Health Professionals: Annie Ford
Health Professional with 30+ years’ experience, diverse range of skills in counseling, coaching, training, lecturing, senior health management, project management and clinical practice as a nurse, midwife, and advanced nurse practitioner.
A sound knowledge of theoretical applications with a specialist interest in humanistic counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Currently working in private counseling practice in the South West as an MBACP Registered Counsellor and Coach seeing clients experiencing grief, loss, change and relationship issues.
Within her clinical practice, Annie also deals with stress management, work-related stress, anxiety and depression and life changes related to debilitating diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Annie also manages bespoke retreat days for individuals, groups, and teams in a beautiful retreat center in Mid Devon.
Skilled in operational and service leadership in NHS, Charity and private sectors. Portfolios to date have included health diversity projects informing strategy, redesigning services and workforces, clinical risk management, NHS complaints and customer care.
Like many counselling professionals, Annie is a ‘portfolio professional’. In addition to her private practice, she works at a Somerset Hospice as a Specialist Bereavement Counsellor and for a Breast Cancer Charity facilitating and managing support groups for women with secondary breast cancer. An avid health writer, she enjoys writing blogs for Community Based publications and the counselling community.
In her project management work for NHS London, she has managed and worked as Head of Health Diversity Projects, clinical lead in women’s health services including inpatient, outpatients, cancer services and IVF Units as well as professional lead at Director level.
Roles included:
- NHS Midwife specialist working with families who had experienced loss of a baby, working collaboratively with GPs, Bereavement Counsellors and SANDs supporting women locally, regionally and nationally.
- Advanced Nurse Practitioner working with women and their partners experiencing miscarriages, infertility and psychosexual issues related to a range of health conditions and trauma.
- Macmillan Nurse in Gynaecological Oncology working with women experiencing a cancer diagnosis and End of Life care working collaboratively with The Royal Marsden Hospital, St Georges Hospital, The Portland Hospital and Trinity Hospice.
- Health Diversity projects published in national journals (commended in the House of Lords and that work continues in NHS SW London).
- Associate lecturer in Women’s Health at Kings college London and Kingston Upon Thames Universities.
- Consultancy work for the NHS and the Charity Sector managing wellbeing portfolios of work in London and the South West.
- HIV and AIDs community-based experience leading a service signposting people in the community i.e. through health promotion, education, and advocacy.
Annie is trained and skilled in Mindfulness practice which she uses in her counseling clinics to enhance relaxation and stress management for her clients.
A passionate and humanistic professional who loves seeing her clients thrive and flourish.
Annie Ford. Registered Nurse Training, Registered Midwifery Training, Cert in Advanced Oncology Nursing, Cert in Person Centred Therapy, Diploma in Executive Coaching, Diploma in NLP, Diploma in Complementary Therapies, Diploma in Integrative Counselling, Advanced Diploma in CBT. Registered Member of the British Association of Counselling ( MBACP).