Meet the Team

Dr Mark Guyers BSc, MSc, PGCert, DClinPsy
Dr Jay Thomas BSc, DClinPsy
Dr Emma Bruce BSc, MSc, DClinPsy

drmarkguyers@merseyclinicalpsychology.com

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Background

 

Dr Mark Guyers is a HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist, with experience of working with a wide range of mental and physical health difficulties. Mark has a BSc (Hons) in Applied Psychology, a MSc in the Clinical Applications of Psychology, a PGCert in Low Intensity Psychological Therapies and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Sheffield. Mark works in both private practice and the NHS. 

 

Mark is experienced in working with children, young people and adults, and specialises in working with children and their parents who have long term health conditions.

 

Mark is the co-creator of the paediatric diabetes ‘Ormskirk Model’. The model prompts parents and professionals to talk about HbA1c and Time-In-Range with children in a compassionate manner. The Model is endorsed by the NHS and is used in Canada, USA, Europe, India and Southeast Asia. It has been translated into 24 languages. You can read more about the Ormskirk Model here

 

Mark has delivered presentations at 9 UK conferences and in 2023 presented work understanding the parental experience of a diagnosis cystic fibrosis in their newborn baby at the 46th European Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Vienna. In 2025 he presented work at the European Paediatric Psychology Conference on the psychological impact of transition from children’s to adult services in healthcare. 

 

Mark has also delivered lectures on Clinical Psychology Doctoral and Nursing programs in the North West on Visual Differences and the application of clinical psychology in acute settings to aspiring nurses. 

 

Additionally, he has served as a honorary lecturer at Liverpool Hope University and at the University of Lancashire for the last 8 years, delivering lectures to aspiring physiotherapists.

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​​The therapeutic approaches Mark draws upon:

 

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

• Narrative Therapy

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 

• Mindfulness

• Person Centred Therapy

• Integrative Therapy  

 

Publications

 

Bray, D., Guyers, M., & Ng, May. (2021). Unleashing the solution-focused power of the Ormskirk Model by minding your language. Diabetes Care for Children & Young People, 10, 1-7.

 

Guyers, M., Bray, D., Ng, May. (2020). Language matters;images matter too. The Ormskirk Model: A new HbA1c-time-in-range solution focused model. Diabetes care for children and young people, 9(2), 1-9.

 

Guyers, M. (2020). Changing conversations in suicide risk management. A new model called RISK. Discovering resources, creating increments, increasing sharing and improving knowledge. Clinical psychology forum, 334, 51-55.

 

Guyers, M., Simm, R., & Bray, D. (2019). Doing diabetes differently: An overview of solution-focused approaches in paediatric diabetes care. Diabetes care for children and young people, 8(4), 1-7. 

 

Guyers, M., Baxter, R., Bodycote, H., Willgoose, A., & Ziemba, D. (2019). Behind the screens: Practitioners’ experiences of supporting computerised CBT. Clinical psychology forum, 317, 28-30. 

 

Lamph, G., Sampson, M.J., Smith, D., Williamson, G., & Guyers, M. (2018) "Can an interactive e-learning training package improve the understanding of personality disorder within mental health professionals?", The journal of mental health training, education and practice, 13(2), 124-134

drjaythomas@merseyclinicalpsychology.com

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Background

 

Dr Jay Thomas is a HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist, with experience of working in a range of settings and with varying emotional and psychological difficulties.

 

Jay has an extensive background of working in Children’s mental health services as well as experience working within adult services. 

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The therapeutic approaches Jay draws upon:

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• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)

• Person Centred Therapy

• Integrative Therapy

• Mindfulness

 

Experience with:

 

Adjustment to physical health conditions

Generalised anxiety

Panic

Low mood/Depression

Self-esteem

Health Anxiety

Parental Support

Phobias

Obsessions & Compulsions

Anxiety about medical procedures

Social Anxiety

Surgery decision making

 

Publications 

 

Thomas, J. & Haslam, C. (2015). How people who self-harm negotiate the inpatient environment: the healthcare workers perspective, Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 24(7), 480-490.

 

Thomas, J., Corcoran, R., Reid, G., & Bryant, A. (2025). A Thematic exploration of the experience of inpatient mental-health service users who are prevented from self-harming, Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 46(7), 702-710.

 

Grey, V., Thomas, J., Hadjittofi, M., Holman, N., Hill, J. E., & Harris, C. (2025). Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for parents with preterm infants: a commentary on a systematic review, Journal of Family and Child Mental Health, 2(12), Advance online publication. 

dremmabruce@merseyclinicalpsychology.com

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Background

 

Dr Emma Bruce is a HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist with experience working across a range of NHS services, supporting children, young people, adults and families with a variety of emotional, psychological and physical health difficulties.

Emma works in both private practice and the NHS. In her NHS role, she specialises in paediatric health psychology, supporting children, young people and families affected by long-term health conditions. This includes helping individuals and families adjust to diagnoses, cope with the emotional impact of health conditions and treatment, and navigate the challenges that can arise at different stages of a healthcare journey. She also has experience facilitating parent support groups and contributing to training within healthcare settings, supporting professionals to develop psychologically informed approaches to care.

Emma has experience supporting a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, low mood, trauma, phobias and adjustment to life changes. 

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The therapeutic approaches Emma draws upon:

 

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)

• Narrative Therapy

• Mindfulness-Based Approaches

• Integrative Therapy