An Exciting New Professional Mental Health Collaboration: Prior Mindset and Yorkshire Psychotherapy.
I'm delighted to share some exciting professional news from Prior Mindset.
I have recently joined Yorkshire Psychotherapy as an Associate Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Social Worker, alongside my role as Founder and Director of Prior Mindset.
Most importantly, Prior Mindset remains my primary practice and my priority.
My Associate role with Yorkshire Psychotherapy is an additional professional collaboration, and I will only undertake Associate clinical work when capacity allows alongside my existing Prior Mindset commitments.
For me, the collaboration is primarily about something I have valued throughout my career: bringing experienced mental health professionals together, sharing knowledge and developing a wider network of trusted professionals.
Prior Mindset and Yorkshire Psychotherapy: Working Collaboratively
Mental health rarely fits neatly into one box.
Someone seeking support for anxiety may also be navigating ADHD, autism, emotional regulation, executive functioning difficulties, relationships, parenting, education or work.
Children and young people may additionally experience school anxiety, sensory differences, SEND needs, difficulties accessing education or challenges within family life.
This is one reason professional collaboration is so valuable.
My Associate role allows me to contribute my experience in CBT, ADHD, autism, neurodiversity, emotional regulation, children and young people's mental health, parent support and family work, while remaining fully committed to my clinical and consultancy work through Prior Mindset.
My Yorkshire Psychotherapy practitioner profile also provides further information about my experience.
Expanding Prior Mindset's Trusted Professional Network
Another important benefit of the collaboration is the opportunity to continue developing Prior Mindset's network of trusted mental health professionals.
No individual practitioner or service can, or should, try to provide every type of psychological support.
Part of responsible clinical practice is recognising the boundaries of our expertise and knowing when somebody may benefit from a therapeutic approach or specialist service that isn't currently provided through Prior Mindset.
Heather Howard-Thompson, Founder and Director of Yorkshire Psychotherapy, is an experienced psychotherapist and clinical supervisor whose professional expertise includes CBT and EMDR amongst others. Yorkshire Psychotherapy also brings together practitioners with a broader range of therapeutic experience and specialisms.
Where Prior Mindset doesn't provide a particular service, or where another form of specialist support may be more appropriate, Yorkshire Psychotherapy is one of the professional services I trust when considering appropriate signposting or referral options.
Equally, my own specialist experience in CBT, neurodiversity, children and families, emotional regulation, SEND and social work allows me to contribute complementary expertise to this professional relationship.
For Prior Mindset, this is about gradually developing a wider professional network while remaining clear about what we do well and when another professional may be better placed to help.
Good mental health care isn't about pretending one clinician knows absolutely everything. After more than 16 years working across mental health, social care and education, I remain rather suspicious of anyone who thinks they do.
Bringing Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice to the Collaboration
A significant part of my work through Prior Mindset involves supporting autistic people and people with ADHD.
Support can include:
Post-diagnostic ADHD and autism support
Specialism in social anxiety therapy
CBT for anxiety and related difficulties
Emotional regulation
Executive functioning strategies
Neurodiversity coaching
Parent and family support
School liaison
SEND and EHCP support
My approach is neurodiversity-affirming therapy alongside traditional CBT for non neurodiverse patients.
The aim is not to "fix" an autistic person or someone with ADHD. Instead, we work towards understanding the person's individual profile, strengths, difficulties and environment, while developing practical strategies and appropriate adjustments that can support wellbeing and everyday life.
Continuing Professional Learning Together
The collaboration has already extended beyond clinical work and professional referrals.
In July, Heather, Briony and I attended the Autism & ADHD Show in Liverpool together, giving us an opportunity to explore current developments in neurodiversity, practical resources and different approaches to supporting autistic people and people with ADHD.
There was considerably more there than could sensibly be squeezed into one paragraph, so our visit to the Autism & ADHD Show will have its own Prior Mindset article.
For me, continuing professional development isn't simply about accumulating certificates.
It is about remaining curious, listening to lived experience, questioning our practice, sharing knowledge with other professionals and bringing useful learning back into our work with patients and families.
