Dr Sheena Macalister is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist who has gained a wide range of clinical experience within the 17 years that she has worked for the NHS. After qualifying in 2006, she initially worked in community Child and Adolescent Mental Health services. Over recent years, she has worked in various hospitals in London with people suffering with long-term physical health conditions and those with life limiting illness. She is passionate about applying psychological principles to help people adjust to their symptoms and find ways to engage with the most meaningful areas in their lives.

In private practice, Sheena uses a variety of therapeutic approaches to address a range of problems, including depression, anxiety and difficulties adjusting to illness and experiences of loss. She recognises that an individual’s problems can impact more widely on relationships, and her therapy can therefore include partners or family members if this would be of benefit to her clients.

In recent years, Sheena has developed a particular interest in compassion-focused therapy – an approach which goes straight to the heart of understanding the origins of our emotions. She particularly values how engaging in compassionate mind training can help to de-stigmatise a person’s experience of distress, reduce feelings of isolation and increase confidence in managing challenges as they arise.