Email: portico-services@ucl.ac.uk
Help Desk: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ras/portico/helpdesk
- Senior Lecturer
- Clinical, Edu & Hlth Psychology
- Div of Psychology & Lang Sciences
- Faculty of Brain Sciences


My research interests are focused on eating disorders, restrictive eating and dieting in children, adolescents and adults. I lead the Eating Disorders Research Group in the Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/eating-disorders-research-group. I collaborate with a range of colleagues at UCL, nationally and internationally.
1. I conduct research into the neuropsychology of perseverative behaviour/thinking in anorexia nervosa and in fasting states such as 5:2 dieters. This research aims to discover what impact food restriction may have on neurocognitive processing.
2. I have an interest in improving outcomes for eating disorders. I collaborate on treatment trials into psychological therapies for eating disorders to help develop better treatments. I contribute to several national and international committees which aim to review treatment research and advise on best practice (Core Member of the 2017 NICE Guideline Development Group for Eating Disorders, Member of the Global Clinical Practice Network for the revision of the Mental and Behavioural Disorders chapter of ICD-11 and Co-chair of AED Task Force for the Development of Psychological Care Guidelines (2018-19)
3. I have an ongoing interest in motivation and the pros and cons of eating disorders as described by service users. We are currently conducting a study to examine whether the pros and cons of anorexia nervosa help to predict outcome from psychological therapy.
4. I have recently begun collaborating on research into the links between anorexia nervosa and autism. Individuals with anorexia nervosa have an increased risk of having comorbid diagnosis of autism. Our research aims to understand more about how anorexia nervosa presents in women with autism and how treatment may be adapted.
UCL teaching:
I lecture DClinPsy trainees, MSc students and undergraduates on eating disorders. I am unit organiser for the DClinPsy Conference Programme. I contribute to core elements of the DClinPsy course including exam marking, case reports, leading interview panels as part of candidate selection, personal tutoring, placement visits and a range of other course duties. I have supervised to completion the research theses of over 25 DClinPsy trainees and 2 PhD students.
External teaching and training:
I offer teaching and training to professionals within the UK and internationally. Most recently I was invited to deliver specialist training on eating disorders in Milan (June 2018) and Dublin (Oct 2018). I chair an annual conference on Eating Disorders hosted at UCL (most recently held in Nov 2019).
External examining:
I have acted as external examiner for PhD and DClinPsy theses internationally including at the University of Leeds, University of Western Australia, Australian Catholic University, Deakin University, University of Sydney and Kings College London.
01-OCT-2013 | Clinical Lead for Eating Disorders | Eating Disorders | North East London Foundation NHS Trust, United Kingdom |
SEP-2009 | Honorary Clinical Psychologist | Eating Disorder Service | North East London Foundation Trust, United Kingdom |
OCT-2007 – AUG-2009 | Clinical Psychologist | Vincent Square Eating Disorders Service | College of North West London, United Kingdom |
SEP-2007 | Lecturer | Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology | University College London, United Kingdom |
OCT-2004 – SEP-2007 | Clinical/Research Psychologist | Clinical Health Psychology | Central and NorthWest London Foundation NHS Trust, United Kingdom |
OCT-2004 – FEB-2005 | Clinical Psychologist | Camden & Islington Mental Health & Social Care | NHS Trust, United Kingdom |
SEP-2001 – SEP-2004 | Trainee Clinical Psychologist | Camden and Islington Mental Health NHS Trust | University College London, United Kingdom |
SEP-1998 – SEP-2001 | Research Psychologist | Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Team | St Georges Hospital Medical School, United Kingdom |
SEP-1995 – AUG-1999 | Research Worker | Eating Disorder Unit | Institute of Psychiatry, United Kingdom |
SEP-1993 – AUG-1995 | Research Assistant | Department of Psychology | University of Nottingham, United Kingdom |
2004 | Doctorate in Clinical Psychology | University College London | |
2000 | Doctor of Philosophy | University of London | |
1993 | Bachelor of Arts (Honours) | University of Oxford |