Dr Aika Hui

Hi! I’m Aika and I’m a Clinical Psychologist.

Though I have lived and worked in the UK for over a decade now, I was born and raised in Hong Kong, a vibrant and multicultural city that I am proud to call home. I read my bachelor’s degree in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Sciences at University College London, and completed my doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Oxford.

Throughout my journey to qualifying as a clinical psychologist, I have worked across a range of clinical contexts, including:

• Community services for students and professionals with mental health difficulties (e.g. anxiety, depression, phobia, panic, work/study stress, sleep),

• Health psychology services for individuals across the lifespan who struggle with adjusting to various health-related difficulties (e.g. medically unexplained difficulties, medical trauma, adjustment to identity changes)

• Learning disability and neurodiversity-related services for individuals with ADHD and/or Autism,

• Inpatient forensic services for individuals who with severe and enduring mental health difficulties (e.g. bipolar, psychosis, complex trauma) and who have been in contact with the criminal justice system.

I consistently strive to be an authentic, curious and professional psychologist, to create a safe space where those I work with can feel like they can speak freely and honestly and be supported with meaningful steps forward in their lives.

The first session usually consists of us getting to know each other, for you to get a taster of how therapy might feel like with me and explore whether I am the right fit for your journey. If you don’t have any specific goals formed yet, I aim to support you in gaining more clarity on what you may want to prioritise. And if possible, we would collaboratively create a rough plan around how I can support you on our journey together in therapy.

I focus on a values-based approach, i.e. on prioritising meaningful changes in your life because it hits at something that matters to you on a deeper level. I believe that the main ingredients of what makes therapy “work” is a strong and honest relationship between us, a sense of shared responsibility and active engagement on both ends. Evidence-based skills tailored to your issues will be introduced by me, and practiced by you, with my support when blips and setbacks inevitably occur.

I aim to create a balance between creating a comfortable space for you to feel empowered to share what’s been difficult, but also to be honest and nudge you to your growth edge when deemed appropriate. Growing up as a third-culture kid, I find it important to be culturally-sensitive, to gain a clear picture of your family and cultural background and how this may help or hinder your personal goals.

I provide professional support for a range of psychological difficulties, including depression, anxiety, stress, anger, OCD, phobias, trauma, work and academic-related difficulties and sleep issues. I also am highly interested in working with adjustment to life events and transitions like health difficulties, bereavement, relationship changes and integrating into a new country or situation.

I draw from and integrate evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), compassion-focused therapy (CFT), dialectal behavioural therapy (DBT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), systemic family approaches, as well as behavioural change approaches like the transtheoretical model of change and motivational interviewing. I always aim to combine approaches to tailor something that works specifically for you and your context.

Outside of work, I love to dabble in creating and experiencing art, explore my spiritual side via reading existential philosophy, yoga, meditation and jogging. I maintain an active Instagram page where I get to use my creative skills and integrate my love for psychology, philosophy and creativity as well as share my clinical life in general for aspiring psychologists (@theoxfordpsych). In the winter months, I prefer to hibernate with books, writing and comfort films but come summertime, I am often found lying in the sun with the aspiration of looking somewhat like a burnt starfish (ideally on a beach).

Hui, A. & David, A.L. (2023) Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention for Paediatric Rumination Disorder: A Single Case Experimental Design, Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 30(2), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2023.03.001

Hui, A., Vohora, R., Williams, F. (2023) Experiences of socioeconomic disadvantage in clinical psychology: A thematic analysis of aspiring and trainee clinical psychologists, Clinical Psychology Forum 362: 9-17. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpscpf.2023.1.362.9

Hui, A., Rains, L. S., Todd, A., Boaz, A., & Johnson, S. (2020). The accuracy and accessibility of cited evidence: a study examining mental health policy documents. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 55, 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01786-8