After qualifying as a doctor, I spent four years working in medicine and neurology before specialising in psychiatry from 1998 to 2006 at the Maudsley Hospital and the Institute of Psychiatry. I have a dual qualification in general adult psychiatry and cognitive behaviour psychotherapy (CBT).
I have been a consultant with the East London NHS Foundation Trust since 2006. For the first six years, I was the clinical lead for cognitive therapies in the psychotherapy department in Hackney and since 2012 I have been the clinical lead for primary care liaison psychiatry. I have also been in private practice for the past ten years.
My dual qualification allows me to offer comprehensive assessment and treatment approaches and choices, considering the pharmacological as well as psychological aspects of emotional difficulties and the various psychiatric conditions. In therapy, I augment cognitive behaviour approaches with elements from schema-focused therapy and mindfulness-based CBT.
I am passionate about my work and I like to think about it as providing a ‘human encounter’, being mindful of not over-medicalising the many difficult challenges of life. However, it is equally important to arrive at a diagnosis where appropriate as this informs treatment and prognosis.
I am a registered specialist with the General Medical Council (4233217), which requires regular appraisal and revalidation processes. I am a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the British Association for Behaviour and Cognitive Therapy.
I am registered with the major private insurance providers (BUPA, Cigna, Vitality, WPA, Allianz, Aviva).