What is Forensic Clinical Psychology?

Forensic Clinical Psychology is a specialist team within the Psychological Therapies Service. We work with adults who experience severe and enduring mental health difficulties and who also have a history of violent offending. We work with adults in a range of clinical settings such as the forensic community mental health team; the Scottish Prison Service; inpatient services at Bellsdyke and with Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). We also work with the Scottish Courts.

Who we are

Our Forensic Clinical Psychology team consists of a number of dedicated and experienced psychological therapists including: Clinical Psychologists and Trainee Psychologists from accredited courses. We also have experienced and friendly colleagues providing administrative support and we work collaboratively with specialist consultants, nurses, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, criminal justice social workers and those providing specialist support (such as housing and social support) in the community.

What we do

In Forensic Clinical Psychology, we offer a range of different therapeutic approaches and interventions across the services we are involved with. We provide specialist risk of violence assessments; we carry out neuropsychological assessments and we provide consultation to staff on working with individuals who present with risk management issues (through MAPPA for example). We also offer training and supervision to staff in the NHS, SPS and Criminal Justice.

We provide a range of evidence based psychological interventions for our patients. We work with individuals who often have experienced complex trauma and hence present with ongoing emotional regulation difficulties and sometimes relational problems. We offer trauma informed interventions; therapy for psychosis; personality difficulties; anxiety; depression; offending behaviours.

We offer both individual and group therapy options. Our therapies are informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Schema Therapy; Cognitive Analytical Therapy; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focused Therapy. All individuals who meet the referral criteria for our service are assessed and a comprehensive psychological formulation and risk management plan guides further interventions.

How we can be accessed

Our referrals come from a range of sources such as GP, other mental health teams in Forth Valley; Criminal Justice Social Work; the Scottish Prison Service.