Dr Elena Gaga

Dr Elena Gaga is a Clinical Psychologist, born in Sweden and raised in Greece. Elena has developed wide ranging clinical experience working with children, adolescents, families and adults.

Elena completed her Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Psychology at the University of Panteion (Greece), a Masters degree (MSc) in Clinical and Health Psychology at Newcastle University (UK) and a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) at Teesside University (UK).

During and after completing her doctoral training in clinical psychology, Elena worked in the British National Health Service (NHS) and other UK services for 10 years before relocating to Dubai. Her clinical experience spans across a range of social, emotional and complex mental health difficulties, often of individuals from a range of different cultures and backgrounds.

In her work in the NHS, Elena specialised as a child psychologist across a variety of mental health teams, most notably in child services providing psychological interventions to young people presenting with a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety conditions, mood disorders and OCD. She also worked in a specialist neurodevelopmental service for children with intellectual disabilities, Autism and ADHD.

Elena also worked in private practice in the UK, supporting children and adults by providing them with comprehensive and tailored psychological treatment. Elena has also worked with couples and families, facilitating improved methods of communication, conflict resolution and emotional intimacy.

Drawing on evidence based techniques such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and systemic family therapy, Elena aims to strengthen resilience and foster deeper emotional connections with all of her clients. With a background in both individual and systemic therapy, Elena has a deep understanding of how personal histories, attachment styles, and family systems influence relationship patterns, of children and adults.

The therapeutic journey is crucial to Elena, understanding that it can be a challenging and daunting experience for an individual. Creating a safe space where people feel empowered and heard is at the core of her clinical practice. She believes in a collaborative approach when developing a treatment plan, and when supporting people to reach their goals and full potential. Through holistic assessment, Elena aims to provide comprehensive and meaningful information and context, ultimately helping people make sense of their difficulties, whilst also recognising their strengths. She strives to provide an individualised and person centered approach at a pace that is comfortable for each person.

Elena draws on a range of different evidence based psychological models to deliver therapy, including CBT, DBT, EFT, relational models and systemic family therapy,

In addition to her therapeutic work, Elena also conducts a range of neuropsychological assessments including cognitive assessments (IQ/giftedness), psychoeducational assessments and a variety of psychometric tools.

A compassion-focused approach and connection is at the heart of her work and Elena is committed to supporting people to move forward from challenges, adversity and also debilitating symptoms if present. It is a privilege for Elena to hear the stories of people she works with and aims to foster hope, empowerment and resilience, through specialised and evidence based treatments and techniques.