About Me
Hi, I’m Jess, a senior clinical psychologist who has supported adults and children with mental health difficulties in the NHS for the past nine years. I aim to create a safe space where people feel comfortable talking about their experiences and are encouraged to experiment with new strategies that may help them to cope differently.

One parent of a 10yr old I worked with gave the following feedback:
“My son was treated by Dr. Jess Hughes who was amazing with him. She was able to make him laugh and really connect with difficult topics and had an amazing personable and understanding nature. He genuinely looked forward to his sessions (although he acted too cool to let on) and really saw how they were helping him. I was so concerned about his mental wellness when we first started sessions, and now 2 months on I have my boy back. He’s learnt the skills he needs to continue to ease his anxiety beyond the sessions and has gained so much pride in himself. I’ll never forget driving home from an event to hear him sigh and say, ‘I feel like I did before anxiety.’ Forever grateful for Jess, her knowledge, approach, and time.”

Who I work with
I predominantly work with children, young people and their parents, and I also have experience working with adults and people experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy or the first few years after childbirth.

Common concerns
People who come to see me are often struggling with anxiety difficulties like worries, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety, or stress. They may also be struggling with low self-esteem or depression. I am also able to work with difficulties relating to trauma or difficulties associated with pregnancy and post-natal difficulties.

My therapeutic approach
As a psychologist, I tailor therapy for everyone I see, drawing on a variety of therapeutic models. I am additionally qualified as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, and this is often the basis of the therapy, alongside other models like Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) skills.

Experience and training
– Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) at the University of Surrey including accreditation as a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies at Level 2 (BABCP).
– Masters in Mental Health Studies (MSc) at King’s College London.
– Undergraduate degree in Applied Psychology (Clinical) (BSc) at the University of
Exeter.

Beyond the therapy room
I love to get absorbed in a good book, film or TV show and can often be found having a dance around the kitchen while cooking dinner! My new year’s resolution this year involves trying something new each month and some of the things I’ve tried include: a drawing class, a West-end themed musical choir and wild swimming.

Next steps
If you feel I might be the right fit for you or your child, you’re welcome to arrange a consultation via our Contact page. I’d be happy to explore how we can work together.