What Does This Collaboration Mean for Prior Mindset?
Most importantly, nothing is changing for Prior Mindset patients or families.
Prior Mindset remains my primary independent practice and professional priority, and I will continue to focus my clinical, neurodiversity, family, SEND and consultancy work through Prior Mindset. My Associate position with Yorkshire Psychotherapy sits alongside this work.
The collaboration is therefore not a move away from Prior Mindset.
Instead, it provides an additional professional relationship through which we can share knowledge, undertake continuing professional development and, where appropriate, support professional signposting and referrals.
Prior Mindset continues to provide:
Dialectical Behavioural therapy DBT informed skills
ADHD and autism support
Neurodiversity coaching
Neurodiversity-affirming therapy
Anxiety treatment for children
Professional consultation and advisory appointments
Free Prior Mindset Resources
Alongside therapy and consultancy, Prior Mindset provides a growing library of free mental health and neurodiversity resources for children, young people, adults, parents and professionals.
These include practical information and support around ADHD, autism, anxiety, emotional regulation, social anxiety, OCD, separation anxiety, executive functioning, sleep difficulties, depression, SEND and everyday mental wellbeing.
The aim is simple: useful psychological information shouldn't always require somebody to book a therapy appointment first.
Readers can explore the free Prior Mindset Resources through the Prior Mindset website.
Is Prior Mindset still Jerri's primary practice?
Yes. Prior Mindset remains my primary practice and professional priority.
My Associate position with Yorkshire Psychotherapy is an additional professional collaboration. Associate clinical work will only be undertaken when capacity allows alongside my existing Prior Mindset commitments.
People wishing to access my usual CBT, neurodiversity, parent, family, SEND or consultancy services should continue to contact Prior Mindset directly.
What does being an Associate at Yorkshire Psychotherapy mean?
I am part of Yorkshire Psychotherapy's wider professional network as an Associate Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Social Worker while continuing to run Prior Mindset independently.
The relationship creates opportunities for professional collaboration, shared learning and appropriate referrals between practitioners with complementary areas of expertise.
What happens if Prior Mindset doesn't provide the type of support I need?
Prior Mindset offers a range of specialist psychological, neurodiversity, family and consultancy services, but no single service can provide every therapeutic approach.
Where someone's needs fall outside the services offered by Prior Mindset, we can discuss appropriate next steps. This may sometimes include signposting or referral to trusted professionals and services within our wider professional network, including Yorkshire Psychotherapy where appropriate.
This allows Prior Mindset to remain your first point of contact while recognising when another professional or therapeutic approach may better meet a particular need.
How do I access support from Prior Mindset?
Children, young people, adults, parents and professionals can contact Prior Mindset directly for CBT, neurodiversity support, parent and family consultations, emotional regulation and executive functioning support, SEND/EHCP support and professional advisory appointments.
All enquiries about accessing Prior Mindset services should continue to be made directly through Prior Mindset.
Looking Forward
I'm genuinely pleased to be working collaboratively with Heather and the wider Yorkshire Psychotherapy team while continuing to develop Prior Mindset.
Professional collaboration gives us opportunities to learn from one another, recognise the boundaries of our own expertise and develop relationships with trusted professionals who can offer complementary support when needed.
For Prior Mindset, this is another step in developing a service that remains evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming, professionally connected and focused on practical support for children, young people, adults and families.
Most importantly, Prior Mindset remains at the heart of my clinical and professional work.
You can explore therapy, neurodiversity support, parent and family support, consultancy and free resources through Prior Mindset, or read more about my Associate collaboration through my Yorkshire Psychotherapy practitioner profile.
With warm wishes,
Miss Jerri Prior, CBTDip, BSc (Hons)
BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist
Registered Social Worker | Children and Adults
Winner, Neurodiverse Mental Health Clinic of the Year 2026, Greater Manchester
NHS People's Star Award Winner
Prior Mindset is not a crisis service and does not provide emergency mental health support. If you or someone else is at immediate risk of harm, call 999, attend your nearest A&E, contact NHS 111 or speak to your local mental health crisis service.
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