Elisa Aguirre
Clinical Health Psychologist
Elisa Aguirre
Clinical Health Psychologist
BABCP accredited CBT & EMDR therapist
(HCPC Registered)
Pronouns: She/Her
I believe therapy should be a safe, non-judgemental space where you can express your thoughts and emotions freely. My approach is warm, collaborative, and tailored to your unique needs. By integrating evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with other innovative, evidence-based approaches, I support clients in building resilience, managing stress, and creating meaningful, sustainable change in their lives.
I am a Clinical Health Psychologist with extensive experience working at the interface between physical and mental health. I have a particular interest in women’s health, including the psychological impact of perimenopause, hormonal changes, and the complex ways in which biological transitions can affect mood, cognition, identity, and overall wellbeing.
I also work with neurodivergent clients and individuals experiencing cognitive or attentional difficulties, taking care to adapt therapeutic approaches to each person’s neurocognitive profile. My work is informed by a strong understanding of how chronic stress, health conditions, and life-stage transitions interact with emotional regulation, self-esteem, and relational functioning.
Whether you are navigating burnout, health-related challenges, life transitions, or longstanding emotional difficulties, I aim to offer an integrative and evidence-based space where both mind and body are understood as interconnected.
Conditions & Difficulties Treated
Specialist Areas
Anxiety
Depression
Adjustment
Pain
Commonly Treated Difficulties
Therapeutic Approaches & Models
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Eye Movement Desensitisation
Reprocessing (EMDR)
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
Elisa works with:
Adults (19-65 Years)
Adolescents (16 - 18 Years)
Health Insurance works with:
Vitality
Professional Training & Accreditations
BSc Psychology, Deusto University, Spain
MPhil Health Psychology Deusto University, Spain
MSc Gerontology Vrijke University, Netherlands
PhD in Psychology , University College London, UK
PGDip CBT Hertfordshire University, UK
Other appointments and affiliations
HCPC Registered Practitioner Psychologist – Health Psychologist
Registration number PYL30593
BPS Chartered member (CPsychol) membership number 390776
BABCP Accredited CBT Psychotherapist - Membership number No. 10000
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidenced based & well researched talking therapy. It is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for many mental health problems.
It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for many other mental and physical health problems.
CBT focuses upon how your thoughts and behaviours impact upon your emotions and physical symptoms.
CBT is collaborative treatment and typically involves doing homework tasks between appointments.
It aims to teach you to become your own therapist, teaching you tools so you can keep using the strategies and techniques you have learned after you have finished therapy.
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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic approach designed to help people heal from trauma and highly distressing experiences. When a person goes through psychological trauma or significant stress, their brain may struggle to fully process the event. This can leave the person feeling "stuck" with disturbing emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations that resurface as if they were reliving the experience.
EMDR helps to reprocess these stuck memories, allowing the brain to resolve them in a healthier way. This often leads to a significant reduction, or even elimination, of distressing symptoms, improving emotional well-being.
Recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2013 as an effective treatment for trauma and trauma-related disorders, EMDR has been extensively researched and proven to help with a wide range of psychological difficulties. The therapy follows a structured eight-phase protocol that ensures safety and guidance for the client. During sessions, bilateral stimulation—such as guided eye movements or tapping—helps the brain process traumatic memories in a controlled and conscious manner.
Many clients find that EMDR can lead to faster, more lasting results compared to traditional talk therapy alone, making it a highly effective option for addressing trauma and other distressing life events.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a modern, evidence-based form of therapy that helps people change their relationship with difficult thoughts, feelings, and experiences, rather than trying to eliminate them. ACT recognises that distress is a natural part of being human, and focuses on building psychological flexibility — the ability to respond to challenges in ways that support wellbeing and personal values.
In ACT, you learn skills to notice thoughts and emotions without becoming overwhelmed or stuck in them. This includes developing acceptance, mindfulness, and compassion, alongside identifying what truly matters to you. Therapy then supports you to take meaningful, values-led actions, even when life feels difficult.
ACT can be particularly helpful for anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic health conditions, stress, and difficulties with self-esteem. It is often used alongside other therapeutic approaches, such as CBT, and is tailored to each individual’s needs and goals.
Rather than aiming to “get rid” of uncomfortable feelings, ACT helps you create a richer, more meaningful life by learning to make space for your internal experiences while moving toward what matters most to you.
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people understand and manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and cope more effectively during times of distress. It was originally developed to support people who experience strong emotional reactions, but is now widely used for a range of mental health difficulties.
DBT focuses on building practical skills across four key areas: emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help individuals respond to challenging situations with greater balance, self-awareness, and confidence.
A core principle of DBT is the balance between acceptance and change. Therapy validates how difficult experiences feel, while also supporting you to develop healthier ways of coping and relating to yourself and others.
DBT can be particularly helpful for difficulties such as emotional disregulation, self-harm, relationship difficulties, trauma, and certain personality-related challenges. Therapy is collaborative, structured, and compassionate, helping people feel supported while working towards meaningful and lasting change.
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Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps people manage self-criticism, shame, and emotional overwhelm, while developing greater self-compassion and emotional resilience. It was originally developed to support individuals who struggle with high levels of self-criticism or shame, but is now widely used for a range of mental health difficulties.
CFT focuses on developing compassionate mind skills, including self-soothing, mindfulness, and understanding the balance between threat, drive, and soothing systems in the brain. These skills help individuals respond to difficult thoughts and emotions with greater kindness, clarity, and balance.
A core principle of CFT is cultivating compassion towards oneself and others. Therapy helps you recognise and reduce harsh self-judgment, while building confidence, emotional regulation, and supportive ways of coping.
CFT can be particularly helpful for difficulties such as anxiety, depression, trauma, perfectionism, low self-esteem, and difficulties managing self-criticism or shame. Therapy is collaborative, structured, and compassionate, supporting individuals to build lasting emotional strength and self-kindness.
