Meet the Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) team…
Dr. Dominic Bray, M.A. (Hons), Clin. Psy. D., C. Sci., A.F.B.P.S., C. Pyschol.
Head of Department and Lead on Cancer/Palliative Care
Special interest in multidisciplinary training and offering
personal support to doctor and nurse colleagues
Founding Chair, U.K. Association for Solution-Focused
Practice
Ambition: to own a reliable car
What keeps me going: Christian faith
Favourite saying: “experience is something you don’t get until
just after you need it”
Dr Becky Simm, BSc (Hons), D.Clin.Psy, C.Psychol, A.F.B.P.S
Lead on Stroke / Chronic Pain
General Secretary, U.K. Association for Solution-Focused
Practice
Honorary Lecturer, Lancaster University
Ambitions: to globetrot even more and to complete the
Great North Swim
Hobbies: netball, books, films and (reluctantly) DIY
What keeps me going: The fantastic support from the teams
I work in, and friends and family. Meeting inspiring people.
And chocolate.
Favourite saying: “Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today” (James Dean)
Dr Suzi Curtis, BSc (Hons), Grad. Dip., P.G.Dip., MSc, D.Clin.Psy C. Psychol
Long-term Conditions
Interested in concepts of happiness and well-being and in
measuring outcomes from therapy, particularly those
defined by clients themselves.
Previous career as government statistician.
Member of U.K. Association for Solution Focused Practice
Ambitions: To stay happy, healthy and curious!
Hobbies: Running, swimming, walking and cycling; eating,
drinking and being merry with good friends and family.
What keeps me going: The aforementioned activities and people, plus a lifelong thirst for
more and better understanding of people, myself included!
Favourite saying: "Not to be absolutely certain is, I think, one of the essential things in
rationality" (Bertrand Russell)
Dr Jen Unwin, BSc. (Hons), MSc., PsyD., AFBPS, C. Psychol.
Business Lead and long term conditions, Living Well
Programme
Chair Division of Clinical Psychology conference committee
Ambition: To get my international diploma in crochet!
What keeps me going: Amazing colleagues, knitting &
running (not at the same time), cooking gargantuan feasts for
my family, laughing.
Favourite saying(s): Anything from Albert Einstein…I can’t
choose a favourite, so here are three I like.
Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot
necessarily be counted.
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.
If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.
Vicky Bliss, Clinical Psychologist, MA, MA, MSc, MBPsS
Main Interests: Learning things.
What keeps me going: Pathological curiosity; The
amusement and kindnesses of people in every life; And
animals; And medication.
Favourite saying: (paraphrased): I didn't get where I am
today by following the rules (Reggie Perrin's boss)
Hannah Traynor, BSc (Hons), PGCert
Clinical Psychology Assistant, U.K. Association for SolutionFocused Practice Committee
Ambition: to visit Nepal and get to Everest Base Camp (I’m
happy to leave it there and not climb any further though!)
Hobbies: music and gigs, travelling, Rainbows and having a
laugh with friends and family
What keeps me going: family, friends, holidays and brews!
Favourite Saying(s): “Be yourself; everyone else is already
taken” (Oscar Wilde)
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” (Albert
Einstein)
Greta McGonagle, BSc (Hons), MSc, M.B.P.S
Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
I am particularly interested in long term conditions, substance
misuse, personality disorders and psychosis.
Ambitions: To become a Clinical Psychologist, to travel to
Thailand and Australia one day and to attempt a 5k run.
Hobbies: Travelling, photography, graphic design, eating out,
cooking - trying new recipes and some old favourites.
What keeps me going: My family and friends, my feisty little
dog, my determination to succeed and laughing.
Favourite sayings: "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." (Alan Kay)
"Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only to stand still." (Chinese proverb)
"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." (Walt Disney)
Marlena Kotulinska, BA (Hons), MA
Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Previous career as an Employment Advisor working with long
term unemployed
Ambition/goals: to start playing instruments again (piano &
double bass) and to have an amazing wedding in August!
What keeps me going: my family, friends and my
perseverance
Hobbies: travelling, history, hiking, skiing, cooking
Favourite sayings: “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I
dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” (Robert Kennedy)
Sandie Chalmers
Administrator/Secretary
Hobbies: Love working in my local church youth group helping
to give them direction and to reach their potential. Enjoy
researching my family history, being creative, organising and of
course, eating plenty of chocolate 
Ambition/goals: to keep healthy and happy at whatever life
brings my way!
Favourite saying(s): “When you can’t change the direction of the
wind — adjust your sails” (H. Jackson Brown)
“One of the things I keep learning is that the secret of being happy is doing things for other
people” (Dick Gregory)
What keeps me going: My faith, family and friends.
Sue Kelly
Administrator/Secretary
Hobbies: Running, swimming, walking, listening to audio
books
Ambition: To be able to carry on doing all of the above as
long as possible.
Favourite saying: “You make a living by what you earn; you
make a life by what you give” (Anon)
“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can
do” (John Wooden)
What keeps me going: Looking forward to get-togethers with family and friends. And
knowing that what we (Psychology) do makes a difference.
Trainee Clinical Psychologists
As a department, we make links with local universities to take part in course teaching and
offer placements to Trainee Clinical Psychologists. Here are some of our past trainees:
April – September 2013
Robin Muir, Liverpool University
September 2011-March 2012
Jen Pomfret and Nicola Pilkington, Lancaster University
April - September 2012
Katy Bourne, Liverpool University
September 2012- March 2013
Fehmida Patel, Lancaster University
Awards
CHP, together with the Community Pain Service, won the National Innovation Award
(Grunenthal) in 2013 at the British Pain Society awards. The first prize of £10k was given to
develop an app to support patients to ‘live well’ with chronic pain.
CHP have worked in conjunction with patients to rewrite the ‘Expert Patient Program’ to
become the ‘Living Well Program’ for people living with long term health conditions. Living
Well won the NHS Sefton ‘Enhancing Self-Care and Independent Living’ award in 2011.
The team deliver extensive staff training, supervision, and consultation in psychologicallysophisticated, patient-centred care. In recognition of these initiatives, CHP received the NHS
Sefton ‘Innovation (Community)’ award in 2010.
CHP also received the NHS Sefton ‘Team of the Year’ award in 2009.