Mental Health and
Neurodiversity
Services
Edinburgh
Mental Health and Neurodiversity Services
Edinburgh
Your Private Mental Health Services in Edinburgh | Expert Psychologists | Adult Mental Health Services | Child Psychologists
Feeling Overwhelmed? - The Purple House Clinic Edinburgh can help you reclaim control.
Do you struggle with mental health difficulties, or challenges relating to being neurodivergent? At The Purple House Clinic, we understand how these issues can affect daily life – You’re not alone.
Many people experience mental health difficulties, often feeling overwhelmed by:
- depression, low mood or negative thoughts
- stress and/or anxiety
- strained relationships
- PTSD or complex trauma relating to past life events
We can offer a helping hand. Our psychologists and mental health professionals specialise in treating a wide range of mental health concerns using evidence-based therapies such as CBT, Schema Therapy and EMDR to help you regain control. We can help you:
- Develop mechanisms for reducing and managing symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Reduce symptoms associated with trauma
- Support the development of healthy relationships
- Find clarity, reduce stress, and regain control of your wellbeing
For people who are neurodivergent, life can often feel even more overwhelming due to the specific profile of the differences experienced – as well as the additional challenges arising day-to-day.
Our neurodiversity teams specialise in providing specialist diagnostic assessments and therapeutic support for autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and sensory difficulties. Our clinicians will provide therapeutic support to embrace neurodiversity and empower you to have more confidence in navigating life’s challenges.
Don’t suffer in silence. Get in touch today to find out how we can help.
Our Services
For
Individuals and Families
Talking Therapy
At the Purple House Clinic, we create a safe and supportive environment for individuals of all ages to explore their emotions, discover healthy coping mechanisms, and gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and feelings. This empowering journey towards mental wellbeing is at the heart of our work.
The Purple House Clinic offers talking therapy provided by a team of expert clinicians, including specialist Child Psychologists, as well as Psychologists and other highly trained mental health professionals with expertise across the age range.
> Click here for more information about our Talking Therapy service.
Educational Psychology
Our Educational Psychologists can provide expert assessment for both children and adults, identifying and diagnosing general learning disabilities and specific learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia). Our Educational Psychologists can also offer a specialist cognitive assessment to help identify Gifted and Talented children.
> Click here for more information about our Educational Psychology Assessments.
Clinical Psychology Assessment
At the Purple House Clinic, we recognise that psychological issues can sometimes involve a complex interplay of emotional, interpersonal, behavioral, and cognitive/ intellectual challenges. For many individuals, these difficulties can be deep-rooted and intricate, often leaving one uncertain about how to effectively address them or which therapeutic approach might be most suitable. In such cases, our service provides comprehensive Clinical Psychology assessments designed to offer clarity and insight. Our thorough evaluations help identify the precise nature and severity of these challenges, enabling us to recommend the most beneficial interventions. These findings are documented in a detailed written report. Here, individuals gain a clearer understanding of their psychological struggles and a tailored pathway towards resolution.
> Click here for more information about our Clinical Psychology Assessments.
Autism Assessment
Our autism assessments are available to both children and adults, and are widely respected in the field due to their thoroughness and our commitment to a neuro-affirming approach. Be reassured that our expert team are dedicated to offering empowering assessments that are of the highest quality, and delivered with compassion. Let us help you uncover a clearer, fuller understanding of autism supporting a path towards meaningful and positive outcomes.
> Click here for more information about our Autism Assessment service.
ADHD Assessment
A comprehensive ADHD assessment at the Purple House Clinic can be crucial for individuals struggling with symptoms like short attention span, forgetfulness, and organisation problems. Our assessments help in identifying different types of ADHD and their associated difficulties. Following the assessment, the specialist psychiatrist will analyse the results and discuss the findings with you, writing a report to confirm the outcome and recommendations.
> Click here for more information about our ADHD Assessments.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy at the Purple House Clinic focuses on using everyday activities as therapeutic tools to help individuals overcome challenges posed by mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, trauma, and attachment difficulties. Occupational therapy aims to enhance engagement in meaningful activities, helping individuals reach their full potential.
> Click here for more information about our Occupational Therapy Service.
Sensory Assessments
A sensory assessment at the Purple House Clinic is aimed at helping children (5 years +) or adults who struggle with the processing of sensory information in their environment. Difficulty in processing sensory information can co-exist with certain conditions within childhood and adulthood including: autism, trauma and attachment difficulties, developmental coordination disorder, dyspraxia, mental health difficulties and learning disabilities. A range of sensory approaches, as well as Ayres’ Sensory Integration Intervention can assess and address these sensory processing challenges, helping people to engage in the everyday activities that matter to them.
