Dr Natasha Bijlani

Dr Natasha Bijlani is a general adult psychiatrist, who can treat patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years.

Dr Bijlani has been based at Priory Hospital Roehampton as a self-employed private psychiatrist since 2006 and also offers consultations in Central London near Sloane Square.

In September 2018, Dr Bijlani was elected to Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (FRCPsych) as a mark of distinction and in recognition of the significant contribution she has made to the core purpose of the Royal College of Psychiatrists throughout her career.

She has over 30 years’ experience in treating adults with mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, addictions such as alcohol and recreational drug dependence, bipolar affective disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, relationship issues and stress, as well as stress due to employment issues. 

Dr Bijlani has a particular interest in women’s mental health issues and pregnancy-related mood disorders such as postnatal depression, anxiety and psychosis.

She has an interest in public education and promoting good mental health to help reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric illness. She makes regular contributions in the media and presentations to general practitioners and other medical colleagues on a range of mental health subjects.

Other relevant information

Dr Bijlani was previously Consultant Psychiatrist in the NHS for Wandsworth ACT Team, St. George's Hospital, Tooting, London between 2003 and 2006 and prior to that was Specialist Registrar for Eating Disorders, General Adult Psychiatry, Women's Service and Mother and Baby unit at Springfield University Hospital, Tooting. She was also the editor of the Women in Psychiatry Special Interest Group (WIPSIG) Newsletter of The Royal College of Psychiatrists from 2003 to 2009.

Dr Bijlani obtained her medical qualification at St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London in 1987 and continued to train in psychiatry at St. Bartholomew’s to obtain membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) in 1993.

Following completion of senior psychiatric training at St. George’s Hospital, Tooting, London, Dr Bijlani worked as a consultant psychiatrist for a specialist psychiatric team (in assertive community treatment) from 2003 until 2006.

Training and NHS roles include:

• ACT
• General adult psychiatry
• Women’s service
• Eating disorders

Administrative and management experience includes:

• Fully registered with the General Medical Council (Registration number 3254266)
• Executive Committee member of Women in Psychiatry Special Group (WIPSIG), Royal College of Psychiatrists (resigned in autumn 2009)
• Editor of Women in Psychiatry Special Interest Group Newsletter (June 2003- February 2009)
• Life member of the British Indian Psychiatric Association (BIPA)
• Co-clinical Tutor at Priory Hospital Roehampton for medical students from UCL and Royal Free Hospitals from 2007-2015
• In the academic year of 2007-8, Dr Bijlani  was commended as being “a particularly helpful or inspiring tutor” by medical students
• Member of Independent Doctors Federation 2011 onwards
• Member of Chelsea Clinical Society 2016 onwards
• Clinical Lead, Therapy Services at The Priory Hospital Roehampton from 2011-2015
• Clinical Lead, Private Acute Services at The Priory Hospital Roehampton from 2015-2017
• Medical Scrutiny of Mental Health Act forms for all inpatients admitted to The Hospital Roehampton from 2017 to July 2020

Research interests

• M. White, N. Bijlani, R. Bale and T. Burns, (2000) Impact of Counsellors in primary care on referrals to secondary mental health services, Psychiatric Bulletin, 24, 418-420.
• Royal College of Psychiatrists, OP66, Mentoring and Coaching, Nov 2008 (co-authored with Drs Rosalind Ramsay and Alan Swann).
• Pulse Clinical “Insomnia” by Dr Julian Spinks, 23 Feb 2011, pg 17-18.
• N. Bijlani (2013) Sleep, tiredness, lack of energy: heart sink symptoms, Clinical Focus Primary Care Volume 7, issue 1: 51-60.
• I have been a regular contributor to the newsletter published by The Women in Psychiatry Group (WIPSIG) of The Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Clinical articles and published papers:

