Professional Biography

Paulina Wojewoda

PG NQ OAS Enhancing High-Intensity CBT Treatments for long term conditions and medically unexplained symptoms – Exeter University (2023)

PgDip High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (IAPT/Adults) – Staffordshire University (2021–2022)

580hr Yoga Therapy Diploma – The Minded Institute, London (2020–2022)

200hrs Hatha Yoga Teacher Training – Bristol School of Yoga, Bristol (2019)

MSc Psychology – Manchester Metropolitan University (2016–2018)

Motivational Interviewing (Master's level CPD module) – University of the West of England (2017)

Facilitating Learning And Practice - Mentorship (Master's level CPD module) – University of the West of England (2016)

PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing) – University of the West of England (2014–2015)

BN Adult Nursing – University of South Wales (2010–2013)

Founder and Lead Therapist

2022 - ongoing: I am employed as a High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) working in a primary care NHS mental health service (Vita Health Group/NHS Talking Therapies) covering Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire areas. I assess and treat adults aged 16+ with a variety of common mental health problems, including clients with long term health conditions or "medically unexplained symptoms", and neurodiverse clients (ADHD, autism, dyslexia). I regularly work with migrants, refugees and asylum seekers alongside interpreters. I am also involved with delivering informal peer supervision and service development relating to supporting clients with chronic pain.

2021 - 2022: I was employed as a trainee High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT), working in a primary care NHS mental health service (Midlands Partnership Trust) covering the Cannock area. I assessed and treated adults aged 16+ with a variety of common mental health problems.

2018 - 2020: I was trained and employed as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP), working in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS + Learning Difficulties) (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership Trust) covering the North Somerset area. I assessed and treated children and adolescents aged 5 - 18 years old who presented with moderate or severe mental health difficulties. I worked with children/adolescents with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, sensory processing issues and mild learning difficulties. I also have gained experience of working with children/adolescents who struggle with school refusal, substance misuse and gender identity + sexuality issues. I was one of the two ANPs for North Somerset CAMHS who specialised in assessing and treating child/adolescent eating disorders. In my role as an ANP I used therapeutic models such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Family-Based Treatment for child/adolescent eating disorders (Lock&Le Grange and Maudsley protocols). I mentored junior staff/students and provided advice and supervision to professional colleagues, both within CAMHS and in other local services.

2017 - 2018: I was employed as a Senior Mental Health Practitioner, working in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) (Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust) covering the Somerset area. I was responsible for referral triage and initial CAMHS assessments, as well as delivery of low intensity psychological interventions for children/adolescents aged 5 - 18 years old who presented with mental health difficulties. I was providing consultations to other professionals (such as GPs, education staff, paediatricians and social care staff), and to families/carers of the affected children/adolescents. I co-ordinated and evaluated care packages to ensure that the needs of the children/adolescents referred to CAMHS were being met in the best possible way. 

2016 - 2017: I was employed as  Specialist Community Public Health Nurse [SCPHN] (school nurse), working in the School Nursing team (North Somerset Community Partnership) covering the area of North Somerset. I worked with school-aged children/adolescents (5 years or older) and their families/carers. For a part of my time in this team I also worked as a specialist school nurse for Children Looked After and Care Leavers. I worked in a variety of settings including schools/colleges, client's homes, community venues, acute/community clinics  etc. I was involved in delivering the public health interventions such as the Healthy Child Programme and the statutory Health Assessments for Children Looked After. I supported the development and delivery of school drop- in clinics, which included smoking cessation support, sexual health advice, substance use advice, emotional and physical well-being strategies. I was providing training to education and healthcare staff on a range of difficulties affecting school-aged children. I was developing, implementing and evaluating individualised healthcare plans for school aged children/adolescents with various (often complex) physical, emotional, spiritual, sexual and social needs. I contributed to clinical research and service audits. I had significant responsibility in managing all aspects of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, including writing reports and attending voluntary/statutory meetings for children in need/children on child protection plans. 

2015 - 2016: I was employed as Specialist Community Public Health Nurse [SCPHN] (school nurse), working in the School Nursing team (Torbay and Southern Devon NHS Trust) covering the area of Southern Devon. I worked with school-aged children/adolescents (5 years or older) and their families/carers. My duties were very similar to the ones mentioned in the role above. Of note was my involvement in the local multi-agency project focusing on addressing child sexual exploitation and trafficking problem in the area. 

2014 - 2015: I was employed as a trainee Specialist Community Public Health Nurse [SCPHN] (school nurse), working in the School Nursing team (Torbay and Southern Devon NHS Trust) covering the area of Southern Devon. I worked with school-aged children/adolescents (5 years or older) and their families/carers. My duties were very similar to the ones mentioned in the role above. Of note was my involvement in the projects focusing on transitioning families from health visiting (once children reached aged of 5) to school nursing services, as well as supporting the local perinatal mental health services (in particular those offered to teenage parents/parents-to-be). 

2013 - 2014: I was employed as a registered adult nurse, working in emergency medicine (South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) at Torbay hospital in Torquay. Once I left this post, I continued working as a registered adult nurse in a variety of settings, including gaining experience in general medicine, surgery, women's health, geriatrics and others. For several years I also worked as an ad-hoc registered adult nurse (up until 2022) with the Newcross nursing agency, mostly in elderly community care such as nursing and residential homes. 

2012 - 2013: I was employed as a bank healthcare assistant by the Cardiff and Vale Health Board in Wales. I worked in a variety of acute hospital wards. 

I won the "Remarkable Achievement" award as a Student Nurse in 2013 from the University of South Wales.

I co-authored a poster presentation entitled "Together for cancer: students as team members. Reflection of student nurse placement experience within a tertiary oncology treatment centre (Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, Wales), November 2012. I have won the "Runner Up Chief Nursing Officer Award (Wales)" for this publication.

Additional training

Awards and publications

Experience

Education