> Click here for more information about our Sensory Assessments.
Play & Art Therapy
Art and play therapy aim to support the social, emotional, and mental health of clients through creative and expressive modes of therapy. These therapies often employ drawing, painting, clay, sand tray, and other media to help clients explore their thoughts and feelings, providing insights and fostering self-compassion and self-worth.
Our services incorporate these elements and are designed to offer a safe space for children to express their feelings creatively, helping them articulate experiences they may not be able to verbalise. We focus on nurturing healthy and resilient relationships and providing therapeutic support through play.
Theraplay® (available at some of our clinics) is a child and family therapy method focused on enhancing attachment, building self-esteem, and improving trust and joyful engagement between children and their caregivers. This evidence-based approach employs guided playful interactions, emphasising structure, nurture, engagement, and challenge to create secure attachments and foster positive self-esteem.
By offering a range of therapies, our services are designed to address diverse client needs, encouraging development and growth through expressive and interactive activities, effectively supporting both children and their families.
Click here to get in touch for further information.
Speech & Language Therapy
At the Purple House Clinic, our Speech & Language therapy is focussed on supporting children with their speech, language and communication development e.g. listening and understanding, using speech and language to communicate information, and making and maintaining friendships.
> Click here for more information about our Speech & Language Therapy Service.
Consultancy & Training
Direct assessment or therapy with a client is not always what is required or of benefit to the situation. At Purple House, in addition to our therapy and assessment services, we provide psychological consultation and training services to family members and professionals. Here, we aim to help family members / professionals better understand the nature of a person’s difficulties through a process of analysis, formulation and psycho-education. We also help them learn how to best support the person, for example, through therapeutic parenting or Positive Behaviour Support plans.
> Click here for more information about our Consultancy & Training Service.
For
Businesses, Organisations & Professionals
Workplace Wellbeing Service
At the Purple House Clinic, we believe that a thriving, successful workplace is built on a foundation of empathy and compassion. Our services are designed to nurture these qualities, promoting a positive work environment where every individual feels valued and understood.
> Click here for more information about our Workplace Wellbeing service.
Consultancy & Training
Direct assessment or therapy with a client is not always what is required or of benefit to the situation. At Purple House, in addition to our therapy and assessment services, we provide psychological consultation and training services to family members and professionals. Here, we aim to help family members / professionals better understand the nature of a person’s difficulties through a process of analysis, formulation and psycho-education. We also help them learn how to best support the person, for example, through therapeutic parenting or Positive Behaviour Support plans.
> Click here for more information about our Consultancy & Training Service.
Schools Wellbeing Service
The Purple House Clinic offers a comprehensive range of in-house provisions to schools designed to address the mental health and neurodiversity needs of both pupils and staff. These services include consultancy, staff training, group work, and individual therapy and assessment sessions tailored for students. By partnering with schools, the clinic ensures that mental health support is easily accessible within the educational environment, which is crucial for timely intervention and support.
The Purple House Clinic, Glasgow’s established partnership with The High School of Glasgow serves as a testament to our effective service delivery. Over several years, this collaboration has resulted in enhanced wellbeing frameworks within the school, significantly benefiting both pupils and teaching staff by providing professional mental health support and equipping staff with the necessary tools to care for children in times of need.
The Purple House Clinic’s approach can be particularly appealing for schools because it focuses on integrating mental health and wellbeing into school culture. This includes the establishment of safe spaces like the ‘Chill Out Zone’ where pupils can find solitude, ongoing support from clinic psychologists who become integral parts of the school’s pastoral care team, and the delivery of talks on mental health topics to reduce stigma and promote understanding.
Furthermore, the clinic’s emphasis on addressing both mental health and neurodiversity needs comprehensively, including guidance on conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in addition to conventional mental health services like anxiety and depression support, makes it a versatile choice for schools aiming to foster a supportive educational environment. This holistic and flexible service model encourages schools to tailor the clinic’s provisions to their unique needs, potentially improving both educational outcomes and student wellbeing.
> Click here to get in touch & find out more about how we can help.
Media Work
The Purple House Clinic has established itself as a key player in providing expert commentary and consultation around mental health and neurodiversity. When working with the Purple House Clinic, media organisations can expect:
Expertise and Specialisation
Qualified Professionals: Our team consists of experienced psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals with a deep understanding of mental health issues and neurodiversity. This ensures accurate and insightful commentary on even the most complex topics.
Broad Range of Topics: We cover a wide array of mental health subjects, including autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders, making us versatile contributors on these crucial topics.
Proven Track Record
Experience with Major Media Outlets: We have worked successfully with the BBC and other leading media organisations. This history validates our ability to provide timely and precise insights that resonate with audiences.
