ASHCROFT, Charlotte

I am a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist registered with the Association of Child Psychotherapy UK. I completed my clinical training in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy at the Birmingham Trust for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Prior to moving to Japan, I worked at a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the National Health Service in the UK as a Clinical Lead for an Under 5s clinic, and a Senior Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist.

I work with children and young people whose struggles to regulate their emotions are impacting on their ability to access their education and sustain positive relationships at home and school. I work with parents to help them understand the emotions underlying their child's behavior and to strengthen relationships within the family.

I work with children and young people who have experienced developmental trauma, abuse, and neglect, as well as adoptive families and children who have experience of the care system.

I also support children and young people who are struggling with loss, low mood and depression, and cross-cultural issues.

My evidence-based, child-led approach focuses on helping children and young people to understand, explore, and express their feelings and involves sessions for both the child and parent. Play-based sessions with younger children focus on what the child is communicating through their play, and aims to bring underlying emotions to the surface in order to improve relationships and build resilience.

As well as working in private practice, I am a member of Nishimachi International School's counseling team, and an Assistant Researcher for Waseda University's Research Institute for Children's Social Care.