's placement with Charing Cross GIC as part of her doctoral training and hopes to remain in the field and be involved in continuing to improve services for trans people seeking support.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Assistant ( Endocrinology )

Dr Jonny COXON trained at Oxford University Medical School. Before switching to general practice, he pursued a Urology career path, including a spell as a Research Fellow at St George's Hospital. His prostate cancer research was published in the British Journal of Urology amongst other publications, and led to an MD thesis. He also worked in a team carrying out several trials on medications for erectile dysfunction. He has maintained an interest in various aspects of Sexual Medicine in recent years. He is a GP Partner at the Beaconsfield Medical Practice in Brighton. He works one day a week as a Speciality Doctor (Endocrinology) in the Gender Identity Clinic. He also works one day as a Clinical Assistant in Urology, for Brighton and Sussex Universities NHS Trust. In addition, he runs a Gender and Sexual Medicine clinic at the Nuffield Health Hospital in Brighton. He is President of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, Secretary for the Primary Care Urology Society, and a Fellow of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine. He sits on the committee of the Primary Care Testosterone Advisory Group and on the Editorial Board of Trends in Urology and Men's Health. He is a Trustee for the Sexual Advice Association.​

Job Titles:

• Trainee Gender Identity Specialist

Dr Kathleen Houlton is a Trainee Gender Identity Specialist. She studied Graduate Entry Medicine following undergraduate studies at University College London and postgraduate studies at the University of Nottingham. She has undertaken her postgraduate medical training within the East Midlands, including posts in A&E, Urology and Genito-urinary Medicine. Her research interests include provision and accessibility of healthcare and Sexual Health Services for transgender and non-binary service users. She has worked part-time at the GIC since 2018, alongside undertaking GP training and additional qualifications in Sexual Health. She is committed to raising awareness about transgender and non-binary health needs in medical education, general practice and wider healthcare settings.

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist

Dr Kirpal SAHOTA completed her undergraduate medical training at Sheffield Medical School and her post-graduate training in Psychiatry in the Charing Cross Rotation and Higher Specialist Training at The Maudsley Rotation. She is on the specialist register for Forensic Psychiatry. She held her first Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist post in 2000 and has worked in all levels of security managing complex mental health, personality disorder and risk assessments. She has developed women's services for people who experience complex PTSD/Borderline Personality Disorder. She has a special interest in Trauma and worked in the Maudsley Trauma Service and more recently as a Consultant Psychiatrist treating military veterans suffering from resistant depression and combat PTSD, ADHD and addictions. She is a medical member of the First Tier Tribunals and been a medical member of Fitness to Practice Panels (GMC).

Job Titles:

• Trainee Gender Identity Specialist

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Consultant Endocrinologist

Dr Leighton SEAL is Consultant Endocrinologist at the Gender Identity Clinic at Charing Cross Hospital London where he is responsible for the diagnosis of endocrine disorders of these patients and supervision of the cross-gender hormone replacement of both pre-operative and post-operative patients. He is also a consultant and Honorary Reader in Endocrinology and Diabetes at St George's Hospital Tooting where he runs a dedicated Andrology clinic to treat erectile dysfunction and the associated metabolic disturbances.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Psychologist

Job Titles:

• Consultant
• Psychiatrist
• Consultant in Adult Gender Dysphoria Medicine

Dr Vikinjeet BHATIA is a Consultant in Adult Gender Dysphoria Medicine and a member of Royal College of Psychiatrists. He qualified with a Bachelor of Medicine at Barts and the London in 2007. He trained within the Charing Cross Psychiatry Training Scheme, qualifying in 2016 with a Certificate of Completion of Training in General Adult and Rehabilitation Psychiatry. He has been working at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic as a Consultant since 2016. In addition his work with the Gender Clinic, he also works in the Crisis and Assessment service and is an Associate Faculty Tutor jointly overseeing psychiatry junior doctor training programme. His other involvements include participation in Audit and Service Evaluation/Development projects within the clinic.

