At NXG Thrive, we believe that young people thrive when they are supported with the right tools, guidance, and positive role models. This month, our theme focuses on confidence and resilience in youth, two essential life skills that help young people navigate challenges, develop self-belief, and build a strong foundation for the future.
As part of this initiative, NXG Thrive recently partnered with Dr Vanessa Contreras to share expert insights with young people through a social media collaboration.
Dr Contreras contributed valuable advice and practical guidance aimed at helping young people better understand their emotions, develop confidence and strengthen their resilience in everyday life.
Why Confidence and Resilience Matter
Confidence allows young people to believe in their abilities, take healthy risks, and pursue opportunities with courage. Resilience, on the other hand, helps them recover from setbacks, learn from challenges, and continue growing even when things feel difficult.
Through this collaboration, Dr Contreras shared perspectives grounded in psychological research and clinical experience, offering young people accessible strategies to support their mental wellbeing.
These messages align closely with the mission of NXG Thrive — empowering young people with the emotional skills and knowledge they need to succeed both personally and academically.
About Dr Vanessa Contreras
Dr Vanessa Contreras-Negretti is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with extensive experience supporting individuals through a wide range of emotional and psychological challenges.
She is the Director, Founder, and Clinical Lead of Vanessa Contreras Consulting, an independent psychology consultancy based in East London.
Dr Contreras works with teenagers and adults, offering therapy both online and in person. Her work focuses on helping people navigate challenges, reconnect with their inner strength, and move forward with greater clarity and resilience.
Professional Experience
Dr Contreras has worked across several areas of the mental health sector, including:
- NHS primary care services (IAPT) supporting individuals with anxiety, depression, OCD, panic and other common mental health difficulties
- Secondary care mental health services, working with more complex and long-standing psychological challenges
- Clinical Health Psychology within Occupational Health, providing psychological support to NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic
She specialises in trauma-informed care, including support for PTSD, complex trauma, and emotional regulation difficulties.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr Contreras contributes to the development of future psychologists by working as a guest lecturer, clinical tutor, and research supervisor within doctoral counselling psychology programmes.
Community and Youth Work
Beyond her clinical and academic work, Dr Contreras has made a meaningful contribution to community initiatives.
She has volunteered as a mentor for young people in custodial settings, focusing on rehabilitation, confidence-building, and the development of practical and interpersonal skills to support their reintegration into the community.
Dr Contreras is currently a Volunteer Community Panel Member with her local Youth Justice & Targeted Prevention Service, where she works with young people subject to referral orders, with a central focus on restorative justice. This role involves supporting young people who have offended to recognise and repair the harm caused by their actions, while collaboratively identifying interventions that respond to their individual needs, encourage positive development, and help reduce the likelihood of further offending.
Her commitment to supporting individuals through adversity aligns strongly with the goals of NXG Thrive and the importance of early intervention for young people.
Connect with Dr Vanessa Contreras
Website:
https://www.vanessacontreras.co.uk
Email:
consult@vanessacontreras.co.uk
Building Stronger Futures for Young People
At NXG Thrive, collaborations with inspiring professionals like Dr Vanessa Contreras help ensure that young people continue to receive expert-informed guidance that supports their wellbeing and personal development.
