Amanda Budden (Director and Founder)
Amanda is the founder and Lead Psychotherapist at ABC. She supports neurodivergent children and young people and brings both professional experience and lived understanding to her work as a neurodivergent individual and parent.
Amanda offers a flexible, child-led approach to therapy, including play-based work and carefully structured therapeutic video gaming. This approach helps children and young people feel comfortable, understood, and able to engage at their own pace.
She works with children, teenagers, and adults, including those with autistic and PDA profiles, and tailors her support to each individual and family.
Amanda also shares short psychoeducational videos on TikTok, explaining how therapeutic video gaming can be used safely and thoughtfully within therapy to support neurodivergent children and young people.
Ellie Smith (SEN Consultant & EFT Practitioner)
Ellie supports children and families navigating Special Educational Needs (SEN), bringing both professional experience and a calm, compassionate approach to her work. She has a background in counselling and extensive experience supporting families within the SEN system.
Ellie offers emotionally attuned support alongside practical guidance, including the use of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to help children and adults with emotional regulation, anxiety, and overwhelm. This gentle approach supports families during what can feel like a challenging and uncertain time.
She works with families on EHCP applications and reviews, attends Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings, and supports families through more complex SEN processes where needed. Ellie tailors her support to each family’s circumstances and priorities.
Ellie works with families locally and across the UK, helping ensure children’s needs are clearly understood and appropriately supported within education and beyond.
Anna Mason (Play Therapist)
Anna is a Play Therapist who supports children and young people through a warm, compassionate, and child-centred approach. She works in partnership with ABC alongside her independent play therapy practice https://www.amplaytherapy.co.uk/, supporting families to help children feel safe, understood, and supported.
Her work is grounded in a strong understanding of child development and emotional wellbeing, using play as a natural and accessible way for children to express themselves, explore feelings, and build resilience.
Anna has experience working across a range of settings, including mainstream schools and specialist provisions, and adapts her approach to meet the individual needs of each child and family.
Alongside her professional experience, Anna is a parent to children with additional support needs and also speaks Polish, offering valuable lived understanding and support for Polish-speaking families.