Job Titles:

• Highly Specialist Psychologist
• Highly Specialist Psychologist and Deputy Head of Psychology
• Specialist

Dr. Sarah Jane Stenlake is a Highly Specialist Psychologist and Deputy Head of Psychology who offers assessments, and individual and group-based psychological therapy. Sarah is trained in a range of therapeutic modalities, using these integratively in collaboration with each client. These include Systemic (including Narrative and Solution-Focused), Cognitive Behavioural, and person-centred approaches. Sarah has worked in both the United States and United Kingdom, with previous experience in NHS mental health and learning disability services. Sarah trained at the University of Oxford, and worked at a Gender Identity Clinic as part of her doctoral training. Sarah is delighted to have returned to this field, to offer an affirmative and empowering space to explore gender-related experiences.

Job Titles:

• Specialist Nurse in Endocrinology
• Specialist Nurse, Endocrinology

Jae Collado joined the GIC in May 2022 as a Specialist Nurse in Endocrinology. She has previously worked as an Oncology Nurse in St Bartholomew's Hospital where she became competent and qualified to deliver Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) to patients with cancer. She has a background in different areas of oncology such as medical oncology and radiation, haematologic, thoracic, gynaecologic, urologic, neuro-oncology, and endocrine. She has always been a supporter and advocate of LGBTQIA+ rights, gender diversity and equality. She hopes to eventually gained her Independent Nurse Prescriber qualification and become a member of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS).

Job Titles:

• Speech and Language Therapist

Job Titles:

• Consultant Speech and Language Therapist

Matthew MILLS BA (Hons) MSc cert.MRCLST Reg.HCPC is Consultant Speech and Language Therapist in voice and communication for trans and gender diverse individuals and Head of Speech and Language Therapy Service at the Gender Identity Clinic, London, where he has worked since 2009. He has worked in voice for over 20 years and originally trained as an actor and singer at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and Trinity College. He holds an MSc from UCL in Speech and Language Sciences and is specialises in voice modification, clinical voice and stammering. He has worked in a number of NHS Trusts in London and the South East, and at the City Literary Institute. He is a council member of The British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS), Chair of the Trans and Non-Binary Voice CEN, and a National Adviser for the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in trans and gender diverse voice and communication. Matthew is also a lecturer at the University of Greenwich and Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in vocal anatomy, phonetics and clinical voice.

Job Titles:

• Specialist Speech and Language
• Specialist Speech and Language Therapist ( Voice and Communication )

Megan Berrisford - Green received her Post Graduate Diploma in Speech and Language Therapy from City, University of London in 2018 and her MSc in 2021. She has a background working with neurodiverse young people and clients with clinical voice disorders. Megan has a particular interest in gender affirmative voice and communication exploration. She has been the secretary of the Trans and Gender Diverse Voice and Communication Clinical Excellence Network since March 2020 and is a member of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists.

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Lead Consultant
• Psychologist
• Editor - in - Chief of the Journal of the British Psychological Society 's Division of Counselling Psychology
• Lead Consultant Psychologist, Head of Psychology, Head of Research

Professor Dr Christina Richards BSc (Hons), MSc, DCPsych, CPsychol, EuroPsy, FBPsS is an HCPC Registered Doctor of Applied Psychology and a full Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) where she is the current Chair of the Division of Counselling Psychology; Committee member for Psychologist Prescribing; Lead National Assessor for Counselling Psychology; and Chair of the revision committee of the BPS Guidelines for working therapeutically with sexual, gender, and relationship diverse clients of which she was a co-author. Prof Richards is Visiting Full Professor of Gender and Mental Health at Regent's University London School of Psychotherapy and Psychology; and is the Clinical Module Lead for the Royal College of Physicians intercollegiate qualification in Gender Identity Healthcare. Prof Richards is Lead Consultant Psychologist/Head of Psychology at the London Gender Identity Clinic (Charing Cross) within the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. This role involves strategic planning and management on a national and international level; supervising senior staff; assessing people with highly complex needs for hormones and surgeries, and supervision of individual and group therapies from a number of different modalities. Prof Richards is also Head of Research at the NHS London Gender Identity Clinic (Charing Cross) within the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. This role involves responsibility for the strategy and implementation of the research programme at the clinic. Professor Richards also lectures and publishes internationally on gender, sexualities, and critical mental health - both within clinical academia and also to third sector and statutory bodies. Prof Richards was selected by the executive board of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to be Lead Chapter Author for Adult Assessment in the Standards of Care Version 8 (SoC v8) revision. She also represents the East Midlands to NHS England's Clinical Reference Group (CRG) on Gender Identity Services; and is listed as an expert in gender diversity by the BPS on the Gender Diversity Specialist Register (whose criteria she co-drafted). She is one of the few psychologists recognised by HM Courts and Tribunals Service as a Specialist in the field of Gender Dysphoria, thus allowing her to prepare medical reports for the Gender Recognition Panel. Prof Richards is a founder member of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS); a past Trustee of the National LGBT Foundation; a founder member of BiUK and co-author of the Bisexuality Report. Prof Richards is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal of the British Psychological Society's Division of Counselling Psychology: Counselling Psychology Review. Her own publications consist of various papers, reports, and book chapters. She is first author of a clinical guidebook on sexuality and gender published by Sage - Richards, C., & Barker. M. (2013). Sexuality and gender for mental health professionals: A practical guide. London: Sage; First editor of the Palgrave Handbook of the Psychology of Sexuality and Gender; First editor of a multidisciplinary book about people who identify outside of the gender binary of male or female - Richards, C., Bouman, W. P., & Barker, M. J. (2018). Genderqueer and non-binary genders. Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan; Sole author of the monograph: Richards, C. (2017). [Monograph]. Trans and sexuality - An existentially-informed ethical enquiry with implications for counselling psychology. London: Routledge; And has an upcoming co-authored book on clinical work with trans and non-binary people for the Royal College of Psychiatrists - Richards, C., & Barrett, J. (forthcoming 2020). Trans and non-binary gender healthcare for psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists/Cambridge University Press.

