Neil Austin

I am a consultant child and adolescent psychotherapist and adult psychoanalytic psychotherapist with 30 years experience of working with children, adolescents and adults struggling with a wide range of emotional and psychiatric difficulties, across both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Alongside my private practice, I was from 2009 until May 2024, head of child and adolescent psychotherapy and a consultant child and adolescent psychotherapist at Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust.

I have extensive experience working with complex and severe mental health disorders, and have developed a keen interest in working with mind and body difficulties, including somatic function disorders and eating disorders, a clinical specialism at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

I work with a wide range of presenting difficulties in my private practice at Queen Anne Street, from adjustment and relationship difficulties at school or home, to anxiety and low mood, eating and somatic conditions and problems of emotional regulation.

Whatever the presenting problem or symptom, healthy overall emotional development is always the priority: namely, to help a young person who is struggling to maintain their self esteem and sense of agency to reach a point where they can be confident of their own ability to keep going forwards, to learn and to thrive.

I assess children and teenagers usually over four sessions to formulate a treatment plan, following an initial parent consultation. I work flexibly according to individual need, from a few consultations through to longer term work.

I value liaison with other professionals whenever it is in a child’s best interests, for example with schools, psychiatrists, neurodevelopmental psychologists and educational consultants. I also provide professional consultation to teams and individuals in mental health organisations.

I offer parents and carers in depth advice and support: understanding mental health concerns, treatment questions and parenting strategies.

I am registered with the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP registration no 4040).

n.austin@qaspractice.com