Where lived experience meets clinical expertise
Psychological support shaped by two decades inside the Bar.
Married to a barrister, I’ve personally lived and breathed the rhythms and demands of life at the Bar for over 20 years. As a clinical psychologist, this gives me a rare insight into the emotional demands of the Bar and the internal dynamics of Chambers, from leadership to clerks to individual barristers.
Because healthy Chambers start with healthy relationships
Strengthening wellbeing for barristers, clerks and Chambers leadership.
Wellbeing at the Bar is inherently relational. Therefore I work with barristers, clerks, staff and sets of Chambers. My work focuses on helping individuals, clerking teams and Chambers leadership recognise the intrinsic pressures and anxieties of life at the Bar, manage them well and the signs and symptoms of stress and burnout early so that they can be prevented.
How I can help
If you’re looking for specialist, psychologically informed perspective from someone who genuinely understands the Bar, here’s how I can help.
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1:1 support for barristers, clerks and staff. If you’re struggling with stress, anxiety or burnout at work, if you’re home life is tricky or if your work life balance is not what you’d like get in touch.
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I work with many sets of Chambers. I can offer anything from a one off talk to a series of workshops and trainings for barristers at different levels of seniority, training for clerks, reviewing or assisting with the wellbeing policy, advising on sensitive issues as they arise and running ‘surgeries’.
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Clerks are ‘on the front line’ and they are often the first to notice when barristers struggle. As such, they can be vital to the prevention of stress, overwhelm, burnout and breakdown, but they need to know and recognise the signs and symptoms.
My training covers all of these in detail along with how recognise these signs in themselves and colleagues as well, and how to have difficult conversations when necessary.
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Being a pupil supervisor can be a wonderful opportunity to teach, nurture and bring out the best in a pupil. However often this isn’t the way pupils experience their pupillage. My trainings for pupil supervisors explores how to do this without compromising excellence and providing the best environment to assess pupils’ full potential.
Mentoring pupils is a different role and set of skills and my session on mentoring explores the differences and sets mentors up with the right information and tools to help them and their mentees to use the relationship to it’s full potential.
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I have a few talks that are frequently requested. My ‘umbrella’ talk is the most popular, and it’s a whistlestop tour through life at the Bar for barristers and clerks, including the specific traits that make barristers vulnerable to burnout. There’s also a burnout specific talk and one on vicarious trauma. I always tweak my talks customise them for each set of Chambers and I am very happy to work with you if you want something that is different and create a bespoke talk for you.
Mark Dann, Senior Clerk
“Dr Anna is clearly a leading mental health practitioner and a provider of first class mental health training.”
Lucy Burrows, 3VB
“Anna has a unique understanding of the challenges facing those that work at and for the bar.”
Psychology for Barristers and Clerks
What to expect when we work together.
If we work together, I’ll be firmly in your corner from day one. I’ll champion and cheerlead you while also pushing you and challenging you. It’s a deeply bespoke and collaborative process. It won’t always be comfortable but you’ll feel fully supported in doing the work and making the changes you want so get to where you want to be .
Specialist support starts with a conversation.
If you’re looking for specialist, psychologically informed support from someone who genuinely understands the culture and pressures of the Bar, you’re in the right place.
About me
Clinical expertise shaped by real-life experience.
I’m a clinical psychologist with over two decades’ experience in adolescent mental health, eating disorders, performance psychology and the pressures of life at the Bar.
I’m also deeply committed to educating children, parents and professionals about food and healthy eating habits, helping prevent eating disorders before they emerge. My work spans NHS services, private practice, West End productions and media consultancy, but my aim is always the same: to offer clear, warm, evidence-based support and create environments where young people and adults can thrive.