Dr. Sue Knowles

Sue leads a team of Psychologists at CMCAFS, who provide consultation, training, and support to children, young people and those who care for them. This includes working with a range of organisations within health, social care, education, voluntary and charity sectors, and both a regional and national level. Sue generally works with senior leaders within these systems to support them to embed psychologically responsive practice within their organisations and wider systems. Sue also provides leadership training, consultation, coaching/supervision and team development as a facilitator at the Centre for Psychologically Responsive Leadership (CPRL).

Sue is also passionate about writing, and has written six books, including self-help using psychological approaches for young people (My Anxiety Handbook; The Anxiety Survival Guide; My Intense Emotions Handbook; My Life After Trauma Handbook), a book on psychologically responsive leadership (The Psychologically Responsive Leader), and she has edited a book written by care experienced young people (The Insider’s Guide to Foster Care – due out Sept 2025). Sue has been an authentication reader for Disney New York books, around childhood trauma and anxiety. Sue is also research supervisor for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology course at Lancaster University. She has a range of academic publications from her own research and the studies that she supervises and is a peer reviewer.
Prior to joining CMCAFS, Sue was Clinical Lead for a national residential care organisation, and a Senior Clinical Psychologist in adolescent inpatient mental health services.
Sue was awarded a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Lancaster University in 2012 and is registered with the HCPC.