Tom Coates - CBT Therapist
Tom Coates is a fully accredited, highly skilled, and experienced CBT Therapist with over a decade of experience in clinical settings. Tom's natural curiosity and reflective approach help him build strong relationships with clients, making them feel comfortable sharing their feelings and difficulties.
Interest
From a young age, Tom has been passionate about mental health and pursued his interest by studying Psychology in school and continuing into his 6th form education. He later graduated with a First Class degree from the University of Chester and completed a Masters degree in Psychological Research at the University of Sheffield.
Experience
Tom began his professional career working in a highly specialised inpatient and community Eating Disorders service, supporting individuals struggling with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder. In 2013, he joined a thriving primary care mental health service in Buckinghamshire where he completed both a Post Graduate certificate and later a Post Graduate diploma in Evidence Based Interventions, qualifying him to work as a CBT Therapist. In this role, he gained experience supporting individuals with a range of emotional health disorders including Depression, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Phobia, and Health Anxiety.
In January 2023, Tom joined the Charlie Waller Institute at the University of Reading as a Lecturer, supporting trainee CBT Therapists on their journey to becoming qualified clinicians. Within this role, Tom enjoyed teaching up-to-date, evidence-based interventions and guidelines to trainee CBT Therapists, who regularly provided positive feedback on his knowledge and teaching style. Tom left his full-time role at the University in July 2024 to found The Wellbeing Team LTD but continues to support trainees as an external Clinical Supervisor.
Personal Development & OCD
Tom has worked on a specialist weight management project, enhancing his knowledge and skills, often using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) techniques to support clients with weight loss goals. However, Tom’s main passion lies in supporting individuals who are struggling with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). As someone who has experienced OCD personally, Tom draws on his own experiences to provide valuable insights and help clients develop effective strategies for overcoming their challenges. Tom finds great reward in the positive feedback from those he supports, who often feel heard and understood.
Skills
Tom is a fully BABCP accredited CBT Therapist committed to providing high-quality therapy. Tom has developed strong supervision and management skills in his NHS and University roles, offering regular clinical supervision to both qualified and trainee Cognitive Behavioural Therapists.
To support his continuous professional development, Tom attends training workshops and seeks guidance from his clinical supervisor. Recently, Tom has also enjoyed facilitating workshops for colleagues who wish to develop their skills, competence and understanding of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) interventions, from which he has received highly positive feedback.
Tom has just released his first e-book entitled: Don’t Take the Bait: A Compassionate Guide to Managing Intrusive Thoughts.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Psychology (First Class), University of Chester
MSc Psychological Research with Merit, University of Sheffield
PGCert Evidence Based Psychological Treatments, University of Reading
PGDip Evidence Based Psychological Treatments with Distinction, University of Reading