Dr Alexandra Richards

Name: Dr Alexandra Richards
Address: Hackney Therapy Centre, Hackney, Greater London, E8 1HE, United Kingdom
Telephone: 07424835432

Therapist Directory Listing Category: Online Therapy

About the Therapist

About the therapist:

I am an HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist, working within the NHS and private practice. I have worked in mental and physical health settings since 2008 and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 2014. Please see more about me on my website.

Psychological therapy involves working with a therapist towards your personal goals through exploring your thoughts and feelings. This may include learning to better understand yourself and your reactions, trying out new ways of coping and finding new ways of living your life in a way that is satisfying and meaningful. Some common issues that I work with people on include:

Depression and hopelessness
Anxiety and fear
Moving on from painful experiences and losses
Lacking motivation
Low self-esteem
Relationship difficulties
Adjusting to life changes

Many of the clients I work with are marginalised in some way. Therapy often involves both thinking about you as an individual and also the systems we live within. Therapy can be a place to examine the social narratives around us, think about how we respond to these and how to develop resilience.

I have specialist experience of working in physical health services and am particularly interested in the intersections between physical health and disability, and gender and sexual identity. LGBTQ+ people with long-term conditions can be discriminated against on multiple fronts and I aim to provide an inclusive space to explore this. Providing an accessible and approachable service is important to me, where clients feel able to bring all aspects of their identity. I aim to be anti-oppressive and socially conscious in my practice.

In addition to providing therapy, I also offer consultation to individuals and services, teach and have occasionally written articles related to my areas of interest.

Sexual identity:

Bi- | Pansexual
Queer

Gender identity: Female

Gender history: As assigned at birth

Intersex: No

Neurodivergent: Unsure

Personal pronouns: She/her

Qualifications - Links to websites:

I hold a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a post-doctoral qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology.

Clinical Psychology involves an extensive and broad training program that includes training in a range of types of therapy and psychological interventions, working with clients across the lifespan from a wide variety of backgrounds, and in a range of different services. This provides me with opportunities to fit therapeutic approaches to someone's individual needs. For details about what is involved in Clinical Psychology training please see here.

I am registered with the HCPC and abide by their code of professional and ethical conduct.

Qualifications - Additional:

Award	Awarding body	Year of award
BSc in Experimental Psychology	University of Bristol	2008
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)	Canterbury Christchurch University	2014
PGDip in Clinical Neuropsychology	University of Bristol	2022

Experience and approach:

I am trained in a range of evidence-based therapies and use these in an integrative way, adapting to each individual’s needs. In particular, I use:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Psychodynamic Therapy

My approach is flexible and collaborative. I understand that you may not be sure of what type of therapy will suit you, and I can help with this. During an assessment, we can consider together what may be most helpful and this can be reviewed and adapted over time. I can offer both structured therapies focused on practical strategies, and also an open space for reflection and exploration. I have completed a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology, and am familiar with adapting therapy to acquired and longstanding cognitive challenges, such as executive dysfunction. I often see clients who have neurological symptoms or are otherwise neurodivergent. I work with clients on an individual basis, but you are welcome to have others attend sessions with you if you find this helpful. Working with clients who are LGBTQ+ or otherwise of diverse sexual, gender or relationship diversity, I aim to offer an approachable and non-pathologising therapy space. You may wish to explore these aspects of identity, or approach a different challenge with an informed therapist. I have specialist experience of working in physical health services and have worked with individuals with a range of diagnoses including:

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and other forms of acquired brain injury
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's and other progressive neurological conditions
Chronic pain
HIV
Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
Non-epileptic Attacks/Dissociative Seizures
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Tremor and movement disorders
Functional neurological symptoms

Many clients approach me for support around the challenges of being LGBTQ+ or otherwise minoritised and disabled, or thinking about managing the impact their health has on their romantic and sexual lives.

Approaches: