Carleen Kirk

Acting Programme Lead

Carleen completed her degree in counselling and psychotherapy at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education. She went on to provide one-to-one support to children with special educational needs whilst undertaking Psychoanalytical Observational Studies training at the Tavistock.

Carleen piloted a restorative justice programme with Victim Support and the Sutton Youth Offending Team, which fuelled her passion for early intervention.

She completed her PGDip at Place2Be and now works in schools and runs a private practice. Carleen is also a member of BACP.

Priscillia Makazu

Programme Coordinator

After studying languages and business management, Priscillia started working in client-facing roles for healthcare organisations before moving on to working in the fintech industry.

She is particularly interested in helping young people overcome mental health challenges to develop their full potential. Volunteering as a youth worker for the local community, Priscillia is also eager to make a difference in their life journey by providing a non-judgmental environment and mentoring.

Helen Goldhill

Programme Manager

Helen has been working with children and young people since 2012 as a Youth Worker, which gave her a particular interest in young people’s mental health. She has worked in several different roles within Place2Be since 2019.

As Programme Manager, Helen oversees the non-clinical running of the Postgraduate Diploma programme and the development of Place2Be’s professional qualifications courses.

Analy Reed

PGDip Tutor

After studying for her chemistry degree, Analy retrained as a Montessori teacher before enrolling on the Postgraduate Diploma for Counselling Children and Young People in Schools with Place2Be. She completed further training to work with couples and individuals and in Psychopathology.

Analy currently works with children, young people, parents and adults at Rephael House Counselling Centre while running her Private Practice using psychodynamic, relational and attachment-based techniques. She is a member of BACP.

Eleni Vambouli

PGDip Tutor

With an academic background in philosophy, Eleni trained as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist at the Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education. She has worked for over ten years in both primary and secondary schools, setting up, supervising and running therapeutic services and offering support to children, families and staff.

Eleni maintains a clinical and supervision practice. She is particularly interested in treating inter-generational trauma and integrating neuro-scientific research into therapeutic processes.

Esther Pozzani

PGDip Tutor

Esther has a background in outdoor learning and Forest School. She trained with Place2Be to gain a PGDip and master's and worked as a Place2Be School Project Manager for seven years.

Alongside her role as a Tutor, she currently works as a peripatetic mental health practitioner delivering Place2Be's therapeutic group work in primary schools.

Esther is completing a Doctorate in Psychotherapy by Professional Studies with the Metanoia Institute and Middlesex University. She is an accredited member of the BACP.

Samia Quddus

PGDip Tutor

Samia initially trained as a primary school teacher, working in schools for over 15 years, during which she developed an interest in working with pupils exhibiting challenging needs. She specialised in the special educational needs (SEN) area of social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) before re-training as a specialist child and adolescent therapist with Place2Be.

Samia is a published BACP writer and has self-published the UK’s first psychospiritual Islamic gratitude journal and an award-winning children's title. She still works as a clinician in secondary schools and appears on Islam Channel discussing mental health and wellbeing-related topics.

Sachiko Kishi

Experiential Group Facilitator

Sachiko trained in group and individual Gestalt psychotherapy and creative supervision. Her background is in the arts, mental health in the community, and higher education.

Sachiko provides individual and group supervision for Third sector organisations and NHS staff specialising in trauma work and has a private practice. She runs experiential workshops and is also a member of the teaching faculty at the Gestalt Centre.

Orlaigh McKenna

Experiential Group Facilitator

Orlaigh is a trained group psychotherapist and studied group analysis at the Institute Of Group Analysis. She supports our training team by facilitating the course experiential group for year one.

Orlaigh is a psychotherapist working from integrative, humanistic and psychoanalytically-informed approaches. She has worked in mental health for Non-Governmental Organisations and a specialist clinic in the NHS. Orlaigh now works in her private practice and offers services to a psychotherapy centre.