Curriculum Vitae: Ellie Baker UKCP MA

Academic and Professional Qualifications

  • Children’s Accelerated Trauma Technique (CATT) Post-Qualification training, Trauma Psychology, Feb 2022

  • Trauma Recovery Tool, Trauma Recovery Model June, 2022

  • Rockpool SPACE, Parents and Children Training November, 2022

  • Illustration MA, Distinction, Plymouth College of Art, 2018-2020.

  • Certificate in Trainer Status Trauma-Informed Practices, 2017.

  • Trauma-Informed Schools, Lead Trainer, 2017.

  • EA300 Children’s Literature, Level 3 60 credits, Grade 2 Pass, Open University, 2012-13.

  • Lead Trainer, Thrive, 2010.

  • Licensed Thrive Practitioner, Thrive, 2008.

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Supervision, Group and Individual, Institute for Arts in

  • Therapy and Education, 2004.

  • Postgraduate Diploma Integrative Arts Psychotherapy, Merit, Institute for Arts in

  • Therapy and Education, 1997-1999.

  • Postgraduate Certificate Application of the Arts in Therapy and Education,

  • Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, 1996-1997.

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Hypnotherapy Counselling, NSHAP, 1994.

  • Counselling Certificate, City Lit, 1994.

  • Parent Link Facilitator, Parent Link, 1991-1992.

Freelance Supervisor and Consultant 2023-Ongoing

Education Consultancy 1996-Ongoing

Creative Arts Consultant and Supervisor 1996-Ongoing

Guest lecturer and Conference Speaker 2004-Ongoing

Facilitator and Therapeutic Lead Attune Project 2023-Ongoing

This is a 4-year Research Project into ACEs and Trauma-Informed Practice delivered by Oxford, Falmouth and Kent Universities. As part of Work Package 3 I am providing therapeutic support to delegates and staff and have creative and theoretical input regarding creating safety and 5 Ways to Well-Being.

Head of Psychological Health and Wellbeing, Wave Multi Academy Trust, 2022- 2023.

As Head of Psychological Wellbeing, I drove the strategic direction of Psychological Wellbeing for staff and students across a MAT with a high number of special provision schools and diverse needs; developed, shared and supported an evidence base of best practice within our schools, which I championed at numerous conferences; led a holistic people-centred approach to creating and maintaining a psychological, physical and social definition of wellbeing; addressed the long-term post-pandemic needs of fatigue, disconnectedness and stress; developed Reflective Practice, Supervision and Peer to Peer Support: and strove to create a work environment in which staff at all levels felt supported, valued and able to lead with compassion.

Selected Conferences and Presentations

  • Keynote One Cornwall Building Belonging Conference 2023

  • Keynote at Cornwall Council Refugees: Compassion in Action Conference 2023

  • Keynote Speaker at International natural Schooling Conference Sweden 2023

  • Keynote Speaker at Erasmus Conference, The Eden Project 2023

  • Training on Belonging in Education for Kernow Learning Trust 2023

  • Chair, Dan Hughes and Jon Baylin CCMH 2023

  • Chair, Poly-Vagal Theory Day with Stephen Porge, IATE.

  • Chair, Trauma and Traumatic Stress with Bessel Van Der Bolk, IATE.

  • Chair, Adolescent Development Day, IATE.

  • Chair, Child Development Day with Graham Music, CCMH.

  • Keynote Speaker, ‘Music, Neurobiology and the Developing Brain’, Cornwall

  • Music Service Conference.

  • Chair, Child Development Conference, CCMH.

  • Chair, Adolescent Development Conference, CCMH.

  • Chair, Martin Teicher ACE Studies Day, CCMH.

  • Chair, Adolescent Conference, CCMH.

  • Chair, Challenging and Troubling Teenagers, CCMH.

  • Keynote Speaker, ‘Supporting Adopted Children to Speak through

  • Storytelling’, Devon Adoption Conference.

  • Chair, Parent Child Work Conference with Mathew Selekman.

  • Chair, Parent Child Work Conference with Gary Landreth.

Psychotherapist, 1997-2023.

In my private practice as an integrative arts psychotherapist, I have amassed well over one thousand hours with children, adolescents and adults.
My work in other settings includes:

  • Guys Hospital in the CAT Team under Dr James Low, 1997-2005.

  • Therapist with Islington Schools Project, 1997-2008.

Supervisor, Therapeutic and Educational, 2004- 2023.

I supervise qualified and trainee psychotherapists in private practice and as a registered supervisor for IATE; education professionals, including teaching assistants, teachers, and those in senior management; and CAMHs workers and social workers in London, Devon and Cornwall. Recent examples include:

  • Supervisor for Redruth School Pastoral Team and TIS practitioners, 2020- 2022.

  • Supervisor for Music for Good (previously Cymaz Music), 2021- 2022.

  • Supervisor for Pastoral Staff Redruth Secondary School, 2021-2022.

Academic and Teaching Roles

Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE), 2007 - on-going.

