‘Creating this novel service came with challenges’

It was my dad who inspired me to work with people who are facing challenges in their lives. He would regularly volunteer at a mental health residence near our home on the Greek island of Rhodes. He'd spend time playing games with the residents and bringing some light relief and joy to what was often a  challenging life. He helped me to see the profound impact in helping people which served as one of my inspirations to become a psychologist.

Challenges along the way

The path certainly wasn't without its challenges. Schooling in my small village in Rhodes provided a solid yet modest education, and it hadn't fully prepared me for the demands and rigour of higher education in the UK. Consequently, I had to put in extra effort to meet the requirements of the London university I had applied for as well as try to grasp the language fluently and navigate the cultural differences.

After completing my second year of university, I managed to get a paid internship in the psychiatry department at Oxford University which helped me to afford to stay in the UK during the summer, this was then extended so I worked for three days a week in Oxford and dedicated the rest of the time to my studies in London.

After graduating, I applied to study for my Master's degree at Oxford, and I then progressed to an MPhil program at Cambridge, and eventually, obtained a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at King's College London. Each stage of this academic journey has meant an enormous amount of hard work and sacrifice but I was always determined to reach my goal of becoming a Clinical Psychologist.

Building a private practice… twice!

After I gained my doctorate, I secured work at the NHS conducting neuropsychological assessments and then moved on to work as an associate in private practice before setting up my own practice. My first office was in Covent Garden in London and I loved it! I poured my heart and soul into the business and it thrived, but, as is often the way, life had other plans for me when I met my partner and had a baby. As a young family, we decided to move to Richmond and I started from scratch again, starting a new private practice in a new area and balancing the responsibilities of motherhood.

Life's unforeseen challenges

Just when I felt like I'd worked out a good work-life balance, life took another turn. This time, it affected every single one of us with the arrival of Covid. Yet amidst this global upheaval and turmoil, my husband was offered a job opportunity in Canada, and we found out I was pregnant with our second child – once again, we were on the move! 

Part of me felt reluctant to start all over again but I was also ready for a new adventure, and we decided to give it a go. This transition meant leaving behind everything I had painstakingly built over the past two decades and starting anew. It was an emotionally tumultuous time, compounded by the challenges of adapting to a different culture, and having to rebuild everything from scratch including a new home, a new career, and a new life in a foreign country.

Breeding innovation

Often necessity helps us to think creatively and I began to wonder if there was a way forward that would enable me to continue my private practice in the UK while working towards obtaining my license to work as a psychologist in Canada. My idea was to create a service where clients could be matched to suitable psychologists. 

The concept for a personalised triage service like this in the mental health sphere seemed invaluable. First of all, I needed to carefully curate a network of trusted and experienced mental health professionals, and I went about putting together a team that met my stringent criteria, I didn't want to recommend anyone I didn't believe in!

Now my network spans across various locations in the UK, offering a diverse range of skills, expertise, and fee structures. When a client contacts the clinic I use my clinical expertise to conduct an assessment and then match each client with the most suitable mental health professional, taking into consideration their unique needs and preferences such as location, budget, and treatment modality. 

The benefit for clients is that they don't have to navigate the challenge of identifying the right mental health professional on their own. This process can often put people off getting help or lead them to rely on algorithm-based assessments to be matched with therapists on large online therapy platforms. Furthermore, some platforms have faced criticism for their questionable standards of clinical care and the challenges experienced by overworked and underpaid therapists.

It also provides a valuable solution for other psychologists who are unable to accommodate their volume of clients. Instead of turning them away or adding them to waiting lists, they can enhance the efficiency of their private practice by delegating the task of helping find other suitable professionals. Organisations such as law firms, case management and rehabilitation agencies, educational institutions, human resources departments, non-profit organisations and healthcare providers can benefit from our service too. They can use us to help them expand their network when seeking mental health professionals to support their service users.

All the colleagues that I recommend from my network are highly respected and valued for their expertise and the vital work they provide. They retain full control over their schedule and their fees, which comply with industry standards, and are paid in line with their specialised knowledge and skills. By empowering them to run their own businesses, the triage service enables them to reduce overhead expenses, optimise their clinical time, and achieve success as independent practitioners.

Creating this novel service came with challenges. I faced a fair bit of scepticism and doubt along the way. Despite this, I found it helpful to remind myself that such challenges, although daunting and disheartening, are common encounters in any new venture. Just as I pursued my academic dreams, I am equally determined to continue building my business. And when a particularly challenging day comes along? I find solace in sitting on the dock beside the lake at the end of my backyard. Moving to Canada has certainly brought some silver linings!