DBT London Team
Jason Ward – DBT Adult Clinical Lead and DBT London Director
I have been in practice for over 20 years and have practising privileges at several Priory Hospitals in the South East. I developed and now lead the DBT Programme at the Priory Hospital North London and the Elysium Health DBT Programme in Brighton. Working with patients who suffer from BPD and developing DBT London services is my passion. I am committed to helping and supporting patients develop a life worth living through the learning and implementation of DBT skills.
Julie Burg – Counsellor Psychotherapist
I hold an Advanced Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy from The Minster Centre, (one of the UK’s leading Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy training institutes), and am finalising my Master of Arts degree in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy I have also taken further APT accredited training in DBT.
As the Head of Provision in a Secondary School 6th Form in North London, I work with teenagers who experience difficulties with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self harm, suicidal ideation, or who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I also lead workshops aimed at learning to cope better with panic and anxiety. I worked as a senior psychotherapist in the Assessment Ward of a NHS mental hospital, running therapy groups with men who have been sectioned.
I am enthusiastic about working creatively with clients, taking into account their own (existing) resources while figuring out new ones together. As an integrative therapist I am trained to look at a person holistically, and tailor the treatment to the client. Before I became a therapist, I worked as a documentary filmmaker with a focus on Human Rights and marginalised communities. I produced many training and awareness raising films for the UK and international sector, having always been passionate about social justice, and helping people to help themselves.
Qualifications: PGDip.Adv.Coun.Psychotherapy. I am a member of the regulatory body British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to their code of ethics, and further professional development requirements.
Darryl Christie – Senior DBT Practitioner and Family Programme Lead
Darryl is an accredited dialectical behaviour therapist (one of the first in the UK) and a subject matter expert in DBT. He trained both with the Linehan Institute in the USA and British Isles DBT in the UK. Darryl also received expert supervision in DBT and DBT-Prolonged Exposure (PE) from both Dr Heidi Heard and Dr Melanie Harned who are both leading and world-renowned clinicians in the field of borderline personality disorder (BPD), DBT and trauma. His special interests include suicidal and self-harming behaviours in adults and children, treating anxiety and depression, eating problems, addictions and complex PTSD as well as negative self-talk and relationship difficulties that often ensue as a result of the above.
Marie Wassberg – DBT Adolescent Clinical Lead
B.Soc.Sc and CBT/TF-DBT/DBT/DBT-A/DBT for schools/PE/EMDR therapist – Marie has been involved with developing many DBT- informed programmes in different settings, mainly for children, adolescents and young adults aged (from 18-30 years), both in Sweden and in England. She is also running groups/workshops/presentations for parents, staff working with children and adolescents, as well as teachers.
Marie has been a very welcomed guest lecturer at universities in Sweden, a facilitator at workshops, Conferences and training events throughout the UK (NOTA, BABCP, Bank of England and Schools), in Sweden (Schools, Social Services and Care homes) and the USA (ATSA). She has also offered training and supervision to other professionals who work with children and adolescents on how to improve relationships and regulate emotions in a DBT-informed approach/using DBT skills.
As a therapist, Marie has worked for over 25 years with children and adolescents who have been sexually abused, suffered from complex PTSD/trauma or experienced other kinds of trauma and/or who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours. Her client group also includes: deliberate self-harming; suicidal thoughts; depression; and psychosis among other difficulties. As a qualified Social Worker, her work has also involved child protection, child-in-need, unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers. Marie also has experience of working with children and adolescents presenting challenging behaviours, autism spectrum disorder (especially high functioning) and ADHD.
Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker; Bachelor in Social Science (1999). Marie is also qualified as a Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (CBT) and is an Accredited Cognitive Behaviour Therapist with BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies). Marie has a Diploma in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), DBT for Adolescents (DBT-A), Trauma Focused-CBT (TF-CBT), Prolonged Exposure (PE); and DBT for Schools (STEPS-A).
Tom Coles – Integrative Counsellor and Qualified DBT Therapist
Tom trained with the British Isles DBT training team and currently practices at the Priory Hospital in North London, where he also received training with accredited DBT therapists. He has a special interest in working with patients with emotional dysregulation and currently provides specialised treatment in groups and 1:1.
Tom’s background is working with addiction where he spent several years working in a residential rehabilitation service for drugs and alcohol in Hertfordshire. He has previous experience working with young persons mental health services and Schools. Tom received training in mindfulness at the Oxford Mindfulness centre and has further development attending silent retreats with the London Buddhist centre. Tom also has a keen interest in relationship and psychosexual therapy is currently training towards a 2 year diploma. His overall style is relaxed and down to earth, with creative approaches to skills training.
Academic Qualifications: Level 4 Diploma in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy – West Herts College – 2019 – Foundation training in DBT – British Isles DBT Training Team – 2021 – Memberships: British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy – registered member – COSRT – student member