DR KOULA ASIMAKOPOULOU
Koula is the founder of The Mind Umbrella. A Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Registered Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC), Koula completed her undergraduate training with a first class honours degree in Psychology in 1995, was awarded her doctorate (PhD) in Health Psychology in 2001 and has since undertaken further training to include qualifications in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Third Wave CBT therapies and Motivational Interviewing techniques. Koula is a qualified psychometric test assessor trained to administer, interpret and give people feedback on personality and ability (intelligence) tests.
In addition to being the founder of The Mind Umbrella, Koula holds a senior academic position as a Professor of Health Psychology and Dean of Research and Knowledge Exchange at Oxford Brookes University. Further she is as a Visiting Professor in Health Psychology at King’s College London and consults regularly with industry on matters to do with Behaviour Change. Koula spends her time between Kent, Oxford and London.
Koula’s work focuses on helping people take on behaviour change, deal with stressors, fears and phobias as well as supporting them in living with chronic conditions. She also works with healthcare and education professionals delivering patient-centred care in NHS and private settings. Koula is one of three psychologists who set up and delivered the first ever NHS health psychology service designed to help people combat their fear of the dentist at Guy’s Hospital, London.
Koula has published over 120 scientific behavioural science research papers and regularly presents at national and international conferences. She also regularly appears on radio, TV and the national press, advising on issues about behaviour change. Koula has been an examiner for several UK and international psychology undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, as well as undergraduate, Masters and PhD students. She has a long record of looking after patient interests as Chair of the Bromley NHS Research Ethics Committee. Koula is qualified to supervise the work of Health Psychology trainees seeking to obtain HCPC registration.
