How can mindfulness help feelings of depression?

By Dr Sarah Barker
Psychology

Dr Sarah Barker is an expert consultant clinical psychologist based in London with over 20 years of experience. She specialises in chronic pain, dental phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder, physical health, anxiety and depression.

Dr Barker has extensive experience working with individuals, groups, families and couples treating a wide variety of both psychological and physical conditions. She has completed additional training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), systemic therapy, mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which has led to her publishing research on narrative approaches, chronic pain and chronic illness. Dr Barker has also undertaken Level I and II training in EMDR which she finds useful in addressing the trauma that can be a cause of a chronic condition.

Concerning chronic pain and dental anxiety, Dr Barker held an NHS post at Kings College Hospital dealing with patients who are experiencing chronic facial pain. She has conducted research to evaluate the impact of iatrogenic nerve injury, for example from surgical trauma, in more detail.  She has spoken at national conferences to Dentists and Pain Doctors, and has published articles on psychology applied to dentistry and surgery. She has also developed a multidisciplinary day workshop for trigeminal nerve injury patients after many years of clinical and managerial positions dealing with outpatient and residential pain management.

She is also an active member of the British Psychological Society, the Faculty of Clinical Health Psychology, the Division of Clinical Psychology and the British Pain Society.

Dr Barker has also undertaken Level I, II and II training in EMDR, and has recently become accredited by EMDR UK. This enables her to tailor approaches to the trauma that often accompanies a chronic condition.

HCPC: PYL02061

Overall assessment of their patients