Leigh Alexander

In 2021 I set up a CCI company which is a community boxing gym. We provide boxing training to individuals who want to keep fit and learn boxing and who want to enter amateur boxing competitions. I am a coach and a safe guarding lead for the club.

Members of the club are aged 8 years up to adult age. Some of the children are from deprived areas and are at risk of committing crime or are all ready conducting offending behaviours. The club provides support and all coaches are role models for the children to help them learn life skills and good moral compass for their future lives.

I provide CBT therapy to the children if needed and I organise the training for the coaches, liase with other clubs and officials all over the country, look after the funds and the banking, manage accounts, I conduct all administration duties; DBS, collection of documents and provide certificates etc. I ensure we and our members and coaches apply and adhere to England Boxing (who we are affiliated with) rules and regulations at all times. From 2016 to present have worked privately as a therapist, providing integrative therapies to my clients who suffer with an array of mental health issues, substance misuse and alcohol addictions.

I am also a reiki master and provide reiki healing to my clients.

Managing Director - Metro Community Boxing Gym CIC-Lancs - Lancs

(2021-04)

Director of boxing and fitness gym.

• All administration, staff supervision and management, all financial record keeping and fund raising

Visiting lecturer - University of Salford-Salford - Salford

(2016-07)

• Delivering lectures on the Brief Interventions CBT module to second year pre registration nursing students on the BSc (Hons) degree course. Also delivering lecturer on the MSc Anxiety and Addictions module. Addiction
• Co-facilitation and leading of the new MSc Cognitive Behvioural psychotherapy student tutorial group

Therapist - CBT-England - Berkshire Talking Therapies (IAPT)

(2015-09 - 2016-01)

Providing CBT evidence based interventions and therapy to clients suffering with a wide range of mental health issues within an IAPT service. I provide CBT at step 3 and also complete assessments and follow ups with clients. I see 5 clients a day in a very fast pace environment in clinics around the Berkshire area.

I work to NICE guidelines. I manage my own diary and caseloads accordingly and I work within various GP practices around the Newbury and Reading areas, I monitor risk within every session with my clients and complete relevant IAPT scores for the client's each week. I.e.

GAD7, PHQ9, Social and Work Adjustment Scale, Phobia Scales and Risk assessments. I make referrals to other services depending on client need at assessment.

Therapist - CBT-Bradford - UK

(2014-06 - 2015-08)

IAPT Bradford Providing CBT evidence based interventions and therapy to clients suffering with a wide range of mental health issues within an IAPT service. I provide CBT at step 3 and also complete assessments and follow ups with clients. I see 5 clients a day in a very fast pace environment in clinics around the Yorkshire area.

I work to NICE guidelines. I manage my own diary and caseloads accordingly and I work within various GP practices around the keighly area, I monitor risk within every session with my clients and complete relevant IAPT scores for the client's each week. I.e.

GAD7, PHQ9, Social and Work Adjustment Scale, Phobia Scales and Risk assessments. I make referrals to other services depending on client need at assessment.

Therapist - CBT-Salford - UK

(2014-02 - 2014-06)

IAPT Psychology Service Salford Providing CBT evidence based interventions and therapy to clients suffering with a wide range of mental health issues within a psychology service. I provide CBT at step 3 and also complete assessments with clients. I see 5 clients a day in a very fast pace environment in clinics around the Salford area.

I work to NICE guidelines. I manage my own diary and caseloads accordingly and I work within various GP practices around the areas of Salford monitor risk within every session with my clients and complete relevant scores for the client's each week. I.e.

GAD7, PHQ9, Social and Work Adjustment Scale, Phobia Scales and Risk assessments. I use interventions based on the models and formulations used within therapy.

Therapist - CBT-Bradford - UK

(2013-08 - 2014-03)

IAPT Bradford

• I deliver a range of evidence based cognitive behavioural therapies to clients suffering with various anxiety disorders such as GAD, PTSD, Health Anxiety, depression and also co-morbid issues; I.e. OCD with bipolar disorder. Working to NICE guidelines. I work to the 3-session model initially, moving to 6 to 12 sessions if needed. The service requires targets to be reached and I work to these targets accordingly. I am also responsible for any client referrals to various other services that are re
• I manage my own diary and caseloads accordingly and I work within various GP practices around the South West area of Bradford. I monitor risk within every session with my clients and complete relevant scores for the client's each week. I.e. GAD7, PHQ9, Social and Work Adjustment Scale, Phobia Scales and Risk assessments including any other scores that are relevant to the clients presenting issues.
• I formulate the client issues working collaboratively with the client and this determines the appropriate interventions that will be used in therapy sessions. I accept referrals fro GP practices and gateways, I also refer clients to relevant agencies if needs be. I work to ethical guidelines, NICE guidelines and the NHS framework. (See Knowledge skills and experience ; for further information on current IAPT post.)
• I have private clinical supervision as well as supervision with the IAPT team. My private clinical supervision is with Dr. Gillian Rayners who is a BABCP accredited trainer, supervisor and therapist. I also co-facilitate with Dr Gillian Rayner the new MSc students tutorial group once a month of two hours. As a CBT therapist I have experience in both primary care at step 3 and secondary care. Ranging from 3 sessions through to 25 sessions depending on client and service need. I am fully adaptable

