"Neil has been an integral part of my recovery from a depressive episode that spanned years. He is kind, non-judgmental and empathetic in a way I had not encountered in prior therapy. With his deep understanding of both Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Depression, he has walked me through the hardest life event I have ever had to deal with, and for that I am extremely grateful." - AS

“We are very pleased to have found Neil Hammond. His broad therapeutic experience and wide ranging knowledge and expertise is proving to be very helpful for our son, who has been having regular, fortnightly therapy sessions with Neil for well over a year now. We had been unable to find a therapist locally who had a really good understanding and extensive clinical experience of treating a young person with both intense OCD & higher functioning Autistic Spectrum Condition. We have found that Neil Hammond is able to adapt conventional therapeutic approaches for OCD and make them suitable, accessible and relevant for our son’s particular needs, including his autism. Also, Neil has been able to offer some therapy’s which are not universally available, including, EMDR and Mindfulness. Our son has made good progress, as a result and he is building different strategies which he can take forward to use in his daily life, resulting in him being able to live with greater happiness and less anxiety. Neil is also helping our son with social skills training and issues about growing up into adulthood, such as, building relationships and sexual matters, again using a therapeutic approach, designed for people with autism.

Neil’s multi-faceted approach has been instrumental in helping our son grow beyond, what was a very difficult and fragile mental state and also assisting him through a tricky transition into university and young adulthood With his help, our son has been able to start and stay on his university course, despite a challenging first year. Our son has just begun working on a full time, paid, work placement, as year 3 of his university course. That our son is confident enough to be able to do this, is a great testimony to the work Neil has been doing with him. We are grateful to Neil for all he has done to help our son recover and heal, and also for his support of us, as a family, sharing in that journey. Neil comes highly recommended by us. We do not know how our son would have faired without his assistance, Neil has helped our son and us in many ways and more than we are able to say.” - AM

“When my son was first assessed by Neil in 2016 it marked the end of a very long wait for much needed help, and all concerned – his family as well as the professionals were delighted. Over many appointments Neil has demonstrated his professionalism; empathy; understanding; and personal warmth. Together with, of course, very considerable clinical skills which have brought my son from a very difficult place, on a long and sometimes twisty journey, to be a happy and much more mature person.” - CM
 

“I wish to communicate how excellent your support has been constantly week after week and the positive impact provided through your professional and expert skills, thankfully to you today DB is in a very different place than when he started at the beginning of the sessions. On behalf of DB, myself and Certitude we would like to truly thank you for being so understanding, flexible, proactive, sensitive and 100% person centred. Could never have got to this place without you. “ - Mark Wallis, Certitude

EMDR for PTSD

“Following on from Dr Hammond’s assessment of my son (in November 2022) I was very pleased that he agreed to go ahead with the EMDR sessions to help manage his PTSD.

My opinion is that he was willing to do these sessions because he felt comfortable and at ease with the interaction he had with Dr Hammond (during that assessment) especially as it was on a one-to-one basis and accessible online. He saw no-one else around, so this gave him the space to open up his thoughts and feelings, in a private space from home, which is his comfort zone.

Dr Hammond’s level of interaction, which was paced just right, allowed my son the space to 'let go' of his thoughts, fears and feelings. I could tell he was more confident in talking with you as his voice lifted when he spoke to Dr Hammond. He was also responsive about going through the questioning (at the time of assessment) and the subsequent EDMR sessions. I have never known my son to be so interactive and willing to talk, especially as he finds it hard to express himself.  Dr Hammond came across in a relaxed and non-pressurised manner and he was very much okay with that.

My observation of my son since the EMDR sessions for his difficulties with eating, is that he is a bit more relaxed in his general demeanour (previously he was very tense on a day-to-day basis). He has not mentioned that he can't swallow and he seems to be eating his usual choice of foods more readily, albeit still a very restrictive choice of foods. About every 3-4 weeks, he adds a new choice of food but this is very much on his terms, when he feels ready. Although I provided him with the food option today for the challenge test, he got angry about it before the sessions started (even though they were foods he's eaten in the past) and he took them out of the room. It became clear that he only wants to challenge another food choice when he finds the right moment for himself, rather than the moment being chosen for him.  However, all in all, he is in a better place now compared to before he started the sessions. His fear of eating (although still present) has lessened. Dr Hammond certainly helped him achieve some belief that he can improve his confidence around food and not everything is going to make him ill”. 

 Son's message:

 "Thank you for everything that you've done for me. I am happy to know that I can contact you again if I need to speak to you again". GL

 Parent message:

“I really appreciate your assistance and being available to help my son in a regular and structured manner.

I am pleased to know that ongoing, I can continue to seek your support as I'm sure the continuity will be of great value to my son.” JL

Autism

“Dr Hammond really helped me with my emotional regulation and strategies to improve my social communication in a complex world. He has the skills to bring out relevant stories from the client and use these to inform action plans. His approach is based on CBT bringing in other approaches where relevant. I find that his treatment has significantly improved my mental health and functioning”. MB