
Dr Clementine Edwards
AVATAR2 Trial Coordinator / Research Clinical Psychologist
Biography
Clem completed her MSc in Psychiatric Research and PhD in Academic Psychology (Title: Anhedonia in Schizophrenia: The Roles of Anticipatory and Consummatory Pleasure) at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience. She then went on to complete her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at King’s College London, continuing her research on negative symptoms in psychosis by exploring the role of autobiographical memory deficits in these difficulties. After 7 years at King’s College London, Clem moved to a Specialist Clinical Psychologist role in Oxleas NHS Trust across inpatient, crisis and community teams with a focus on supporting people with experiences of psychosis.
Clem returned to King’s College London in December 2019 as a research clinical psychologist and trial coordinator for the AVATAR2 therapy trial. This is a novel talking therapy for people who hear distressing voices which uses a computer-simulated avatar to facilitate direct interactions with a voice alongside support from a therapist. The aim is to promote the individual’s power and sense of control in their relationship with their voice and subsequently reduce the distress experienced in relation to it.
Clem’s wider research interests are in psychosis, specifically 1) what drives negative symptom presentations in psychosis 2) what can psychologist’s do to formulate and reduce the impact of these experiences, 3) what are the barriers to functioning and meaningful recovery in psychosis and what can psychologists do to reduce these.
Research Interests
- What drives negative symptom presentations in psychosis
- How can psychologists formulate and reduce the impact of negative symptoms on quality of life
- What are the barriers to functioning and meaningful recovery in psychosis and what can psychologists do to reduce these.
Teaching
Negative Symptoms in Psychosis – DclinPsy Programme
Research

AVATAR2
AVATAR therapy offers a new approach to working with distressing voices (auditory hallucinations), using digital technology to allow ‘face-to-face’ dialogue between the voice-hearer and a computerised representation of their voice (the avatar). We are now taking this forward in the AVATAR2 trial.
Research

AVATAR2
AVATAR therapy offers a new approach to working with distressing voices (auditory hallucinations), using digital technology to allow ‘face-to-face’ dialogue between the voice-hearer and a computerised representation of their voice (the avatar). We are now taking this forward in the AVATAR2 trial.