Our Team
Clinical Psychologist
Ellen Mothoa
We all go through our life journeys using different paths which could lead us to an unplanned detour or destination. In such cases, we may need someone to hold our hand or guide us to retrace our steps or re-plan our journeys. We could work together to achieve this.
Ellen is passionate and enthusiastic about working with young people and adults and their families. Her practice is person-centred and focuses on clients’ personal needs, wants, desires and goals and makes them central to their care. This means allowing clients to define and prioritise their goals. Ellen facilitates a space for clients to develop better self-awareness and understanding. She bases her practice on humanistic principles; these include respect for life and human dignity; equal rights and social justice; respect for cultural diversity, as well as a sense of shared responsibility.
Ellen specialises in eating disorders and associated difficulties which include depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, and poor body image. She offers evidence-based approaches as recommended by NICE including the CBT approach. She also uses integrative methods in her practice that facilitate recovery from eating disorders. Ellen also enjoys facilitating group therapy for eating disorders and providing training in eating disorders to other professionals.
Experience
Ellen is a clinical psychologist with over 10 years of experience gained both in South Africa and in the UK. She works privately as an online therapist and as a specialist psychologist in the eating disorders service for the NHS. Ellen has experience in supervising trainee psychologists, assistant psychologists, and other mental health professionals. Ellen previously worked with women in the psychiatric intensive care unit who experience severe, debilitating mental health problems including eating disorders, and male forensic patients to support them in their rehabilitation.
Ellen worked as a multi-systemic therapist for a council supporting young people (and their families) who were at risk of exploitation, using drugs, and presented with behaviour difficulties. She also worked with young people in mainstream schools who were at risk of being excluded from mainstream education or were already excluded and supported them to reintegrate.
Qualifications
Ellen obtained her undergraduate and honours degree (BA Hons in Psychology) and furthered her studies by obtaining a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology at UNISA in South Africa. Ellen further trained as an online therapist by completing a Diploma in Online Counselling and Psychotherapy from the Academy for Online Counselling and Psychotherapy. Ellen did a course in CBT for Eating Disorders with the Charlie Waller Institute at the University of Reading and a Multisystem Orientation Training Course with MST UK. Ellen is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Health Professionals Council of South Africa (HPCSA). She is also a Level 3 Senior Professional Member of the Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO).
