My approach to mental health

I believe that treatment for any condition will benefit most from a holistic treatment plan, that takes into account both biological and clinical factors. Mental health cannot be isolated as a set of purely biological symptoms, so any mental health conditions should be treated holistically with a whole-person approach.

When someone comes to me for help, whether it’s for you or your child, I will always ensure that I understand all the relevant symptoms and circumstances surrounding any difficulties. I will conduct a clinical assessment and discuss your or your child’s history to ensure that I have the full clinical picture before recommending a personalised treatment plan. I will always take into account your personal preferences when developing a treatment plan.

When creating a treatment plan, I will include a range of complementary approaches. These could include:

• Psychoeducation: support and information about the condition so that symptoms can be managed better
• Psychotherapy: psychological therapy with an EMDR focus. However, I will integrate aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic and family therapy, depending on you or your child’s needs.
• Medication: the need for medication will be assessed depending on the severity of symptoms and taking into account your personal preferences.
• Sleep therapy: I have a strong focus on enhancing sleep in both adults and children. By optimising sleep, we can improve your symptoms and improve your health. Some strategies could include focusing on sleep hygiene, sleep management strategies for parents with children who struggle to sleep and sensory-based interventions. I have even worked with artists and elite professional athletes to help them attain a more efficient sleep for optimal performance.
• Exercise therapy: I regularly incorporate techniques from somatic therapy, yoga and body-based meditation to improve the mind-body connection, which can subsequently improve symptoms. Somatic therapy is incredibly helpful for enhancing the mind-body connection and as a relaxation technique, by rebalancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, through guided exercises focusing on posture and body movement.
• Lifestyle interventions: I always take into account nutrition and physical activity when assessing symptoms as I understand the importance of a healthy, balanced lifestyle to support optimal health.

My approach to medication

I believe that medication is a useful tool that can be helpful in reducing symptoms, and in my personal practice, I only prescribe medication when it is needed. I usually only prescribe medication in combination with other treatment approaches, such as psychoeducation about the condition and it’s symptoms, or in conjunction with therapy.

Training and education

I am an accredited Consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist, specialising in Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. I have been working as a Consultant psychiatrist with the NHS in the UK for three years and work with teams focusing on emotional and behavioural approaches. I have a professional certification for EMDR Therapy in children and adults, as well as Level 1 certification in level on Dialectic Behavioural Therapy (DBT). I am an accredited member of EMDR UK & Ireland and EMDRIA.

Before this, I completed my studies and high specialised psychiatry training (CCT equivalent) in Spain, and I hold a University of Seville postgraduate certification in both Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Systemic Psychotherapy.

I have worked between London and Spain for many years, so I am well versed in the clinical and healthcare systems in both countries. As a result, I have benefited from building a wide and varied professional network with leading experts in psychology, trauma, and ENT.

I am a member of the Royal College of psychiatrists in the UK and regularly collaborate with academic psychiatrists on research projects and clinical studies. I am Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at Queen Mary’s University London (QMUL) and work with Rethink Mental Health Group as a panel member and reviewer. I have also collaborated with researchers at the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience at King’s College London, where I spent five months working on a research study investigating suicide and insight.

I am also a British Association For Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) Certified Practitioner, as I often help artists and performers with overcoming difficulties or enhancing creativity and performance.

I regularly keep up-to-date with the latest groundbreaking research in my areas of speciality by reading research papers published in the British Medical Journal and British Journal of Psychiatry. When working with patients with specific or complex cases, I often conduct my research and review the literature to ensure I’m informed about the latest evidence-based clinical approaches.