About Room To Grow
'From a Tiny Acorn Grows the Mighty Oak'...
'Room to Grow' originated some time ago, chosen to acknowledge the potential of all, irrespective of personal story, our own limiting beliefs and those of others.
Like a tree we can all grow strong and weather our personal storms becoming the best we can be.
'Room to Grow' promotes inclusive, strength based approaches through psychological and therapeutic support.
...Supporting Your Potential!
About Me
Dr Tina E.J Axup
DAppEdPsy, MEd, MA, MSc, BSc (hons), BEd (hons)
Educational & Child Psychologist, Integral Therapeutic Counsellor, Psychological Supervisor, Systemic Couples & Family Practitioner.
I began my career with a love of teaching swimming to young children, as an adolescent. I believe everyone can learn, despite real and perceived limitations given the right environment, positive relationships and approaches. As a young person I found school life challenging and I know this is the case for many children and young people today.
I was passionate about the children and young people with special educational needs in my classes. This led me to focus on this work as a specialist teacher for children and young people with complex learning difficulties.
I qualified as an Educational Psychologist in 2005 and had become very interested in the journeys of the families I worked with, and how raising a child with additional needs, particularly Autism, affected family relationships, including siblings. I completed my doctoral thesis on the life worlds of fathers raising sons with Asperger Syndrome. I qualified as an Integral Therapeutic Counsellor in 1998. Working with adults made me curious about human development throughout the life span. My psychological and counselling careers merged when I trained in psychological clinical supervision and since have had the privilege of supervising many professionals from different disciplines. Since training as a systemic family practitioner, I have extended my work to couples, families and use of systemic thinking in work with individuals and organisations.
My experience includes working within four local authorities, private practice and for over 20 years within the voluntary sector with a local, not for profit counselling charity. I have had the privilege of being part of Southend City Council adoption panel since 2008 and have had a personal and professional interest in adoption and how the experience of being adopted and adopting a child can impact life's journey.
I hope you will choose to include me in your journey. I look forward to working with you.
Psychology & Therapy Services
Educational & Psychology Services
Support for children, young people, schools and families via psychological consultation and assessment.
Learn MoreTherapeutic Counselling
An integral approach to therapeutic work, utilizing the relationship and approaches which enables clients to make positive changes and life choices.
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Essential support for counsellors and others using therapeutic approaches in their work to maintain ethical practice.
Learn MoreTraining & Workshops
Support to enhance skills and knowledge within the areas of psychology, therapeutic counselling, education and wellbeing, within a supportive, collaborative ethos.
Learn MoreTestimonials
It may have been decided that I observe and then work individually with the young person. This work might include using standardised, dynamic or projective assessment tools to assess the young person's academic, social, emotional, communication, physical and/or sensory needs. It is important whilst working with the young person to discover their views, talk about their learning style and how they feel about learning, as well as other things important to them.
I am qualified to identify learning difficulties, both general and specific, sometimes referred to as: dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. My reports can form evidence as part of the EHCP process and contribute to the assessments of other professionals, e.g. Paediatricians, Mental Health Professionals, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists.
During our time together we will take a unique journey, which supports you to make positive changes enhancing your relationships, experiences in life and the road ahead.
I have worked with clients from 18 to 87 years old supporting them through different life stages and events, which we all have difficulties navigating from time to time.
I am interested in hearing your story and thinking together about the experiences and influences which have brought you to this place, at this time, in your life. We will address how your story can be continued incorporating positive changes you wish to make moving forward, rather than being swept along by the tide of life.
Our lives are constantly changing with or without our permission and sometimes our current resources are not enough to cope with challenging life events. I have experience working with difficulties brought about by new relationships, changes in relationships, additions and losses for individuals and within families, managing different roles and caring responsibilities.
If you want to involve me in your journey, please contact me. I look forward to being part of your transformation.
My experience and training in psychological approaches to supervision enables me to work with supervisees from a range of theoretical orientations. I encourage the use of creative techniques for clients with differing communication styles to those traditionally adopted .
I work within the therapeutic relationship utilising 'attachment based' systemic thinking. I am interested in parallel processes and mainly use an adaption of Hawkins and Shohet's - Seven Eyed Supervisor Model.
Psychological supervision is available for qualified practitioners and trainees. I would be delighted to hear from you, if you are interested in knowing more.
Examples of training written and delivered:
- Knowing you, Knowing me – The Social Graces and using a Genogram in Therapeutic Work
- Scripts and Why they are Important
- Sensory Workshop for parents of children with SEMH and Autism
- Transactional Analysis
- Empathy, what it is and why it's important
- Sensory Integration and Nurture
- Zones of Regulation and Sensory Needs
- Supporting children with self-regulation difficulties (including those with a diagnosis of ADHD)
- Learning and Attachment Styles
- Working with a range of learning needs
- Staff forums in schools: ask the Educational Psychologist