Esther Hansen leads the psychology team of the plastic and reconstructive surgery department of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
Areas of expertise for Esther Hansen include the treatment of body image concerns for individuals with a disfigurement, with body dysmorphic disorder and people who have had surgery that has altered their body. She also provides psychological treatment for patients struggling with the effects of medical treatments for disease (e.g. chemotherapy for cancer) and supports people affected by long-term conditions. Esther Hansen is also experienced in pre-surgical psychological assessments to support decision-making and planning for surgical interventions, particularly in the areas of osseointegration, targeted muscle re-innervation, and cosmetic and risk-reducing mastectomy surgery. She is also able to provide psychological assessment and treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including depression, social anxiety, and panic disorder.
Esther has a Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of East London, one of the three North London NHS Education-funded training courses for Clinical Psychology. She qualified in 2004 having written her thesis on decision-making for breast implant surgery. Her clinical experience has included working with older adults and adults in mental health settings, and six years experience in a community rehabilitation team working with adults with a variety of long-term conditions. She started her clinical practice in plastic and reconstructive surgery in 2005.
Esther Hansen currently sits on the breast and skin tumour boards and also belongs to the psychosocial expert reference group for London Cancer. She also coordinates a supervision group for psychological practitioners working with body image concerns in an acute health setting. She has published widely, continues to provide teaching to a variety of professional groups and presents at international conferences. She is also part of a team that has had a grant from the National Institute for Health Research and contributes actively to research where psychological aspects are investigated as part of surgical procedures.
