Background

He completed his medical studies in Israel. The first 3 years of medicine were at the Ben Gurion University where a unique holostic bio-psycho-social model is taught and practiced, and the last 4 years at the Tel-Aviv University Medical School in Israel. His medical doctorate  research entitled “Another Person’s Heart” focused on the psychiatric aspects of Heart Transplantation (published in the Israeli Journal of Psychiatry ). He completed his speciality training in Psychiatry which integrated General Psychiatry, Laision Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, at the “Shalvata Mental Health Centre” in Israel which is affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University. He has 25 years of experience working as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist with people with mental and emotional disorders and difficulties.

Training

He trained extensively in psychotherapy for 15 years. He completed 3 years training in psychoanalytic oriented psychotherapy at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and 6 years with the Israeli Jungian Society, before becoming a Jungian Analyst and member of the International Society for Analytical Psychology. He undertook a further 6 years of training with the Society of Analytical Psychology in London.

He is trained in extended cognitive behavioural therapy for eating disorders as well as mentalisation based therapy .

Clinical interests and areas of expertise

For the past 7 years, he has been the Consultant Psychiatrist and Lead of the Psychological Medicine Unit which provides psychological treatment and support for people with various gastrointestinal diseases and disorders.

He is involved in teaching and lecturing in the fields of Psycho-Gastroenterology, eating disorder and psychotherapy in the UK and internationally and recently published two book chapters about the psychological aspects of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Functional Gut Disorders.

He is also a specialist in Eating Disorders Psychiatry with 25 years experience in this field, both in Israel and the UK. He was previously clinical lead of the out-patient eating disorders unit at Loughta House, Epsom and the in-patient eating disorders unit in the Cygnet Ealing Hospital.

He has a deep interest in Psychotherapy and a special interest in dream work and interpretation. He is a great believer in the importance of a holistic mind-body/body-mind approach to healing and recovery and has been learning and practicing Tai-Chi and Chi-Gong for the last three years.

Research interests

His research interests include the psychiatric and psychological aspects of heart and liver transplantation as part of his interest in the psychiatric and psychological influence of various medical conditions and the cardiac complications of eating disorders.

His latest research project will explore the psychological management of chronic abdominal pain through acceptance and commitment therapy and hypnotherapy.