Clinical Practitioner for Devon & Cornwall, Lorna Lapthorn: Meet the Team

Date published

07 May 2025

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Lorna Lapthorn Clinical Practitioner Devon and Cornwall

We’re excited to welcome Lorna Lapthorn to the Blue Sky Fostering family as our new Clinical Practitioner for Devon & Cornwall!

With over a decade of experience in integrative counselling and a strong background in trauma-informed care, Lorna brings a compassionate and insightful approach to her work. She’s eager to support foster carers and young people using attachment-based models such as PACE, and is looking forward to meeting her new team members at Blue Sky Fostering.

Lorna has a very calm demeanour; is passionate about learning, connecting with others, and growing—in and out of work, whether that’s through professional development or tending to her garden at home.

Topics

In person
Therapeutic
Advice
Support
Foster Carer

Date published

07 May 2025

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Clinical Practitioner Lorna Lapthorn Meet the Team Devon and Cornwall

Let’s start with the simple stuff! What your name and job title?

Lorna Lapthorn, Clinical Practitioner for Devon & Cornwall.

And how long have you been working at Blue Sky?

Two days – in fact, no! One and half days!

What were you doing prior to this role?

I managed a mother and baby rehab unit for substance misuse, which gave me some good experience of working within trauma frameworks and PACE.

I have also worked and completed specialist training in Eating Disorders and Beravement, traumatic loss and grief.

I have had my own private practice for the last two years, but have missed being part of a wider team. Working at Blue Sky will give me the opportunity to connect with other team members, share knowledge and learning whilst still helping others.

What attracted you to this role with Blue Sky in particular?

The worthwhile aspect of the work. I anticipate that supporting foster carers with their young people will be challenging - but will be really rewarding. I’m looking forward to working more in depth with attachment theories and the PACE model, building the knowledge and incorporating it into my everyday work with foster carers.

What do you do to relax Lorna?

I love gardening. This is our first year for vegetables. We have a greenhouse with tomatoes and cucumbers, and we’ve grown a lot of stuff from seed this year. We dried out the seeds from a butternut squash and they’ve become plants – we’re hoping to be able to eat them too! My ideal weekend is being at home gardening – even more so if it’s nice weather!

And how about music?

I really like classical. I listen a lot to Classic FM. While I appreciate modern music, I do listen to classical the most.

How did you come into your role as a Clinical Practitioner?

I began with integrative counselling 14 years ago following a really positive experience of counselling myself, and that marked the start into my journey as a counsellor. I worked voluntarily for the Bereavement Counselling Service as a counsellor, trained as a clinical supervisor and was a trustee on the board of trustees.

Something people would surprised at?

I was a long haul flight attendant with Virgin Atlantic at the age of 21 and travelled all over America, South Africa and Japan. Before commencing this job I had only flown once on a family holiday to spain!