Dr Deidre O’Keeffe is a Clinical Psychologist who has accumulated over 10 years of clinical experience, knowledge and expertise working in numerous child, adolescent and adult NHS services and research settings.
Dee completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology, Canterbury Christ Church University, where she specialised in treating trauma experiences by children and adolescents. She has additionally completed a Master’s degree in Mental Health Studies at King’s College London, having completed her Psychology degree at the University of Edinburgh and having previously studied Biomedical Science at the University of Ireland, Galway.
Dee’s extensive experience of working with children and adolescents includes developing expertise in working in paediatrics, neurodevelopmental teams (children/young people with autism/autistic spectrum conditions/ASD/ASC and learning disabilities), services for children and young people in foster care or who have been adopted, and general CAMHs services. Alongside her work at the Fitzrovia Psychology Clinic, Dee also works in a CAMHs team in the NHS with children, adolescents and families who are experiencing a range of difficulties such as anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma (South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, SLaM).
In addition to accumulating specialist skills and knowledge in working one-to-one with children and adolescents, Dee also works using a variety of parent/primary carer and indirect models such as Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), and the PACE model of parenting (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy). Dee has completed specialist training in completing assessments for Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and completes specialist assessments for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dee has a wealth of experience in working systemically, consulting with multiple support systems in a young person’s life such as social services, schools, or medical services to successfully complete assessments and provide appropriate interventions.
Dee has also accumulated wide experience in working psychologically with adults, having worked in medical hospitals (Oncology and Haematology), GP practices (IAPT), Community Mental Health Teams, Inpatient Mental Health Wards, Community Rehabilitation and Enablement Services and Older Adults Memory Services. These experiences have provided her with rich opportunities to work with people of varying ages, life stages and backgrounds.
As a Psychologist, Dee believes that compassion and a safe space to explore experiences, challenges and distress can be extremely healing. Dee is passionate about developing safe and trusting relationships in therapy. Dee aims to support people to make sense of their pain and difficulties, with a view to overcoming them or managing them differently and moving forwards.
Dee is an integrative psychologist and draws on a range of evidence-based psychological models and interventions including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Systemic therapy (family and/or couple), Narrative therapy, Compassion-Focused therapy (CFT), Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). Dee is passionate and skilled in creating bespoke treatment plans following assessment for each individual person, often combining two or more evidence-based treatment approaches. The therapy plans she creates are specific to each individual, their difficulties, their strengths and hopes.
Dee is experienced in working with:
Dee’s clinical work is grounded in theory and informed by the latest evidence-base, and she works in adherence with the NICE guidelines. She is committed to delivering and maintaining the highest standards of psychological care at all times.