As a Course Director for IATE, I design courses, deliver core lecture days, and train therapists and counsellors to work with children, adolescents and adults. I lead a staff team, create timetables, design assessments, and liaise with University East London. As a senior lecturer, I teach across postgraduate programmes at IATE. I provide both group and individual supervision training. I specialise in the use of creativity, storytelling and the arts in psychotherapy; neuroscience; the therapeutic relationship; and treatment for children and adults affected by addiction, alcoholism and abuse. ASSC and ADHD. I supervise Masters, Diploma and Certificate dissertations.

I have held the following positions:

  • Course Director, Diploma in Teenage Counselling, 2019 - 2022.

  • Course Director, Diploma in Therapeutic and Educational Application of the Arts, 2019 - 2022.

  • Director, Child Counselling Diploma, 2009-10.

  • Director, Parenting Diploma, 2009-10.

  • Representative of IATE, United Kingdom Council of Psychotherapy, 2007.

I have been a Senior Lecturer and tutor on the following courses:

  • Masters in Child Integrative Psychotherapy, 2004-15.

  • Diploma in the Arts in Therapy and Education, 2005-2015.

  • Diploma in Child Counselling, 2010-2015.

  • Diploma in Adolescent Therapeutic Counselling, 2005-14.

  • Masters in Emotional Literacy, 2007-2010.

  • Emotional Literary Certificate, 2007-2010.

  • Masters in Integrative Arts Psychotherapy, 2004-2010.

Child Centre for Mental Health (CCMH), 2007 - on-going.

I design modules and teach on the following courses:

  • Therapeutic Storytelling, 2007-2023.

  • Enabling Children to Speak about Feelings through Storytelling, 2010-23.

  • Enabling Children to Speak about Feelings through the Arts, 2007-23.

  • Improving Parent-Child Relationships, 2008-2023.

  • Enabling Children to Speak about Feelings through Emotional Literacy Games, 2008-23.

  • Calm, Creativity and Competence, 2009-2023.

  • Child Counselling Skills, 2008-2023.

  • Helping Children who are Hurting and Fighting, 2007, 2015, 2017.

  • Drugged, Drunk and Depressed: Working with Children Whose Parents Suffer, 2007, 2012, 2016, 2018.

I am a chair for CCMH conferences, including:

  • Chair, Child Development Conference, CCMH, 2015-2023. Annually.

  • Chair, Adolescent Development Conference, CCMH, 2015-2023. Annually.

  • Most recent Conference Chairing on Zoom include Dr Dan Hughes, Dr

  • Stephen Porges, Dr Sue Carter, Dr Margot Sunderland, Dr Jon Baylin, Dr Lucy Johnstone, Lemn Sissay.

HeadStart Kernow Big Lottery Project, Lead Practitioner, 2015-2021.

HeadStart Kernow is a partnership programme, led by Cornwall Council and funded by Big Lottery, that aims to develop resilience and mental wellbeing in young people. I have trained both Thrive and TIS-UK models for Headstart. I also provide trainings on the importance of creativity and play, emotional literacy and resilience to schools across Cornwall, as well as community organisations and support services. This includes CPD courses on, for example, story-telling and the use of therapeutic stories, loss and bereavement, and stress and anxiety. I also provide inset days on Attachment, Neuro-science, Relational Skills and Reparative, Trauma-Responsive work.

Trauma-Informed Schools, Lead Trainer and Director (London), 2017-2020.

Trauma-Informed Schools aims to enable schools to understand and support students who have undergone Adverse Life Experiences and attachment difficulties. As a lead trainer for TIS, I enable school staff – from Teaching Assistants to head teachers – to support the learning of vulnerable children, help them build emotional resilience, and boost self-esteem. This involves learning about the importance of creativity and play and in particular the use of stories to aid healing.

Thrive, 2011-2017.

Thrive offers educational and learning communities a developmental approach to working with children and young people that supports emotional and social wellbeing. As a lead trainer for Thrive, I provide whole-school trainings and specialised courses for education professionals. My teaching focuses on the latest research in neuroscience, attachment, child and adolescent development, and research into the role of creativity and play in developing emotional resilience. I also teach and supervise other Thrive practitioners. My teaching positions have been countrywide.

Plymouth College of Art, 2019-2021.

• Illustration for Beginners Short Course, Lead Tutor and developer.

Teaching Work in Cornwall, 2018 – on-going

My teaching positions are Cornwall-wide. I provide group and individual supervision.

  • Pencalenick School: Individual supervision. Group Supervision. Inset Training Days 2019 – on-going

  • Redruth School. Individual and Group Supervision. Support for Pastoral team and Mental Health Lead. In-house trainings and development. 2018 - on-going.

  • Pool Academy. Specialist input regarding Suicide and Mental Health trainings.

  • Gulval School. Support for Senco, Head, Thrive Team, Pastoral team.

  • Development of support work. Supervision. 2018-2021.

  • Pensans School. Supervision for Head and SLT. In house trainings for all staff.

Artistic Practice (Teaching and Community Engagement)

Artist in Residence, Gulval School, Cornwall, 2019. I taught aspects of book making, illustration and creative writing to children across the key stages. I developed a creative and arts led emotional literacy programme.

Colour Me Wild. I have devised and am delivering a community engagement project with four Cornwall schools addressing eco-anxiety through the arts, 2019 - on-going.