Trainee Counselling Psychologist

Andrew is a doctoral candidate at Roehampton University who also works as a captain with a major UK airline. Seeking greater fulfilment, he is now transitioning to a career as a counselling psychologist. As a trainee counselling psychologist with Umid, Andrew uses a person-centred approach to help clients make sense of their lives, plan and enjoy a better future. His person-centred approach enables people to find solutions to the problems that life can bring.

With a first class honours degree in psychology and additional training in multiple therapeutic approaches, Andrew was a founding member in 2017 of the UK’s first clinically-supervised, confidential peer support service for pilots (SpeedbirdPan). Since then, he has supported pilots with various mental health issues, such as stress, relationship difficulties, depression, alcoholism, anxiety, career setbacks and flying-related traumatic events. In 2020, he developed and implemented a program still in use today, for training pilot peers in several airlines and flight training institutions across Western Europe and the USA. At SpeedbirdPan, he plays a leading role in the training, recruitment and support of other pilot-peers. Andrew has spoken extensively on this subject at CPD conferences for aviation leaders, psychologists, doctors and counsellors. He co-wrote a chapter in Pilot Selection: Psychological Principles and Practice, and has contributed several magazine and journal articles related to mental health.

Andrew's experience in helping pilots deal with mental health issues inspired him to pursue training as a counselling psychologist. After completing a year as an online therapist, he now sees clients at this beautiful private mental health practice in Hampshire. He specialises in issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and any mental health issue that would benefit from empathic therapy.

He was born and raised in Ireland, trained and worked in the USA as a pilot, before settling in the UK in 1997.