About Me

Doris Prügel-Bennett
MSc BA (Hons) BPA UKCP MSTAT

Psychotherapist & Mental Health Adviser

Psycho-Physical Mentor & Educator

I see myself primarily as helping you to tell your story and respond better to the challenges you are facing.

I am a fully trained Teacher of the Alexander Technique (MSTAT) and Psychodrama Psychotherapist (BPA/UKCP registered). Since 1998, I have worked in my own practice in the Southampton area of the South of England. I also work internationally and publish peer-reviewed papers.

I am fully qualified, insured and enhanced DBS checked.

I have been working for many years with these practices and my experience ranges from working with people who:

  • Are experiencing temporary life challenges
  • Suffer from physical and/or emotional health issues
  • Suffer with incurable physical conditions, such as Dystonia, Spina Bifida, MS, MD
  • Have experienced physical and emotional trauma, abuse, misuse and neglect
  • Suffer physical pain

My Experience & Qualifications

For 15 years I taught the Alexander Technique as an Associate Lecturer on the Performance BA (Hons) degree at Southampton Solent University.

I studied Critical Pedagogy at Darmstadt and Copenhagen University. I also have a BA (Hons) degree from Manchester University in Social Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy. I trained for three years as an Alexander teacher in Copenhagen and at the West Sussex Alexander School where I qualified in 1998.

In January 2012, I qualified as a Psychodrama Psychotherapist from the Oxford School of Psychodrama and Integrative Psychotherapy. My special interests include group processes, the importance of the body in communication, physical contact work in psychotherapy, identity issues in the digital age and the relationship between psychotherapy and learning.

In 2016 I completed an MSc research project in Psychology/Psychodrama Psychotherapy at Worcester University. My research investigated a humanistic understanding of the Self, the psycho-physical roles people take and, specifically, what effort postgraduate women make to deny their female selves in order to fit into male dominated academic subjects.

I work as an Associate Psychotherapist on the Employment Assistance Programme (EAP) for BUPA insurance, and CBT Clinics. I have worked as a Mental Health Advisor in HMPPS (Her Majesties Prison and Probation Service). I am also qualified in my clinical psychotherapeutic work as a Creative Supervisor.

Recently, I took on the role of external examiner for Middlesex University London and for the MA programme at Peter Symonds College Winchester. Since 2019 I have also worked as a Mental Health Advisor for Optima Health.

I am a member of the British Pain Society (BPS).

I am interested and engaged with research into Social Pathologies of Contemporary Civilisation and a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA)

For five years I have been on the Committee of the Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP) and chaired the organisation.

I speak English, German and Danish.

I have worked with individuals, businesses, schools, charities, local and national groups, health care providers, the NHS and local authorities.

I also work in residential retirement settings with residents in one-to-one and group settings to maintain mental and physical wellbeing in the third trimester of life. I also mentor staff working in retirement settings.

I would be delighted to bring this experience and expertise to help you tell your story and work with whatever issues you are dealing with.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Papers & Articles

Living and Working with Dystonia
Presentation to the Dystonia Society 30 January 2010

Embodiment of Change
To Touch or Not to Touch
Paper for the British Psychodrama Association Conference July 2011

The Stories Our Bodies Tell
Notes from Psychodrama Psychotherapy Workshop on 7 February 2013

Workshops, Talks & Events

I organise and offer workshops, training days, presentations and demonstrations to businesses, institutions of higher and adult education, charities, local authorities, healthcare groups and the NHS.