Alanna Forde Clinical Psychologist

I work full-time in private practice following almost 10 years working within the public health service. In my role as a Clinical Psychologist, I help adults who are experiencing difficulties with mood, anxiety/worry, stress, trauma, phobias, OCD, eating, grief, life changes, personality, interpersonal problems, conflict resolution and addiction.The main therapy I I use is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Evidence shows that CBT is an effective therapy for helping people deal with these difficulties.

I have lived in London for two years, working in specialist addiction services with adults with alcohol and/or drug problems or people who required help with both problems of addiction and mental health. I have also spent time in both London and New Zealand working with adults with an Intellectual Disability and those with an Autistic Spectrum disorder (including Asperger's Syndrome). These roles have provided a great opportunity to work with people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds.

I am a graduate of the University of Otago, School of Psychology Clinical Psychology programme. I have also completed a Master of Arts examining the impact of the classroom and teacher characteristics of the presentation of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Since graduation I have undertaken further training to advance my CBT skills, as well as intensive training in Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), which is a therapy that supports people who experience reactive and impulsive moods by developing skills for assertive communication, tolerating distress without making a situation worse, regulating intense and distressing emotions, mindfulness and skills for being interpersonally effective.

I enjoy working with males and females of all ages and ethnicities. I believe that different people need different therapeutic techniques to help them manage their problems and I draw on a wide range of scientifically supported strategies depending on each client's needs.