Dr Elif Gökçen (DClinPsy, PhD, MSc, BSc)
Senior Clinical Psychologist
Adult and Child Mental Health, Anxiety Disorders and OCD
Hello, my name is Elif and I am a Senior Clinical Psychologist with over seven years’ experience of working therapeutically within the NHS. I am passionate about and driven by delivering person-centred care in a compassionate and accessible way. Over the course of my clinical training, and in my roles post-qualification, I have worked in a range of mental health settings, such as adult metal health, community and specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), acute medical settings, and post-acute neurorehabilitation services.
I am particularly interested in anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and health anxiety disorder. I have primarily worked from a cognitive-behavioural framework and have strong experience in delivering evidence-based CBT interventions for a range of conditions (i.e., obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety disorder, health anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder etc.), with extensive training in CBT for OCD and BDD. Furthermore, I have substantial experience in working with neurodiverse populations and tailoring assessment and intervention delivery to meet individual needs. My therapeutic work has also involved using models such as motivational interviewing as well as drawing upon a range of integrative models that incorporate principals from third wave approaches, such as acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion focused therapy (see below for details on the specialist training I have received). I have experience in teaching on Doctoral Clinical Psychology and CYP IAPT courses as well as training NHS professionals in identifying and working with mental health difficulties. I am also fluent in Turkish.
Specialist training:
Background:
Prior to my clinical training at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, I completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Goldsmiths University, followed by an MSc in Research Methods in Psychology and a PhD in social and neurocognitive functioning in individuals with and without autism at University College London. I am currently a Senior Paediatric Clinical Psychologist at Barts Health NHS Trust, where I work with children, young people, and their families in supporting psychological wellbeing in the context of health-related challenges. Prior to this role, I was a member of the National and Specialist OCD, BDD, and Related Disorders service at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust where I provided specialist assessment and evidence-based treatment to young people and their families across the UK.
In addition to my clinical role, I am also a trustee for Autism Forward which is a charity supporting funding for specialist employment mentoring for individuals with autism. This is an area I have worked in for several years with the aim of raising awareness of and support for neurodiversity in the workplace.
I am fully registered with the Health Care Professional Council as a Registered Clinical Psychologist: PYL37901.
I currently offer online and from November 2023 will be able to offer in-person appointments on Wednesdays.
Research
I have a particular interest in autism research in clinical and subclinical groups and have approximately 10 years of research experience in this area. I have a strong interest in making ongoing contributions to this field by developing and delivering effective psychological interventions for individuals with autism spectrum conditions as well as carrying projects aimed at improving outcomes for young people and their families accessing mental health services more generally.
Select publications
Gökçen, E., Frederickson, N., & Petrides, K. V. (2016). Theory of mind and executive control deficits in typically developing adults and adolescents with high levels of autism traits. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 46, 2072-2087.
Gökçen, E., Petrides, K. V., Hudry, K., Frederickson, N., & Smillie, L. D. (2014). Sub-threshold autism traits: the role of trait emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility. British journal of psychology, 105(, 187–199.
Smillie, L. D., & Gökçen, E. (2010). Caffeine enhances working memory for extraverts. Biological Psychology, 85, 496–498.
I am particularly interested in anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and health anxiety disorder. I have primarily worked from a cognitive-behavioural framework and have strong experience in delivering evidence-based CBT interventions for a range of conditions (i.e., obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety disorder, health anxiety, generalised anxiety disorder etc.), with extensive training in CBT for OCD and BDD. Furthermore, I have substantial experience in working with neurodiverse populations and tailoring assessment and intervention delivery to meet individual needs. My therapeutic work has also involved using models such as motivational interviewing as well as drawing upon a range of integrative models that incorporate principals from third wave approaches, such as acceptance and commitment therapy and compassion focused therapy (see below for details on the specialist training I have received). I have experience in teaching on Doctoral Clinical Psychology and CYP IAPT courses as well as training NHS professionals in identifying and working with mental health difficulties. I am also fluent in Turkish.
Specialist training:
- Specialist assessment of OCD and BDD
- Specialist treatment of OCD, BDD and repetitive behaviours
- Specialist treatment for OCD, BDD, and anxiety disorders adapted for those with Autism Spectrum Condition
- Assessment for Autism Spectrum Condition using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 is a gold-standard activity-based assessment administered by trained clinicians to evaluate communication skills, social interaction, and imaginative use of materials in individuals who are suspected to have autism across age, developmental level, and language skills.
Background:
Prior to my clinical training at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, I completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Goldsmiths University, followed by an MSc in Research Methods in Psychology and a PhD in social and neurocognitive functioning in individuals with and without autism at University College London. I am currently a Senior Paediatric Clinical Psychologist at Barts Health NHS Trust, where I work with children, young people, and their families in supporting psychological wellbeing in the context of health-related challenges. Prior to this role, I was a member of the National and Specialist OCD, BDD, and Related Disorders service at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust where I provided specialist assessment and evidence-based treatment to young people and their families across the UK.
In addition to my clinical role, I am also a trustee for Autism Forward which is a charity supporting funding for specialist employment mentoring for individuals with autism. This is an area I have worked in for several years with the aim of raising awareness of and support for neurodiversity in the workplace.
I am fully registered with the Health Care Professional Council as a Registered Clinical Psychologist: PYL37901.
I currently offer online and from November 2023 will be able to offer in-person appointments on Wednesdays.
Research
I have a particular interest in autism research in clinical and subclinical groups and have approximately 10 years of research experience in this area. I have a strong interest in making ongoing contributions to this field by developing and delivering effective psychological interventions for individuals with autism spectrum conditions as well as carrying projects aimed at improving outcomes for young people and their families accessing mental health services more generally.
Select publications
Gökçen, E., Frederickson, N., & Petrides, K. V. (2016). Theory of mind and executive control deficits in typically developing adults and adolescents with high levels of autism traits. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 46, 2072-2087.
Gökçen, E., Petrides, K. V., Hudry, K., Frederickson, N., & Smillie, L. D. (2014). Sub-threshold autism traits: the role of trait emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility. British journal of psychology, 105(, 187–199.
Smillie, L. D., & Gökçen, E. (2010). Caffeine enhances working memory for extraverts. Biological Psychology, 85, 496–498.