About me
Dr. Mark Hudson BSc (Hons), PG Cert, MRes, DClinPsy, AFBPsS, CPsychol
I have known that I wanted to work with neurodivergent children ever since I first qualified as a Clinical Psychologist over 10 years ago. In my first role on a specialist CAMHS inpatient unit, I experienced the gaps in services first-hand, as children with neurodevelopmental conditions from across the country were referred to us for assessment and support. These were children with severe behavioural distress, whose need for developmental and family-focused support had not been understood by services early enough. This was a profound experience, which led to me dedicating my clinical and research practice to understanding and meeting the needs of these children, by developing relational support for them and their families. One of the greatest joys in my work remains being able to engage in a therapeutic relationship with young people who have historically faced a lot of barriers to communication.
I have subsequently worked across community CAMHS teams, a special school for autistic children, and autism diagnostic clinics in the NHS and third sector. I am currently Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Nottingham, where I am actively involved in research on supporting parents of autistic children (You can view my academic profile here). I specialise in carrying out comprehensive assessments and therapeutic work with children, young people and families, particularly where a child has autism, a learning disability, or related neurodevelopmental conditions. I am also experienced in working with children who have developmental trauma and attachment insecurity. I am an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and an HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist.
Through my clinical and research work, I have developed a particular interest in systemic approaches, and have published on adapting a family therapy approach for parents of children with autism and/or a learning disability (Hudson, Dallos, & McKenzie, 2017; Hudson, 2023).
I have also collaborated with European colleagues on creating a measure of emotional development in people with a learning disability - the Scale of Emotional Development – Short (SED-S). This led to the publication of a book entitled: ‘Meeting emotional needs in intellectual disability: The developmental approach’ (Sappok, Zepperitz & Hudson, 2021).
I regularly supervise doctoral research projects and service evaluations, facilitate training, and keep my knowledge up-to-date by undertaking CPD and acting as a reviewer for several scientific journals. I also sit on the BPS Division of Clinical Psychology East Midlands Committee, meaning that I help to shape professional development in the region. I have full indemnity insurance and have an up to date enhanced DBS registration.