Job Titles:

• Specialist Nurse in the Endocrine Team

Robert Stocker-Rodrigues joined the GIC in June 2019 as a specialist nurse in the Endocrine Team. As part of the multidisciplinary team, he contributes to the monitoring and management of the physical health of people on hormone treatment. He has worked previously as a clinical research nurse, and on acute and surgical hospital wards in London. He has a research degree in public health, with academic and personal interests in equality and justice and the health and wellbeing of minority groups in changing socio-political contexts.

Job Titles:

• Trainee Counselling Psychologist

Sara is a trainee counselling psychologist studying at the University of Roehampton. She is in the third year of her doctoral programme. Sara is guided by a pluralistic framework in her therapeutic approach and draws on person-centred, psychodynamic and cognitive behavioural perspectives in her individual work with clients. Sara is particularly passionate in her work in diversity and intersectionality. Her doctoral research explores how the intersectional identities of gay Muslim men interact with their lived experiences.

Job Titles:

• Clinical Nurse Specialist in Endocrinology

Shirley Ryan joined the NHS CX GIC in June 2020, as a Specialist Nurse in Endocrinology, having previously worked in the private sector assessing Trans and Non-Binary patients for cross-sex hormone therapy. She gained her Independent Nurse Prescriber qualification from Kings College London. She then went on to become Clinical Nurse Specialist in Endocrinology and Line Manager for junior nursing staff and students. Shirley also has a keen interest in Aesthetic Medicine. She has valuable experience as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon's Assistant in theatre for face and neck lift, rhinoplasty, upper lip lift, male chest reconstruction surgery, facial feminisation, tracheal shave, hairline lowering, and breast augmentation, among others, and attended MtF Gender Affirmation Surgery (previously GCS, GRS, SRS). She has previously worked in the Peri-Operative Theatre environment in Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Hospital and worked as a Scrub Nurse in the Endo-Urology Suite. She has a background in Acute Medicine prior to this, including A&E and Acute Assessment Units. Shirley is a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, is a member of The Royal College of Nursing, and is a member of the British Association of Gender Identity Specialists (BAGIS). She hopes to eventually complete her MSc. in Endocrinology.

Job Titles:

• Senior Assistant Psychologist

Sophie Windsor is a Senior Assistant Psychologist at the Gender Identity Clinic. She graduated from Loughborough University in 2017 with a BSc in Psychology. In 2019 she graduated from the University of Leicester with an MSc in Crime, Justice and Psychology with a dissertation on victimisation, hate crime and domestic violence/abuse in the transgender* population. Prior to working at the GIC, she worked in an adult community learning disability team and a forensic service for adults with a learning disability and/or autism. Sophie is excited to have joined the Counselling Psychology team and is looking forward to supporting individuals and contributing to research in the field.