Dr Emily Kenefick

I am a clinical psychologist specialising in Body Image & Appearance-Related Anxiety, and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), 

We live in a world that places an unprecedented, overwhelming emphasis on how we look. Between the highly curated filters of social media, the relentless pressure to look "perfect," and the fast pace of modern life, it is remarkably easy to lose touch with your worth and feel inadequate. Whether you are suffering with severe clinical body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) or you have noticed that low confidence and social media comparison are eroding your self-esteem, I am here to help you find your way back to better body image. I provide a compassionate, collaborative, and evidence-based space where you can dismantle these heavy pressures and quiet your inner critic.

My special interest is in body Image & Appearance Anxiety. I support those with worries about their physical appearance, ranging from low body confidence to severe Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

Every day, social media feeds implicitly tell us that our value is tied to our reflection. This can spark a constant loop of mirror-checking, hyper-fixating on perceived flaws, and a deep-seated feeling of "not being enough."

In our work together, we look at the whole picture. For clients struggling with severe BDD, we safely target the distressing thoughts and behaviours that disrupt your daily life. For those struggling with everyday self-doubt, we work to break your reliance on external validation, disconnect your self-worth from appearance, and develop practical boundaries against social media fatigue.

My Therapeutic Approaches:
Therapy with me is entirely tailored to your unique story. While my practice is grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - giving us a structured, practical framework to change unhelpful thought patterns and loops - I work integratively. This means I draw from a rich toolkit of other evidence-based approaches to fit exactly what you need.

I also work with adults across a broad spectrum of challenges, including burnout, generalised anxiety, low mood, and chronic stress.

A note on AI: I do not use AI to audio record sessions or generate session notes. I do not use AI to support any letter and report writing. It is important to me that your information and the content of our sessions stay strictly between us as part of our clinical relationship and as such, I will not feed any (even anonymised) data into AI platforms. In turn, I do not permit clients to record virtual or in-person sessions using AI technology.

I primarily accept self-funding clients.

I reserve a limited number of slots for clients with health insurance policies (Bupa, WPA, Cigna, Aviva, Vitality). 

I welcome referrals from plastic, reconstructive or maxillofacial surgeons, where it is felt that a psychological perspective would helpfully inform the decision making process and enhance the treatment outcome.