Reliable Information Source: Our commentary is rooted in evidence-based practices, ensuring that all information conveyed is accurate and up-to-date.
Innovative and Engaging Approach
Tailored Content: We offer tailored commentary that can be adjusted to suit the specific needs of your audience, whether it’s for news articles, documentaries, or podcasts.
Interactive Involvement: Beyond just commentary, our experts can engage in panels, live discussions, webinars, and more, providing an interactive layer to media presentations.
Commitment to Public Education
Raising Awareness: One of our core missions is to raise awareness about mental health and neurodiversity. Partnering with media outlets enables us to effectively reach larger audiences and foster greater understanding.
Educational Initiatives: We support media projects with educational initiatives, providing additional resources and information that enhance audience engagement and learning.
Accessible and Responsive
Quick Turnaround: We understand the fast-paced nature of media and are committed to providing prompt responses and readily available experts for commentary.
Multiple Locations and Online Availability: With clinics across the UK and an online presence, we are accessible for media engagements no matter where you are based.
Future Collaborations and Expansion
Co-create Impactful Content: We are open to developing co-branded content that educates and entertains, maximising reach and impact.
Expand Audience Reach: By leveraging our network and expertise, media outlets can tap into new audience segments interested in mental health and neurodiversity.
By partnering with the Purple House Clinic, media organisations can enhance their offerings with authoritative, high-quality insights on mental health and neurodiversity, ensuring valuable content for their audiences.
> Click here to get in touch & find out more about how we can help.
The Purple House Clinic, Edinburgh
Here in Edinburgh, our team of highly qualified and experienced Psychologists and allied health professionals provide a range of therapy and specialist assessment services. We offer help for child / adolescent mental health, adult mental health, physical health and psychosexual difficulties. We are also able to undertake neurodevelopmental assessments (e.g. autism, ADHD) for children, adolescents and adults. We accept private referrals as well as referrals from organisations (e.g. solicitors, insurers, schools, employers). All enquiries are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The Purple House Clinic, Edinburgh
Here in Edinburgh, our team of highly qualified and experienced Psychologists and allied health professionals provide a range of therapy and specialist assessment services. We offer help for child / adolescent mental health, adult mental health, physical health and psychosexual difficulties. We are also able to undertake neurodevelopmental assessments (e.g. autism, ADHD) for children, adolescents and adults. We accept private referrals as well as referrals from organisations (e.g. solicitors, insurers, schools, employers). All enquiries are treated with the utmost confidentiality.
What do we help with?
The Purple House Clinic provides individualised, easy to access, psychological services at the time people need help the most. We work with both adults and children, helping a range of mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety, phobias, PTSD, complex trauma and personality issues. We can also help with physical health difficulties including adjustment to acute, chronic and life limiting illness, pain management, trauma related to ill health or treatment and birth trauma along with psychosexual issues including sexual pain disorders and erectile dysfunction. We also provide a number of specialist assessment services including assessments for ASD and ADHD.
Our Team
Our services are delivered by a team of highly qualified & experienced Psychologists and mental health professionals led by Clinical Director, Sarah Gallacher. Together with her team, Sarah is passionate about creating a truly trauma informed, neurodiversity affirming and values driven psychological healthcare service in Edinburgh, where everyone can flourish.
Sarah Gallacher
Forensic Psychologist & Clinical Director
BSc (Hons), MSc, AFBPsS, MBA
Read Profile
About
Sarah Gallacher is the Clinical Director of the Purple House Clinic in Edinburgh and is an HCPC registered practitioner and forensic psychologist and an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society.
Sarah has over 20 years of experience working in public services in Scotland and in private practice. She is experienced in working with both adults and adolescents / families. She has extensive experience in working with individuals experiencing a range of social, emotional, psychological and mental health related difficulties. She draws from a range of psychotherapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Sarah has developed a specific interest in neurodevelopmental conditions, specifically Autism and ADHD, as both she and her children are neurodivergent. She has experienced, first-hand, many of the associated challenges involved in navigating access to services, access to appropriate support and accommodations in an education and work context and the associated impact on mental health and wellbeing. Due to this she is focused on ensuring services delivered are accessible, inclusive, collaborative and neurodivergent affirming.
Qualifications
2022 – Master of Business Administration, University of Strathclyde.
2019 – Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research, University of Lancaster.
2005 – Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, University of Dundee.
2000 – Master of Science in Forensic Psychology, University of Kent.
1999 – Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Psychology, University of Lincolnshire and Humberside.
