Clinical Director and Clinical Psychologist
Dr McNeill is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and a Chartered Member of the British Psychology Society (BPS). She holds the position of the BPS representative for Clinical Psychologists in private practice.
Qualifications
Honours degree in Psychology – Graduated from University of Glasgow (additional year 3 undertaken at Boston College)
Masters in Psychological Medicine – University of Glasgow
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology – University of Glasgow
Expert Witness qualifications for Scottish courts – (Excellence in court report writing; court rooms skills; Cross examination skills; Law and Procedure expertise): all University of Aberdeen and Bond Solon.
Clinical Practice
Dr Yvonne McNeill has over 25 years experience of treating a wide range of psychological issues. Dr McNeill has studied at Glasgow University, Boston College and has also undertaken additional training in a range of therapeutic approaches, including diagnosis specific ACT, CBT, EMDR and Compassion Focussed Therapy.
In the NHS, Dr McNeill has worked in Child & Adolescents services at Yorkhill Childrens’ Hospital and Cross House Paediatric Unit. She has worked in Maternity & Neonatal Services providing support during pregnancy, after traumatic birth and loss and offering support to families with babies in SCBU and ICU. She has worked in Adult Services both in mental health services and alongside the medical profession in hospitals. Dr McNeill worked for more than six years at the Canniesburn Plastic Surgery and Burns unit supporting individuals with cancer, changes in body appearance and functioning and symptoms of trauma. She held the post of the only Clinical Psychologist in Liaison Psychiatry covering the medical specialities at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Dr McNeill has a long career in private practice and the NHS assessing patient’s readiness to investigate their risk of disease, such as genetic risk of cancer, or undergo surgery. For 6 years, Dr McNeill assessed individuals for cosmetic surgery in line with AEARP.
Dr McNeill had developed and delivered teaching on suicide risk assessment and management to a wide range of medical professionals from surgeons, to nurses to auxiliaries. Dr McNeill had taught medical staff to deliver low-level psychological skills on a ward and in outpatient clinics alongside their own clinical practice. Dr McNeill has hosted workshops alongside the esteemed Prof. Chris Williams for staff working in children’s mental health services in England.
Therapeutic Approach
Dr McNeill has expertise in a wider range of evidenced therapeutic approaches. In particular, she uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help individuals manage pain and adjust to chronic ill health. She uses Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) to treat trauma and medically unexplained physical symptoms. She will often add EMDR to other approaches to shift unhelpful thoughts. She has expertise in teaching and providing diagnostic CBT. Dr McNeill always likes to add components of Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT) because in todays world we are often kind to others but very hard on ourselves.
Dr McNeill aims to empower individuals with psychological skills that will address their current difficulties but also provide resilience to relapse and other mental health difficulties in the future.