Dr Ernest Wagner

Dr Ernest Wagner, Clinical Psychologist – Enquire about upcoming availability for online appointments

Fully Qualified and Experienced Clinical Psychologist

I am a Clinical Psychologist with:

• a rich background in both clinical practice and research.
• current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and
• membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as a Chartered Psychologist.

With over 7 years of hands-on experience in the NHS, and previous clinical research roles, I have both a broad and in-depth experience.

Alongside my private practice, I continue to work in the NHS in Scotland (work described below).

Experienced Psychologist, helping with a range of difficulties:

Work Stress: I aim to bring understanding, empathy, and work towards collaboratively finding ways forward for people experiencing burn-out, conflict, frustration, low mood, and anxiety in relation to their work.

Anxiety & Low Mood: Personalised treatment for mental health conditions such as Depression, Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Health Anxiety, as well as less severe forms of mood and worry difficulties. I inquire about your unique experience, situation, and background, and draw on several therapeutic approaches which I believe will best suit each individual.

Loss, injury, or disability: I am committed to assisting individuals navigate through the emotional aftermath of significant life events. This can include offering ways of managing grief, changes in self-identity, emotion regulation, as well as work toward building on resilience, strengths, and setting goals.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): I aim to offer specialised care for those experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and low mood following a traumatic event(s).

Neuropsychology: Drawing on my background in Clinical Neuropsychology, I address cognitive difficulties such as memory and concentration problems. These may be present due to injury, illness, or stress, or a mental health difficulty. I don’t currently provide formal cognitive assessment, but focus on strategies for therapy and cognitive rehabilitation.

Physical Conditions: There is often a connection between physical conditions and mental well-being, with each one impacting on the other. I use established psychological approaches to do my best to understand and help with these challenges.

Clinical Psychologist with an authentic, down-to-earth approach

I aim to be open, curious, and compassionate as we explore the things that matter to you.

My goal is to create a safe and authentic environment where you feel seen, heard, and valued.

• Every individual has a unique story, and I respect the courage it takes to share your personal experience.
• As we explore your thoughts, emotions, and aspirations, I will genuinely seek to understand not just the surface, but the deeper layers of your thoughts and feelings.
• It’s natural to feel vulnerable when discussing personal challenges, and I want to assure you that I would like you to feel our sessions are a judgment-free zone.
• My role is not to advise or prescribe, but to be open to listen, reflect, and collaborate.

I am committed to working flexibly with you, setting a pace that feels as right as possible for you, and offering therapeutic techniques that resonate with your needs.

Integrated Use of Talking Therapies to Best Suit You

During our online therapy sessions, my goal is to provide the most effective and tailored approach for you.

Each session is tailored to the individual, emphasizing a balance of reflective exploration with structured assessment and intervention.

My aim is to create an authentic, non-judgmental space where we can collaboratively work towards your personal hopes and goals.

Here are some of the therapeutic methods I draw from:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): A structured approach that seeks to improve self-awareness and update thought patterns and behaviours. By examining the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and actions, CBT eases distress by helping people create more adaptive ways of thinking and acting.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Rooted in behavioural analysis, ACT employs mindfulness and acceptance strategies alongside behaviour-change strategies. The goal is to increase psychological flexibility, allowing individuals to align their actions with personal values, even in the presence of challenging or distressing experiences.
• Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): CFT is grounded in the understanding that our brains, shaped by evolution, can sometimes present us with conflicting emotional responses. This approach emphasizes a non-judgmental acknowledgment of these complexities, recognizing that different parts of our brain or our emotion regulation systems do not always align harmoniously. By integrating techniques from cognitive-behavioural, interpersonal, and developmental psychology, coupled with insights from neuroscience, CFT aims to cultivate self-compassion and resilience in navigating these internal challenges.
• Psychodynamic Approach: At its core, the psychodynamic approach recognises that our past experiences, especially childhood attachment relationships, shape our present behaviours, feelings, and thoughts. It’s not just about delving into the past for its own sake, but understanding how these early experiences influence our current relationships and self-perceptions. This approach is about making the unconscious conscious, helping individuals gain insight into patterns they might not be fully aware of, and fostering genuine self-understanding and growth.

Private Therapy with Health Insurance or Self-funding

I am registered with most major health insurance providers including Aviva, AXA, WPA, Vitality, and Cigna.

Check with your health insurance provider if they cover psychological therapy. If they do, they will normally give you an idea of the number of sessions which are covered and issue you a preauthorisation code.

We will need your insurance details, including name of provider, policy number, and preauthorisation code so that we can confirm coverage before booking the first session.

Online Psychological Therapy Consultations

I currently offer online video-call appointments.

This an accessible, and effective way of providing clinical psychology assessment and therapy, offering flexibility and convenience for you.

In my NHS work, I see patients who experience difficulties such as anxiety, PTSD, depression, and loss following major injury, illness, or neurological problems.

My Commitment to Growth

I am deeply committed to my professional growth.

I consistently engage in ongoing training, supervision, research, and personal psychotherapy, ensuring I remain at the forefront of psychological advancements.

Academic contributions and experience

Alongside my colleagues, I have published academic papers on Psychosis and, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and asthma. I completed a doctoral level research project on Value-Directed Living and Psychological Distress in Chronic Conditions and Relevance to Secondary-Care Asthma Control.

I have also co-presented at academic conferences, including on Schizophrenia, Youth Mental Health Risk and Resilience Study and at the Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology.

 £120 is his usual fee for individuals for an appointment, for Clinical Psychology / Psychological Therapy / Psychological Intervention.

N.B. The fee may vary in relation to other services, e.g., specific assessments, report writing, etc. 

Please contact us for more information.