Professional Registrations & Memberships
- British Psychological Society (BPS): 097760
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC): PYL19096
- EMDR UK Association: Full member
Dr Alex Willis
Senior Clinical Psychologist
BSc, PhD, PGCert, MSc, DClinPsy
Read Profile
Expertise and Experience
Dr Willis is the Senior Clinical Psychologist at Purple House Edinburgh. She is a registered Clinical Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS). Dr Willis has been working in NHS Scotland for over nine years, first as a psychological therapist working with adults, and later as a clinical psychologist, working with people of all ages and across a variety of settings: alongside her post at Purple House, Dr Willis works part-time within an NHS forensic inpatient unit for people with complex mental health and offending needs.
Prior to retraining as a clinical psychologist, Dr Willis completed a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience and subsequently spent 20 years working within universities as a Postdoctoral Researcher and then Lecturer in Psychology, with a focus on visual attention and executive functioning, and how these may differ in children and adults with neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia and ADHD.
Dr Willis provides assessment and therapeutic interventions for a range of common psychological issues in young people and adults, including anxiety, anger, depression, phobias, OCD, PTSD, low self-esteem, and difficulties with emotion regulation, interpersonal functioning, and problematic substance use. She also has experience of working with adults presenting with these and more enduring difficulties such as bipolar affective disorder, psychosis / schizophrenia, and the effects of complex trauma. She is passionate about providing and promoting high-quality, person-centred, trauma-informed psychological assessment and interventions, and working in a neuroaffirming way with individuals, their families, and wider systems.
Qualifications
2021 – Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), University of Edinburgh
2017 – MSc in Psychological Therapy in Primary Care, University of Dundee (distinction)
2004 – PGCert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Edinburgh Napier University (distinction)
1997 – PhD in Psychology (Cognitive Neuroscience), Royal Holloway College, University of London
1992 – BSc (Joint Hons) in Psychology and Biology, University of Keele
Professional Registrations & Memberships
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC): PYL039687.
Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS): 682998.
Associate Member of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABPC).
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).
Specialisms
- Assessment of ADHD and autistic spectrum conditions in adults and young people.
- Adult psychology (anxiety, depression, phobias, OCD, PTSD, low self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, problematic substance use, anger, violent or aggressive behaviours, psychosis, and the effects of complex trauma).
Main Therapeutic Approaches
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
- Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT).
- Behavioural Family Therapy (BFT).
- I also draw heavily on other third-wave CBT approaches in my therapeutic work, including Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and more relational models such as Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT).
Testimonials
Read more testimonials
Clinic Location
Located in the heart of Edinburgh's West End, our beautiful Georgian premises is located in the prestigious Rutland Square. Within easy walking distance from Haymarket and Waverley Station, two minutes from the West End tram stop and accessible by car, with on street parking available within the square and surrounding area.
Our Other Clinics
Join Our Team
The Purple House Clinic is a growing community. All of our clinics are getting busier every day and there is a growing need for more Associate Clinicians to join our teams. If you’re a Practitioner Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language Therapist or a Mental Health Nurse please get in touch!
We also have franchise opportunities for ambitious Practitioner Psychologists who wish to own and operate a Purple House clinic themselves. If your goal is to own a large and successful multi-practitioner practice, get in touch to benefit from the support and operational systems of our established and respected organisation.
Selected Blog Articles by Purple House & Guest Authors
Director of Purple House Clinic Lincoln blazes the trail for groundbreaking approach to trauma recovery
Alice Vine (Hucker), forensic psychologist and...
Purple House Clinic Birmingham celebrates one year of supporting locals and businesses
November 2024 marks one year since Clinical...
Our Leicester-based Clinical Psychologist pens ‘happiness’ guide for their local community in run-up to festive period
With darker days and the financial and social...
Facebook Feed
Recent posts from our Facebook feed.
Early intervention is key to supporting a child’s mental health. Be aware of the signs that your child could be struggling and seek help from professionals so that you are not navigating concerns alone. #childrensmentalhealth
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Understanding neurodiversity starts with the right assessment. We offer a variety of tailored assessments to help identify strengths and challenges, guiding you toward the support you need. #neurodiversity #assessments #Dyslexia #autism #ADHD
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Talking therapy is not for everyone.
Not everyone can access the words needed to explore their difficulties through talk based therapies. For some people, adults and children alike, more creative approaches are the key to engaging in a therapeutic journey.
Within the Purple House Clinic Edinburgh we are proud to be able to offer a range of evidence based options delivered by experienced clinicians who are professionally registered. Here our HCPC Registered Art Psychotherapist Sarah shares a helpful overview and some insight into art therapy.
For more information about creative approaches to therapy, or any of our services, please feel free to drop us an enquiry:
www.purplehouseclinic.co.uk/psychologists-edinburgh/
#artpsychotherapy #playtherapy #creativetherapy
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