Psychology Services Birmingham/Harborne - Kat Wawer Dziedziak

Psychology Services in Birmingham /UK

Katarzyna Wawer Dziedziak
Chartered Psychologist, Registered Practitioner Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist

Academic Qualifications
1995 Master of Arts, Psychologist (Clinical specialist),
Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Lublin, Poland

Professional Qualifications & Memberships
Chartered Psychologist and member of the British Psychological Society (246128)

Registered Practitioner Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist of the Health and Care Professions Council (PYL29556)

Partner Member and Recommended Specialist of the Polish Psychologists Association in London.

Further Training
Diploma of School of Social Pathology Prevention - curriculum approved by the Ministry of Health and Social Care, financed by Drug Addiction Prevention Office
Warsaw, Poland, 1994

Advanced Certificate in Counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy pathway
Bournville College, Birmingham 2010

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) - three-part training in the theory and practice of EMDR, accredited by EMDR Europe
EMDR Extra, Birmingham 2012 /2013

Recent Courses
Alcohol addiction training
Aquarius Action Projects, Birmingham 2009-2012

Drug and alcohol addictions – substance misuse training
Turning Point, Birmingham 2010 - 2011


Domestic violence training
Jan Foundation (DV charity supporting women living with domestic violence), Birmingham 2011

Expert Witness
British Psychological Society 2015

Essential Knowledge of Neuropsychology for Practitioner psychologists
British Psychological Society 2015

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Boot Camp – Cognitive Workshops
Institute of Education, London 2016

Clinical Experience
I have been working as a psychologist for over 16 years. As a psychology student in Poland I gained my clinical experience in several institutions including a detention centre and mental health hospitals. In order to start working therapeutically I undertook counselling training and obtained the Diploma at the School of Social Pathology Prevention. I completed my MA in Psychology in 1995. For over 6 years in Poland I provided psychology services working with young people, adults and families, and, as a trainer and supervisor, with people working in psychological assistance. Between 2000 and 2006 I worked in managerial roles and after moving to the UK in 2007 I set up an independent Psychology Practice in Birmingham.

I am particularly interested in psychological aspects of immigration and its impact on mental health. Providing culturally sensitive assessment and treatment are crucial to their accuracy and effectiveness. I am aware that in a very diverse UK population assessment and therapy need to take cultural differences into consideration.

In my practice I offer psychological assessment, short term counselling and in-depth work to clients who have a wide range of life issues and mental health problems. I work with individuals, families, couples and groups and clients from many different social and cultural backgrounds, of all ages and across a range of intellectual abilities, people who present challenging behaviours, learning difficulties, substance misuse problems and physical health problems. I also psychologically assess clients for rehabilitation and injury management companies and provide relevant treatment.

In 2011 I also started working as an Associate Chartered Psychologist for Forensic Psychology Practice Ltd, providing psychology services to social, health, and criminal justice agencies. I have an experience of conducting assessments and written reports for the family courts involving assessing adults and children with a wide range of difficulties. The majority of my psycho-legal work is family assessments in child care proceedings, assessing parents, including those with drug and alcohol addiction, other carers and children, with an age range between 6 to 16 years for psychometric assessment and clinical interview, and observation of contact with an age range from 8 months to late adolescence. I am experienced in using psychometrics as well as clinical interviews and semi-structured interviews when assessing individuals with cognitive / learning problems, personality difficulties and histories of childhood abuse, trauma and neglect.

The British Psychological Society assessed that I have relevant supervised training and experience equivalent to the UK professional doctorate level. For this reason, I was admitted as a Chartered Member. I am also a Practitioner Psychologist registered by the HCPC and a member and recommended specialist of the Polish Psychologists’ Association in London. This organisation aims to integrate Polish psychologists in the UK and to provide psychological support to the Polish community. I am involved in the work of this organisation as a volunteer consultant psychologist, supervising activities of my colleagues. I am also a member of the Eastern Europeans Therapist Network – an informal group of psychological therapists working in English as a foreign language, sharing their psychological knowledge and expertise.

Relevant Employment History

From 1993 for over 6 years I provided counselling psychology services to Occupational Consulting Agency AD, Team for Social Pathology Prevention (Poland) working with adolescents, adults and families, and, as a trainer and supervisor.

In 2007 I set up Independent Psychology Practice in the UK, (Birmingham) – psychological assessment, supervision, short term counselling and in-depth work with a wide range of clinical presentations in group and individual therapies.

From 2009 to 2012 I worked with Aquarius (UK /Birmingham) – alcohol addiction and Turning Point (UK) specialising in substance misuse.

From 2011 I am an Associate Chartered Psychologist and expert witness for Forensic Psychology Practice Ltd (www. forensicpsychology. co. uk), providing psychology services to social, health, and criminal justice agencies.

Additional Information:

Full-enhanced DBS (formerly CRB) clearance

Registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ref Z220283X)

Personal professional indemnity insurance

Experience of working with interpreters

Experience of assessment and treatment of the Polish speaking individuals in their native language