About the South of Scotland CBT Programme
All tutors are fully accredited with the BABCP
The South of Scotland Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Programme offers the opportunity to undertake training to Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or Masters level.
The programme team are based at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Morningside, Edinburgh. Teaching takes place at the Queen Margaret University campus in Musselburgh, Edinburgh.
Our programme is delivered as a blended learning approach.
About our team
Fiona Switzer RMHN MSc (CBT)
Current posts
- South of Scotland CBT Programme Director
- CBT Nurse Therapist Psychological Therapies Edinburgh
Fiona qualified as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 1997 and worked in a variety of clinical settings in the NHS, including acute adult mental health in–patient wards and substance misuse services. In 2001 she gained a Postgraduate Diploma in CBT at the University of Dundee and was accredited with the BABCP in 2004. Since then, she has worked as a CBT nurse therapist in Psychological Therapies services and has also worked in the University of Edinburgh offering CBT for mild to moderate anxiety and depression.
Since 2002, Fiona has worked consistently as a course tutor/lecturer on a range of CBT training programmes: including the University of Dundee Post Graduate Diploma in CBT and the Masters in Applied Psychology in Primary Care at the University of Stirling. Since 2013 she has worked as a course tutor on the South of Scotland Masters in CBT and was involved in the process of the course achieving Accreditation with the BABCP. In 2019, she completed her Masters by research in CBT with Queen Margaret University. Fiona was able to publish two papers from this research.
In 2025 she became the Programme Director subsequent to being the Interim Programme Director since November 2023. Fiona has trained in KSA assessment with BABCP allowing a greater access to non-core professions into CBT training. Clinically, Fiona currently works in a Psychological Therapies as a CBT Nurse therapist using CBT and EMDR to work with people with moderate to severe mental health problems with a special interest in psychosis and complex trauma.
Publications
- Switzer, F; Harper, S and Peck, D. (2019) Exploring the barriers to the implementation of cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp) Mental Health Review Journal
- Switzer, F & Harper, S (2019) A narrative review of the barriers to the implementation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp.), Psychosis, DOI: 10.1080/17522439.2019.1578400
Kirsty Lingo MSc (CBT)
Current post: Senior Course Tutor- South of Scotland Masters in CBT
Kirsty is a senior course tutor and is an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapist (CBT) therapist and an accredited Interpersonal therapist (IPT). She holds a psychology undergraduate degree (2004) and has completed further professional training, including a postgraduate diploma in Psychological Wellbeing Practice (2008), a postgraduate diploma in CBT therapy (2013), and a Master’s in CBT therapy (2025). She has also received additional training in Interpersonal Therapy (2016).
Kirsty has worked in CBT roles across forensic, primary, and secondary care NHS services and as a senior CBT therapist within NHS England, providing supervision and management. Since 2022, she has contributed to the South of Scotland Masters in CBT course as a tutor/lecturer and supervisor, later stepping into the senior tutor role in 2024. She was involved in the process of the course achieving re-accreditation with the BABCP in 2023.
Kirsty has trained in KSA assessment with BABCP allowing a greater access to non-core professions into CBT training. Kirsty has a particular interest in trauma and clinical practices in private practice, supporting individuals using evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
Publication:
- Wood, N, Patel, K, Skinner, J and Thomson, K (2009) ‘Setting up a dual diagnosis service within a forensic inpatient setting: reflections one year on’, Advances in Dual Diagnosis, 2 (3), 20-24
Sally Davenport BSc (Hons), PgDip (CBT)
Current posts:
- Course Tutor, South of Scotland CBT Programme, Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
- Psychological Therapist, Psychological Therapies Service, East Lothian.
Sally qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2008 and worked with adults with communication and swallowing difficulties across both acute and community settings. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in CBT at the Oxford Cognitive Therapy Centre in 2014, carrying out a placement in a local IAPT service for people with mild-moderate mental health conditions. After qualifying, she worked as a CBT Therapist in an IAPT service, alongside working as a Speech and Language Therapist.
In 2019 she moved to Scotland and started her current role as a Psychological Therapist in East Lothian, working with people with moderate to severe mental health conditions. Through this role, she has developed an interest in working with complex trauma, as well as other therapeutic approaches such as Compassion Focused Therapy, to enhance her CBT practice when working with complex presentations. She took on the role as Course Tutor in April 2024.
Sally has trained in KSA assessment with BABCP allowing a greater access to non-core professions into CBT training, having had personal experience of this route into training herself.
Lorna Grant BSc. (Hons); PG Dip (CBT); MSc. (Advanced Nursing)
Current posts
- Course Tutor, South of Scotland CBT Programme, Royal Edinburgh Hospital.
- Nurse Therapist, Eating Disorder Service, NHS Forth Valley
Lorna obtained a BSc. Degree in Applied Psychology in 2006. Following on from this she qualified as a Mental Health Nurse, going on to work with people with eating disorders. Whilst working as a nurse, Lorna was trained in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, offering group therapy in a ward environment.
Lorna became a Nurse Therapist in an NHS eating disorders unit in 2012, in which she was trained in Interpersonal Psychotherapy. In 2015, Lorna worked in outpatients as a Psychological Therapist working with eating disorders, depression, anxiety and trauma. During her work with eating disorders, Lorna has also worked with people in maternity and neonatal psychological interventions service. This work focussed on depression, anxiety and trauma in the perinatal period.
In 2022, Lorna qualified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, completing a post graduate diploma, and became accredited in 2023 with the BABCP. Since completing the CBT PG Dip, Lorna continues her interest in working with eating disorders and trauma, using imagery re-scripting and trauma focussed CBT, whilst considering approaches such as chair work and mindfulness.
Lorna has trained in KSA assessment with BABCP allowing a greater access to CBT training for non-core professionals, recognising the clinical demand for CBT and improving access to therapies for the population.
