Meet the Team

Karen Allin

Highly Specialist Counsellor/Therapist

Karen joined us in 2018 and has additional diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Supervision. She has also gained levels 1 and 2 in Dyadic Developmental Practice (DDP) and is qualified as an Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing Therapist (EMDR) with both children and adults.

Karen has worked extensively with children and young people, both privately and within the education system. She is also very experienced in working with adults presenting with trauma, abuse, depression, anxiety, bereavement, relationship issues and low self-esteem, along with helping those who find themselves at a crossroads, either personally or professionally. she also works with couples.

Karen enjoys the wide variety in client age-span and range of work here at Psychology Associates. Being able to bring all of her skills and knowledge in supporting clients from where they are and what they need, from cognitive models to creative interventions.

In her free time, she really enjoys spending time with her family and three excitable dogs. 

As you may be aware, on the 14th April 2025 the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) announced changes to the Fair Access limit with a reduction of funding to £3000 and the discontinuation of the separate Fair Access Limit for specialist assessments.

We are currently working really hard to amend quotes for ongoing therapy work to fit within the new Fair Access Limit and working closely with Adopt South West and other local RAAs. We are also working closely with other specialist adoption support providers and therapeutic organisations including DDP connects and Theraplay UK to explore how we can continue to deliver specialist therapies within this limit.

If you are waiting for a new package of therapy please look out for correspondence from ASW or your regional adoption support agency, as they will need to regain your consent for the amended therapy contract.

If you are concerned about the impact of the delay on your family or have questions about the therapy or assessment you are waiting for please get in touch with Ellen or Jen and we will do our best to support you.

We will be contributing to a wider response to this and the following is a link to a petition requesting government action – Petition · Action Against ASGSF Changes (Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund) – United Kingdom · Change.org