Dr Sharim Ponticelli is a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist, specialising in working with children, adolescents, parents, and families across a range of clinical settings. Sharim is deeply committed to supporting emotional wellbeing and growth through creating a safe, warm, and engaging therapeutic relationship and leading with compassion where children, young people and parents feel understood, supported, and empowered.
Sharim’s clinical practice draws on a range of evidence-based psychological approaches including family therapy, psychodynamic approaches, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Compassion Focussed Therapy, attachment and trauma-focussed therapy and parenting programmes. Sharim draws on these approaches flexibly, combining them with insights from her own clinical practice with children and families to address a wide range of emotional, behavioural, relational, and developmental difficulties. Sharim adapts her work depending on the child’s age, development, and neurodevelopmental profile, using play, talking, and drawing to understand and connect with the child or young person. She also works closely with parents, carers, and school, guided by the knowledge that a shared understanding within a strong support system can help nurture and sustain lasting positive change.
As a practitioner, Sharim has a deep appreciation of how the experience of each child, young person and family is unique. She recognises how different life stories, backgrounds, and identities – such as cultural and ethnic, gender, and family dynamics – can all influence and shape mental health. She is passionate about helping children, young people and families make sense of their experiences and harness their strengths to help them feel more secure in themselves and their relationships and confident in navigating life’s challenges.
