Lynne Ryan, Clinical Practitioner & Training Lead
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Lynne Ryan joined Five Rivers in May 2024 as a Clinical Practitioner within our Clinical Services team. With more than 25 years of experience working therapeutically with children and families, Lynne brings a wealth of specialist knowledge in trauma, attachment, and dissociation. She is a qualified Counsellor, registered Social Worker, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist, and an active member of several professional bodies.
Lynne now supports our fostering teams through trauma-informed practice, training, and clinical guidance, and her passion for helping children and families shines through in everything she does.
Lynne talks about her professional experience
I am a qualified Counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), specialising in psychological trauma, with a certificate from the Trauma Institute Leipzig.
I also have a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, an MA in Applied Social Studies, and a Diploma in Social Work. I’m registered with Social Work England.
I’m an EMDR Therapist and a member of EMDR UK & Ireland and the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation (ESTD).
Over 25 years, I’ve worked therapeutically with children and families across various sectors. I specialise in trauma, attachment, dissociation, and child assessment and have delivered training nationally and internationally in these areas since qualifying as a Counsellor.
What drew you to work at Five Rivers?
When I saw the job advertised, I felt my experience and values aligned with Five Rivers, especially the trauma informed approach. That’s proved true. I really enjoy what I do, the people I work with, and the difference it makes in children’s lives.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the Five Rivers community?
The people: my colleagues, the Supervising Social Workers, the Foster Carers, and indirectly, the children. I enjoy sharing knowledge, delivering ATIC™ training, and being alongside families as they learn to understand children and respond therapeutically.
Reflecting on your journey so far, do you have any standout moments?
Over the last five years, I’ve been part of a working group developing guidance on working with dissociation. This evolved into a book published in January, (Working with Dissociation in Clinical Practice (2026) Crockford et al {eds}), where I wrote a chapter on working with dissociation in children and adolescents. I hope my colleagues at Five Rivers and other practitioners working in therapeutic care will find the book useful in deepening their understanding of trauma-based dissociation.
Lynne shares some final words to those considering joining Five Rivers:
I love my job, and I would recommend anyone considering a career working with children to get in touch with Five Rivers to discuss the opportunities and training available to help them develop their professional journey.
Interested in working with Five Rivers?
If you want to join our Social Enterprise, take a look at our current vacancies to find a role turning children’s lives around.