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Jeremy Alford

Dr Jeremy Alford PhD — Clinical Director, Istana Dr Jeremy Alford is a clinical psychologist with nearly twenty years of experience in mental health, working across multicultural settings in Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia. He holds a BA, MPhil and PhD in clinical psychology from University College Kensington, and is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society, a member of the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy, and a member of the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis. He is a qualified clinical hypnotherapist and neurofeedback and biofeedback therapist, and the founder and president of the Middle East Eating Disorders Association, a non-profit organisation. His clinical approach is integrative, combining cognitive behavioural therapy with mindfulness practice — a combination he has found delivers the most durable results across the range of presentations Istana treats. As Clinical Director, he leads the assembly of each client's clinical team and oversees the design of every treatment programme, ensuring that the clinical foundation beneath Istana's work meets the standard of the finest licensed facilities in the world. Dr Alford writes here on the clinical questions that underpin recovery — how addiction works, why it takes hold, and what the evidence shows about treating it well.

What is Drug Addiction? Treatment
July 24, 2022

What is Drug Addiction?

Drug addiction — known clinically as substance use disorder — is a pattern of drug use that continues despite causing real harm to a person's health, relationships or responsibilities. It is a recognised medical condition, not a question of willpower or character, and it affects people across every walk of…
Jeremy Alford 0
Is Addiction a Disease? Treatment
January 24, 2022

Is Addiction a Disease?

Addiction as a disease Addiction is a complex disease, shaped by biological, psychological, social and cultural factors at once. You might be genetically predisposed to it, only for that predisposition to be drawn out by your environment, your community, or a relentlessly stressful working life. Your particular biology and your…
Jeremy Alford 0