Substance Misuse Practitioner - Rochdale CDT. Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust - Core, Secondary Care Team and Primary Care Team and outreach work

(2009-06 - 2013-07)

• Responsible for the operation of a sex worker project. Community outreach work with the Police. Substitute opiate prescribing, addictions and alcohol addiction
• Key working a caseload of high complex sex workers who are drug and alcohol dependant.
• Undertaking Triage assessments & comprehensive assessments
• Psychosocial interventions with clients such as motivational interviewing, ITEP, brief interventions, working towards recovery
• Implementing care plans to smart goals with clients, Home visits
• Child protection, safeguarding cases Referrals to Midwives harm reduction nurses, mental health teams, and PCT, ADS, Homelessness, Detox and rehabilitation agencies.
• Primary Care Team- GP practices
• Complex caseload of clients suffering from depression, bipolar, Schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and personality disorder

Therapist in training - CBT-Manchester - Manchester

(2011-09 - 2013-01)

Delivering CBT to clients suffering from various anxiety disorders, depression, and substance misuse and alcohol misuse at Anxiety UK in Manchester. Delivering evidence base CBT models to clients at step 3

• Delivering evidence base CBT models to clients with substance misuse and alcohol addiction problems with complex needs, such as personality disorder and child protection issues at Rochdale Community Drug Team; delivering CBT to complex clients, detoxing from Substances and prescribed medications. Clients may also suffer from Co-morbid issues, depression, PTSD, Various other anxiety disorders; some may have personality disorders also.

Therapist in training - CBT

(2012-01 - 2012-06)

Delivering evidence base CBT models to clients with substance misuse problems with complex needs, such as personality disorder and child protection issues at Rochdale Community Drug Team and The Chapman Barker unit; delivering CBT to complex clients, detoxing from Substances, alcohol and prescribed medications. Clients may also suffer from Co-morbid issues, depression, PTSD, Various other anxiety disorders; some may have personality disorders also.

Substance Misuse Practitioner - GMW Mental Health - Foundation Trust (Core Team)

(2009-03 - 2009-06)

• Arranging G.P appointments. Replacement prescribing
• Responsible for 40 service users and their complex caseload (drug & Alcohol)
• Triage assessments & comprehensive assessments. Clinical supervision
• Implementing care plans to smart goals with clients
• Replacement prescribing/ Urine samples, client's notes are up to date on ICIS
• Child protection cases
• Psychosocial interventions with clients such as motivational interviewing, ITEP, brief interventions, Home visits. Key-working. Referrals to Midwives, harm reduction nurses, mental health teams, PCT

Substance Misuse Practitioner - GMW Mental Health Foundation Trust - Criminal Justice/Test & Arrest

(2007-08 - 2009-03)

• Criminal Justice worker, Test on Arrest, Drug Rehabilitation Requirement. Assessing clients using DIR assessments at the police station. Caseload management and conducting comprehensive assessments. Liaising with GP, harm reduction nurse, monitoring client's treatment continuum and medication
• Attending 3 way meetings with probation, social services regarding criminal activity and child protection etc. Urine samples, client's notes are up to date on ICIS systems
• Implementing care plans to smart goals with clients
• Psychosocial interventions with clients such as motivational interviewing, ITEP, brief interventions
• Undertaking professional supervision and line management supervision
• Also when on placement: teaching literacy at Buckley Hall Prison Literacy to female prisoners.
• Paid work; Teaching at Low secure Unit, teaching basic Skills and Skills for life, to offenders with long enduring mental health and personality disorders.
• Paid work; Teaching within a training provider a very diverse group of adult's basic skills, skills for life and personal development programmes and confidence building at pre-entry and level one. Teaching clients on a rolling 13 weeks who were individually assessed and taught as a group. Working to targets and action plans so clients could gain educational competences to gain employment.
• Supervising trainee university trainee teachers on placement.

Student - Adult Further and Higher Education

(2002 - 2006)

Studying for a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree and PGCE (Adult Further and Higher Education)

• During the four years I was employed as a volunteer at Bolton YOT.
• I also worked at a Forensic Secure Unit for 3 years as a support worker working with Offenders with severe mental health illnesses and personality disorder who were detained under the mental health act.
• Taught in a prison, a pupil referral unit and training providers while on placement.

business owner - Joinery and Building

(1995 - 2001)

running own company liaising with customers and builders merchants, supervising staff etc.

PgDip/MSc - Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapies - The University of salford - Salford (2011-09 - 2013-06)

PGCE Post Graduate Certificate education (Adults further and higher education)) - Generic - The University of Bolton - Bolton, Greater Manchester (2005-09 - 2006-06)

Bachelor's degree BSc (Hons) - Psychology - The University of Bolton (2002-09 - 2005-11)