Phil Christie - MA, CPsychol

Phil Christie is a Consultant Child Psychologist who established the Elizabeth Newson Centre (ENC) and now works on an independent basis. Phil was Director of Services and Principal of Sutherland House School for 30 years in addition to overseeing the ENC.      

Phil has a  specialism in children with complex presentations particularly those with  Pathological Demand Avoidance profile.  Phil's work has also encompassed a range of professional activities such as training and research, which included an action research project on early diagnosis and intervention with 2-3 year olds with autism. This project refined an approach known as ‘Frameworks for Communication’.   

For a number of years Phil was a team leader on the Autism Services Accreditation Programme, reviewing the quality of services for children with autism throughout the UK. Phil is an Associate Editor of ‘Good Autism Practice’ and previously undertook the same role for ‘Autism: International Journal of Research and Practice’. He was vice-chair of the programme board of the Autism Education Trust and Chair of the expert reference group. Phil has been involved in conferences, training sessions and presentations on a range of topics related to the autism spectrum across the UK and internationally. Over recent years Phil has been extensively involved in leading training events around PDA for schools and other organisations providing for children with complex presentations of autism. 

Phil has published widely in the field of autism and has co-authored four books.  

First Steps in Intervention with your Child with Autism (with Elizabeth Newson, Wendy Prevezer and Susie Chandler). Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London and Philadelphia, 2009.   

Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance Syndrome in Children (with Margaret Duncan, Ruth Fidler and Zara Healy). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. London and Philadelphia, 2011.   

Can I tell you about PDA? (with Ruth Fidler). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. London and Philadelphia, 2015.   

Collaborative Approaches to Learning (with Ruth Fidler). Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London and Philadelphia, 2018