Alexandra Dench
Counselling Psychologist
BSc, MSc, PGdip
she/her

Bedford Consulting Rooms, weekday evenings

Alex qualified as a Counselling Psychologist in 2016 and has since worked in the NHS with young people, families and adults, and is registered with HCPC and IPTuk. Alexandra offers various therapy approaches to suit the individual young people (age 8-19) and families she is supporting. She is a trained adolescent interpersonal psychotherapist (IPT), and also support adults with depression and anxiety using IPT. Alex uses a range of age appropriate therapeutic and evidence-based interventions to help young people and adults to identify, understand and process their emotions. Alex supports her clients to learn the skills of managing emotions, problem solving and perspective taking. She has a caring and person-centred approach to children, families and adults of all backgrounds.

 

Alex offers CBT and brief goal solution focused therapy to address difficulties with low mood and all aspects of anxiety - social, OCD, phobia, panic. Interpersonal Psychotherapy is geared towards supporting adolescents with moderate to severe depression. It focuses on reducing conflict and improving quality of relationships to relieve depressive symptoms. Alex has specialism in bereavement counselling. Alex supports her clients to gain the most of therapy and rediscover their strengths. She promotes self-care and effective, healthy coping strategies. Parents are recommended to join sessions with younger children. When working with adolescents, parents are provided with resources, offered feedback when appropriate and involved with the child's consent.

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Memberships

• Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)

• IPT UK

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Skills & Experience​

• Working with children, adolescents, their families and wider network

• Conducting mental health assessments

• Interpersonal Psychotherapy for ddolescents an adults with moderate or severe depression

• Brief solution focused CBT for anxiety, depression, OCD, phobia for all ages

• Person Centered Therapy

• Bereavement counselling for all ages

• Providing clinical supervision

 

NHS experience

• Counselling Psychologist, CHUMS CIC - Charitable Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Bedfordshire, 2016-present

• Triage Manager, CHUMS CIC, Jan 2022-present

 

Relevant qualifications & training:

• Supervision in clinical practice, University of Herts, 2022

• Family based IPTA, Anna Freud Centre, 2021

• Safeguarding training, LSBC, 2021

• IPT-AST, Anna Freud Centre, 2020

• Diploma in Interpersonal Psychotherapy, IAPT training, UCL, 2019

• Enhanced-Evidence Based Practice, IAPT training University of Reading, 2016

• Bereavement training – workshop and individual support, CHUMS,  2013

• MSc in Social Psychology, Sofia University, Bulgaria (Distinction), 2012

• Certificate in general counselling, University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria (Pass), 2011

• BSc in Psychology, University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria (First-class degree), 2010