About Joanne Wright
Joanne Wright is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist with extensive experience across psychological assessment, therapy, trauma, neurodiversity and professional supervision. She works with children, young people, adults and families, providing compassionate, evidence-based support that is tailored to each person’s individual needs, circumstances and goals.
Joanne’s approach is warm, practical and collaborative. She aims to help people understand the difficulties they are experiencing, recognise their strengths and develop realistic strategies that support positive change at an emotional, behavioural and cognitive level. Her work draws upon forensic, clinical and counselling psychology, enabling her to offer a broad and thoughtful perspective when assessing complex needs or planning psychological intervention.
Qualifications and Professional Registration
Joanne holds a BSc (Hons) and an MSc in Forensic Psychology and achieved Chartered Psychologist status in 2004. She is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Chartered Psychologist and a Practitioner Psychologist registered with the Health and Care Professions Council in the forensic psychology domain.
Her professional training also includes:
- specialist ADHD assessment for children and adults;
- autism assessment using the ADOS, ADI-R and DISCO;
- EMDR therapy for adults, children and adolescents;
- clinical hypnotherapy;
- neuro-linguistic programming;
- clinical case formulation;
- supervision and reflective practice;
- expert witness skills;
- personality assessment and risk assessment.
Experience in Autism and ADHD Assessment
Joanne has extensive experience in neurodevelopmental assessment. She previously worked as a Clinical Lead for a private autism assessment centre and as a Team Leader within an NHS-commissioned autism assessment service for children and young people. These roles involved clinical supervision, reflective practice, multidisciplinary working and the training of registered practitioners.
She has completed specialist training in:
- ADHD assessment for adults and children;
- ADOS and ADI-R autism assessment;
- DISCO autism diagnosis;
- EMDR for autistic people.
Joanne now provides ADHD and autism assessments within her own psychology practice, helping children, young people and adults gain a clearer understanding of their individual strengths, needs and experiences.
Psychological Therapy and Trauma Support
Alongside assessment work, Joanne provides psychological therapy for people experiencing trauma, anxiety, emotional distress, chronic pain and other complex difficulties.
She incorporates evidence-based therapeutic approaches including:
- Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing;
- cognitive behavioural therapy;
- clinical hypnotherapy;
- counselling skills;
- neuro-linguistic programming techniques;
- psychotherapeutic and formulation-based approaches.
Joanne uses functional analysis and psychological formulation to understand what may be contributing to a person’s difficulties and to develop intervention plans that are realistic, achievable and personally meaningful.
She also receives regular specialist supervision for her EMDR work with adults and children, as well as additional clinical supervision relating to neurodiversity assessment and intervention.
Academic, Clinical and Supervisory Experience
Joanne’s professional background includes senior clinical, academic and supervisory roles.
Most recently, she worked as a lecturer at Keele University, where she provided specialist teaching and supervision for Clinical Associates in Psychology undertaking postgraduate professional training.
She has also provided supervision and consultation to psychologists, therapists and professionals working in residential care settings, including those supporting children and young people with complex needs and forensic histories.
Earlier in her career, Joanne worked as a Senior Forensic Psychologist within the National Offender Management Service from 1999 to 2015. This gave her substantial experience in psychological assessment, formulation, intervention, risk, rehabilitation and complex clinical decision-making.
Joanne’s Approach
Joanne believes that psychological support should be clear, respectful and individualised. She does not view people simply through the lens of a diagnosis or difficulty. Instead, she considers the wider context of their life, including relationships, development, environment, communication style, emotional wellbeing and personal strengths.
Her approach is:
- compassionate and non-judgemental;
- evidence-based;
- trauma-informed;
- neurodiversity-affirming;
- collaborative;
- practical and goal-focused;
- adapted for children, young people and adults.
Whether someone is seeking an ADHD or autism assessment, psychological therapy, EMDR or post-diagnostic support, Joanne aims to create a space in which they feel listened to, understood and actively involved in decisions about their care.
Supporting Meaningful Change
The name Joanne Wright Psychology – Enabling Change reflects the central purpose of the practice: helping people move towards greater understanding, improved wellbeing and positive change.
For some clients, this may mean processing trauma or reducing anxiety. For others, it may involve understanding a diagnosis, identifying reasonable adjustments, improving emotional regulation or finding more sustainable ways to manage everyday life.
Joanne’s role is to help each person make sense of their experiences and identify the support, strategies and next steps that are most appropriate for them.
Professional Credentials
Joanne Wright BSc (Hons), MSc, AFBPsS, C.Psychol
Chartered Psychologist
HCPC-Registered Practitioner Psychologist
Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society
Specialist ADHD and Autism Assessor
EMDR Therapist for Adults and Children
Clinical Hypnotherapy Practitioner
