As a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist, Dr Elizabeth Forrester brings a combination of skill, knowledge and understanding to her practice. For over 12 years she held the post of Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (South London & Maudsley NHS Trust), a specialist unit providing and developing evidence-based cognitive-behaviour therapy for a range of anxiety disorders. As clinical lead for national referrals, she provided assessment and treatment for severe and complex cases, offering her specialist opinion to other mental health care professionals both within the team and elsewhere.
Her special interest in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related problems such as hoarding developed as a result of working closely with Professor Paul Salkovskis (recognised all over the world as a specialist in this area) as a research clinical psychologist at the University of Oxford. However, the formation of her down-to-earth approach and broader awareness of psychological difficulties can be traced back to the early days of her career in the Midlands applying her flair and competence to working with clients at GP surgeries and community mental health teams.
BA (Hons),
MSc, PsychD,
Cert Cog Ther (Oxon),
CPsychol.
Dr Forrester undertook her initial clinical training at the University of Birmingham, and gained an MSc in Clinical Psychology in 1991. She subsequently completed further specialist training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the University of Oxford in 1993 (and later became a clinical supervisor on the course for several years). Keen to further her studies and develop her knowledge in her field, she was awarded her doctorate by the University of Surrey in 2005.
Over the years, Dr Forrester has undertaken frequent teaching engagements, including on accredited Cognitive Behaviour Therapy training courses in Manchester and Glasgow, and for the Erasmus scheme in Groningen, Netherlands in addition to her regular teaching engagement on the University of Surrey clinical psychology doctorate course and workshops on CBT for OCD for other health authorities. She has presented her research at various international conferences and co-authored a number of academic publications.
Eager to promote the help that clinical psychology can offer and to help reduce the stigma so often associated with mental health problems, she has strong links with the charitable organisation OCD-UK www.ocduk.org and has been a popular presenter at their annual conference. Dr Forrester’s expert opinion has been sought by the media in popular publications such as Psychologies , Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Channel 4’s acclaimed ‘House of Obsessive-Compulsives’. You can hear her talking about aspects of her work on https://theocdstories.com/episode/dr-liz-forrester-288/
In addition to the teaching, training and clinical supervision she offers to other therapists, Dr Forrester has regular case discussions with a suitably qualified and experienced clinical supervisor to in order to maintain the highest standards of practice and ensures she updates her knowledge and skill through continuing professional development. Dr Forrester is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council and adheres to their professional code of conduct and ethics. More information can be found on their websites: www.bps.org.uk www.hcpc-uk.org
T: 0741 560 2266 E: ask@dreforrester.co.uk