- Psychology Plus(Glasgow)Innovative approaches to helping with life's problems
- Approach
No matter what age you are, if you are struggling with something in your life, you might benefit from psychological help. Clinical psychology can offer people space to think, to clarify their difficulties and what contributes to them, and to participate in individually tailored psychological therapies that have been shown to help, and that enrich lives.
Dr Lindsey Macleod (MA Hons, MPhil, D Clin Psych, C Psychol) has worked as a Clinical Psychologist in mental health services with children and young people, families, parents, carers and professionals for almost thirty years. She has been working at Consultant level for the last twenty years and has a wealth of experience in thinking about all sorts of psychological distress (human struggle) and trying to help move things on in positive ways.
Lindsey combines an interest in community psychology, sport and the arts to develop innovative ways of engaging individuals, families, communities and agencies in creative and empowering processes that improve mental health and wellbeing.
Professional services
Psychological help for individuals (across the life span), couples and families
Lindsey’s clinical practice has developed over many years
of working within the NHS and in private practice. Her work is grounded in the Power Threat Meaning (PTM) Framework; this represents a move away from medicalised approaches (based on psychiatric diagnosis) towards thinking about distress as an integral part of being human. This approach is less about what is wrong with a person (or people); it focuses more on what has happened to them and and what they have had to do to cope.
Lindsey is committed to thinking about people in their context, be it family, school, community, workplace or society as a whole. She creates safe spaces for people to make sense of their unique life experiences; to tell their story and to develop it. Lindsey works in partnership with children, adolescents and adults to deliver therapy in creative, flexible ways that takes into account all the various aspects of, and influences on, a person’s life. She draws upon a range of therapeutic models including Cognitive Behavioural and Narrative Therapies, Attachment Focused Therapies, Mentalisation, Family therapy models, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, DNA-V, Mindfulness, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Compassion Focused approaches.
Some examples of why people might seek psychological help include struggles with:
- stress / anxiety / panic / obsessional problems
- low mood / depression
- problems associated with loss, change or transitions (e.g. bereavements, separation, divorce, redundancy, retirement)
- issues related to adoption and fostering
- self harm
- attachment issues
- behavioural difficulties
- communication problems
- marital or family problems
- challenges of parenting
- feeding and sleeping problems and temper tantrums in little ones
- the "tasks of adolescence"
- problems with motivation, attention or focus
- living with illness and disability
- bullying / relationship problems
- problems associated with trauma
- work / employment issues
To find out more about what clinical psychologists can do to help visit the British Psychological Society site.
Community psychology.....partnership working...... developing approachesLindsey has many years experience of working in partnership with statutory and non statutory agencies and groups to develop innovative ways of working. These have ranged from creative play projects with young mums to therapeutic running groups with adolescents with mood problems. Lindsey has led on many NHS service user initiatives, helping young people to make their mark on mental health buildings and services through creative projects with artists. This has involved having and operationalising good ideas, sourcing partners and funding, implementing / supervising the implementation of projects and auditing and evaluating them. Lindsey is keen to extend this experience to develop innovative practice working with individuals, communities and agencies to provide equitable, compassionate and useful mental health support.Trapeze
Lindsey was the founding director of Trapeze, a registered charity which worked over many years in partnership with communities and other services to find alternative, flexible ways to alleviate distress and improve mental health and wellbeing. Trapeze aimed to take psychological help out of clinics and into the places where people live, work and sometimes struggle and to make it more relevant and useful for more people. Unfortunately, the pressures and restrictions associated with covid-19 led to Trapeze closing it's doors in March 2021.
Click on the following links to find out more about some of the influences behind Lindsey’s work:
Power Threat Meaning Framework
Glasgow Centre For Population Health
Association of Contextual and Behavioral Science (ACBS)
Teaching, training, supervision and consultancyLindsey has taught Doctorate and Masters level clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals on a range of topics including depression, formulation and reflective practice. She has supervised, managed and provided professional leadership to trainee and qualified psychologists in various NHS settings north and south of the border. Lindsey currently provides clinical supervision to clinical psychologists and counsellors from a range of orientations. Her commitment to multiagency thinking has led to Lindsey being involved in various multi-agency planning and strategy groups and developing joint thinking forums between mental health and social work services. Lindsey can provide teaching, training, supervision and consultancy to a range of professionals (individually or in groups) on a variety of topics including:
● developmental psychology
● attachment
● parenting
● disability
● developing resilience
● community psychology
● stuckness
● containment
● process issues (reflective practise)
● abuse and trauma
● the psychological needs of looked after and accommodated children and young people
● supporting foster and adoptive parents and residential care staff
- Experience and professional qualifications
Lindsey has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Glasgow. For the first twenty five years of her career she worked in a range of NHS mental health services in Lanarkshire, Liverpool, Sefton and across Glasgow (eighteen of these years at consultant level). In recent years she has practiced as an independent clinical psychologist where she has worked in partnership with third sector organisations such as Action for Children where she provided supervision for counsellors based in Glasgow schools and facilitated Reflective Practice Groups for their wider staff groups. Lindsey currently acts as an Honorary Consultant with "Mellow Parenting" writing, developing and piloting "Mellow Ability", a parenting programme for parents of children with complex additional support needs. Lindsey works part-time in NHS Lanarkshire where she provides psychological support for adults with learning disabilities.
She is a chartered member of the British Psychological Society (bps.org.uk) and works in accordance with their codes of practice. Lindsey is registered with, and regulated by, the Health Care Professions Council (registration number: PYL1 6719). Lindsey is fully vetted by Disclosure Scotland’s Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme (Disclosure Number: 200000009805489) in respect of regulated work with children and adults.
For more information about Lindsey's experience and qualifications view her Linked-in profile
- Contact
If you would like to make an appointment email lindsey.macleod@googlemail.com. Lindsey usually sees people face to face in the Greenbank Rooms in Clarkston, Glasgow (please see map below) but she can also work with adults online . Please see the link below for guidance on getting the most out of on-line therapy.
Lindsey is happy to discuss possible referrals beforehand. Please remember that email communications are never entirely secure so you may want to limit the personal details you share about yourself or difficulties at this stage.
Please note that Lindsey works as an independent practitioner and some issues (e.g. eating disorders, severe self harm) cannot be safely supported without the input of a multi-disciplinary approach and/or crisis management options. Prior to seeing new clients, Lindsey tends to have a brief telephone call to try to clarify whether or not she feels she can safely and effectively assist. Occasionally this is less obvious until the first consultation but she does not seek to engage clients unless they are suited to the service.
Please contact her if you are unable to attend an appointment. Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours notice, unfortunately, have to be charged for in full. Lindsey is contactable from 9 -5 on Thursdays and Fridays but, as she is often working directly with clients, there may be a delay in her response to enquiries. She will do her best to respond within 48 hours to emails and phone messages.
Similarly, feel free to email Lindsey to discuss opportunities for partnership working, supervision, training or consultancy.