Dr Maria Amparo Padilla

I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a registered Psychologist with the Health and Care professions Council (HCPC).

I was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia (South America), and completed all my education and professional/clinical training in the UK.

Over the past 16 years, I have gained extensive clinical experience whilst working with children, adults, couples, families and groups, both in the UK and Colombia. Some of my experience was gained at NHS settings such as GP surgeries and Specialist Clinical Health Services (Personality Disorders, Addictions); in the charity sector The Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS), a human rights, a feminist organisation run for Latin American women experiencing domestic violence and abuse, trauma, cultural conflicts; as well as in private schools.

I have also maintained my own private practice, counselling culturally diverse clients with a wide range of difficulties including anxiety, depression, relationships, trauma, stress, body image issues, terminal illnesses, personality disorders, gender and identity, grief/bereavement, anger, cross-cultural issues.

I am currently working in private practice, providing therapy in English and Spanish for adults and couples, in North West and Central London (see Locations).

The theoretical framework that informs my practice is integrative (see about Therapy).

Qualifications

Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology- City, University of London

MSc. Counselling Psychology – City, University of London

BSc. (Hons) Psychology (2.1) – University of Westminster, London

Professional Associations

HCPC: Registered Practitioner Psychologist

BPS: Chartered Member

 Research

On the side of my clinical work, I continue to conduct research. I have a particular interest on cross-cultural issues, trauma, relationships, body image, attachment, humour in therapy, quantitative and qualitative research methods/phenomenology.

Recently investigated the counselling/therapy experiences of Hispanic/Latino clients with English therapists (Doctoral Thesis):

Padilla Leon, Maria Amparo (2017). Interpretative phenomenological study of the counselling/therapy experiences of Hispanic/Latino clients with English-speaking therapists. City, University of London.

Undergraduate Dissertation: Swami, V., Airs, N., Chouhan, B., Padilla Leon, M. A., and Towell, T. (2009). Are There Ethnic Differences in Positive Body Image Among Female British Undergraduates? European Psychologist.