Our experts

Area of expertise

• Anxiety disorders
• Emetophobia
• Time intensive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Background

Alexandra is a clinical psychologist registered with the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC). She is also an accredited cognitive behavioural therapist with the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). She delivers CBT for a range of anxiety disorders and trauma, with a special clinical interest in emetophobia and OCD. She is part of the clinic’s NHS England commissioned Highly Specialised Service for OCD. She provides teaching on emetophobia for post graduate courses, as well as supervision for clinical psychology trainees and MSc students.

Alexandra has an interest in research into the effectiveness and feasibility of cognitive behavioural treatments for emetophobia, including CBT and imagery rescripting delivered in time intensive formats. She is currently developing the use of virtual reality in exposure therapy for emetophobia. She co-authored the book ‘Free Yourself from Emetophobia: a CBT Self-Help Guide for a Fear of vomiting’. 

 

Education and Training

• BSc Psychology (Hon) (Newcastle University) 2008
• MSc Mental Health Studies IoPPN, (King’s College London) 2012
• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology IoPPN, (King’s College London) 2017
• PGDip Cognitive Behavioural Therapies IoPPN, (King’s College London) 2018

Publications

Keyes, A., Deale, A., Foster, C., and Veale, D. (2020). Time intensive cognitive behavioural therapy for a specific phobia of vomiting: A single case experimental design. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 66, 101523.

Keyes, A., Gilpin, H. R., and Veale, D. (2017). Phenomenology, epidemiology, co-morbidity and treatment of a specific phobia of vomiting: A systematic review of an understudied disorder. Clinical psychology review.

Keyes, A. and Veale, D. (2017). Atypical Eating Disorders and Specific Phobia of Vomiting: Clinical Presentations and Treatment Approaches in Anderson, L. K., Murray, S. B., and Kaye, W. H. (Eds.). Clinical Handbook of Complex and Atypical Eating Disorders. Oxford University Press.

Keyes, A and Schmidt, U. (2016). iCBT for Eating Disorders in Lindefors, N., and Andersson, G. (Eds.). Guided Internet-based treatments in psychiatry. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Keyes, A, et al. "Physical activity and the drive to exercise in anorexia nervosa." International Journal of Eating Disorders 48.1 (2015): 46-54.