Dr Alejandra Perez

Alejandra Perez teaches and supervises in the MSc programme where she runs the modules of Parent-Infant Observation and Parenting: Theory, Research and Clinical Intervention. She teaches psychic development at the psychoanalytic training of The Institute of Psychoanalysis and on infancy at the Foundation Course for the British Psychoanalytic Society. Previously, she taught on psychoanalytic approaches on the Clinical Psychology doctorate of University College London. She also gives talks in the UK and internationally on clinical work with parents and infants, psychoanalysis, psychic development and parenting.  

Dr Perez’ research interests are the parent-child relationship and parents’ experiences in the early years. She is head of LEAPS (Longitudinal Experiences and Adjustments in Parenting Study). The project aims to investigate experiences of pregnancy and being a parent at different stages in early parenthood, how psychosocial factors may influence these experiences and how these may, in turn, influence the quality of parenting, parent-child relationships, and children’s later development. 

She has previously worked on longitudinal research on attachment representations, mixed-methods research on psychoanalysts’ styles of working, qualitative research on mothers’ experiences, and systematic reviews for the NICE mental health guidelines. More recently, together with Elena Panagiotopoulou, Ruth Roberts and Peter Curtis, investigated the impact of COVID-19 and associated restrictions on expectant parents and those in early parenthood during the first and most restrictive phase of lockdown in the UK. Her current research will investigate the longitudinal impact of the pandemic on parents and children. 

Dr Perez trained as an adult psychoanalyst at The Institute of Psychoanalysis and as a parent-infant psychotherapist at the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. She has worked in the National Health Service as an adult psychotherapist. Currently, she has a private psychoanalytic practice and also works as a Senior Parent-Infant Psychotherapist in the Early Years clinical service of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families.  

Alejandra Perez has published clinical and research work at international journals, including the Journal of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, The International Journal of Psychoanalysis and Infant Observation. 

For details, see:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alejandra_Perez41