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Background

Valerie Francis is Head of Service and Psychologist at the Maudsley Psychosexual Service. This role involves ensuring a high-quality psychological service is available for a diverse cohort of patients with complex sexual problems in the London boroughs and across the UK. She practices clinically as a counselling psychologist and sexual psychotherapist using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). She is particularly interested in sexual trauma and sexual rehabilitation. She is involved in service evaluation, sexual research and is keen to support psychologists in the development and delivery of psychosexual work and effective mental health care. She is part of a core peer support group run jointly with other specialist psychologists in alcoholism, pain management and sexual dysfunction.

Other roles

Dr Francis is a British Psychological Society (BPS) Chartered Psychologist with membership of the Division of Counselling Psychology, an accredited member of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapists (BABCP), an accredited member of the College of Sex and Relationship Therapists and a member of the Health and Care Professions Council.

Dr Francis is on the Ministry of Justice list of specialists in the field of gender dysphoria as a psychologist. She is on the British Psychological Society (BPS) Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors (RAPPS).

Education and Training 

She completed a BSc degree in Psychology at University of Surrey, a Master of Counselling Psychology (MScCounsPsy) at London Metropolitan University and a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DCounsPsy), also at London Metropolitan University.

Research

Dr Francis’s main research interest lies in the connection between body and mind. Her research has been in expanding the evidence base for cognitive behavioural approaches for managing the psychological effects of illness on the family across cultures. Current interests include the role of metacognitions in sexual dysfunction and how this may aid the CBT approach to assessment and formulation.