Dr Debbie Lovell

I am a practitioner psychologist, currently in London, working  at Harley Street and online. I spent most of my adult life in Hong Kong and worked for many years there as a therapist in a private medical practice. I continue to visit Hong Kong for in-person work.  I have been educated and professionally trained in the UK, USA, Australia, and Hong Kong which has led to the prizing of multiple perspectives and views, or ‘international mindedness’. This is reflected in my pluralistic outlook to therapy as I am open to, and integrate, a variety of understandings, modalities, and methods, viewing the issues clients bring through different lenses. 

Areas of Interest

Within the very broad field of therapy, I lean naturally towards working with issues involving the interplay of psychology and biology (and bemoan the mind and body being separated). I have worked extensively with stress, anxiety, pain, disrupted sleep, eating disturbances and sexual difficulties. Working in these areas naturally expanded my interest to related issues such as low self-esteem, body dysmorphia, depression, shame, trauma and interpersonal distress.

More recently, due to my own move to the UK, I work with Hong Kongers who may be visiting for study, or more permanently relocated. This adds to the work I have done for many years with clients for whom my own lived experience of Hong Kong culture and way of life is critical to understanding them as an individual, and the life problems they bring to therapy. I also continue to work as a consultant and visiting specialist to clinics in Hong Kong.

Specialist Interest - Sexual Difficulties/Sex Therapy
I am a board certified sex therapist (clinical sexologist or sometimes also called psychosexual therapist) and work with sexual difficulties that emerge for individuals and couples such as: 

• desire disparity within a relationship
• pain during sex
• sexual interest/arousal and orgasm concerns
• early or delayed ejaculation
• erectile difficulties
• anxiety regarding sexual 'performance', 
• sexual self esteem 
• sexual trauma.  

My doctoral research was in men's experience of their female partner's sexual pain.

Therapeutic Modalities
I work integratively and may draw on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Psychodynamic Therapy , Emotion Focussed Therapy and Solution Focussed Therapy. I also have a keen interest in Polyvagal Theory and interpersonal neurobiology.