• The Daily Telegraph, “Cost of living crisis morphs into a health emergency”, 10 December 2022.
• The Hippocratic Post "Tsunami of people seeking stress and Addiction help" 23 November 2022.
• Priory Group website “Mental Health: Depression and Suicide” 14 January 2022.
• Pick me up (magazine) “Winter blues” pages 34-35, 13 January 2022.
• Wordpress.com, Sex and Relationship Tips “How to get over heartbreak” 23 December 2021.
• The Independent, "How to Deal With COVID Anxiety Amid New Omicron Variant", 2nd December 2021.
• Patient.info, "What is serotonin syndrome and what causes it?", 23rd November 2021.
• Patient.info, "How to switch antidepressants safely", 12th November 2021.
• Patient.info, "Should I switch antidepressants?", 11th November 2021.
• GoodtoKnow, "Why do I keep having nightmares?, 10th February 2021.
• Hippocratic Post, "Job loss and anxiety", 18th August 2020.
• City Matters, "Faltering economy causing ‘escalation in anxiety levels" by Ben Brown, 13 August 2020.
• Woman and Home, "Post-lockdown anxiety: why it's completely normal and how to tackle it" by Amy Hunt, 7 July 2020.
• Priory Group Vimeo Channel, "Insomnia advice and support during the COVID-19 outbreak", 5 July 2020.
• Priory Group Blog, "Sleep anxiety - how to manage your symptoms at night", July 2020.
• The Independent newspaper, “Is it Monday or Wednesday? Why lockdown reduces our sense of time” by Olivia Petter, Monday 4 May 2020.
• The Independent, “Why are people experiencing particularly vivid dreams during lockdown?” by Sabrina Barr, 28 April 2020.
• The Independent, “Coronavirus: Why do people seem to feel groggy and tired during lockdown?” by Sabrina Barr, 6 April 2020.
• Harper’s Bazaar, “Mental health checklist: 6 daily habits to boost your mood instantly” by Rhalou Allerhand, 2 April 2020.
• Woman and Home, “What to do if news of the coronavirus outbreak is causing your anxiety to spiral” by Amy Hunt, 17 March 2020.
• Candis “All the lonely people” by Leah Hardy, 1 January 2020, pg 36.
• Happiful, “Let's get physical”, by Katie Connibear, 1 January 2020.
• Best Monthly, “Free yourself from anxiety”, 1 January 2020.
• Priory Group blog, “Coping with grief at Christmas” December 2019.
• Stylist, “How to cope with your first Christmas after the death of a parent” by Lucy Miller, 13 November 2019.
• amedpost, “The 8 warning signs your mental health is at risk – and how to tackle it”, 10 October, 2019.
• Cosmopolitan, “How my tattoo saved me from suicide” by Katie Conibear, 10 October 2019.
• 50 Connect, “The health benefits of retiring by the sea” by Jamie Turnbull, 21 August 2019.
• Lushtums, “How to manage your anxiety through pregnancy and motherhood” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, August 2019.
• Suffolk babies, “Guest post: Managing anxiety in pregnancy” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 17 August 2019.
• The Guardian, “Mid-year burnout: does it exist or are we all just permanently tired?” by Elle Hunt, 15 July 2019.
• netdoctor, “How to mend a broken heart: the 6 stages of heartbreak recovery” by Anna Bonet , 5 July 2019.
• Men's Health UK, “Stress: spotting the signs and symptoms and ways to treat it” by Annie Hayes, 20 May 2019.
• Sunday Telegraph, Stella magazine, “Are you a midlife Instagram Addict?”, 5 May 2019.
• The Guardian, “Say goodbye to sad- simple steps to reverse winter woes” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 26 February 2019.
• Patient.info, “Why anxiety at night can feel so intense” by Lydia Smith, 18 February 2019.
• Huffington Post The Blog, “Six things to know about supporting a loved one with an eating disorder” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 13 Feb 2019.
• Metro, “What’s it like to live with chronic fatigue syndrome and depression” by Eleanor Segall, 10 Jan 2019.
• Huffington Post, "What Christmas is like with depression: 'I just want to stay home and sleep', Tips for surviving the festive season from those who've been there” by Natasha Hinde, 19 December 2019.
• BBC Radio Oxford, 18 December 2018, interviewed by David Prever, re: How to cope with stress around Christmas
• The Independent, “How to help someone suffering from a mental health issue this Christmas”, by Sabrina Barr, 18 December 2019.
• Huffington Post, “Looking after your mental health over the Christmas period” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 27 November 2018.
• netdoctor, “Mental health checklist: 6 things to make you feel better instantly” by Rhalou Allerhand, 10 October 2018.
• Yahoo Style UK, “The psychology behind our obsession with house plants” by Lydia Smith, 17 October 2018.
• Yahoo Style UK, “The rise of the 50-plus motherhood club” by Marie Claire Dorking, 21 August 2018.
• The Mirror, “Love Island's Megan shockingly claims plastic surgery is 'just like getting your hair done'” by Amanda Killelea and Kelly Allen, 2 August 2018.
• The Sleep Council, “The relationship between alcohol and sleep” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 26 July 2018,
• Click.booking.com, “Prioritising staff welfare in hospitality” by Lottie Goss, 12 June 2018.
• Bustle, “You should never ask a woman when she’s having kids including Meghan Markle” by Charlotte Pasha, 6 June 2018.
• Bustle, “When you see a doctor about depression, here’s what to expect” by Charlotte Pasha, 2 June 2018.
• The Ambient, “How to build the ultimate night time routine with smart home tech; The tech that could help you get a better night’s sleep” by Becca Caddy, 25 April 2018.
• The Times, “Rich, hooked: Matthew Mellon’s world” by Helen Rumbelow, 18 April 2018.
• Shevolution UK, “How To Know If You Have Bipolar Disorder And How To Handle It” by Sharn Rayment, April 13, 2018.
• Huffington Post, “Is Your Sleep Tracker Ruining Your Sleep? What To Do About 'Orthosomnia” by Natasha Hinde, 29 March 2018.
• Families Penines: Issue 43, “Postnatal depression and anxiety in new parents”, March/April 2018.
• Xpose.ie, “Eating Disorders Awareness Week: 7 tips from a psychiatrist for those in recovery” Press Association, 26 February 2018, and https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/eating-disorders-awareness-week-7-tips-from-a-psychiatrist-for-those-in-recovery-829909.html
• London Evening Standard, “How to help someone who is suffering from an eating disorder” by Alice Howarth, 25 February 2018, and https://uk.news.yahoo.com/help-someone-suffering-eating-disorder-112624022.html
• Metro, “Having trouble sleeping? Dry January could be giving you insomnia” by Sirena Bergman, 23 January 2018.
• Prima, “4 reasons why living by the sea is the best for your mental health” by Katie Avis-Riordan, 23 January 2018.
• Metro Lifestyle, “Why living by the sea is good for your mental health”, 20th January 2018.
• International Business Times, “Know somebody with a mental health illness? Here's what not to say to them over Christmas” by Ruchira Sharma, 15 December 2017.
• Netdoctor, “What it’s like to have anxiety when you’re pregnant” by Sarah Graham, 5 September 2017, and Cosmopolitan, and Yahoo News, 6 September 2017.
• Huffington Post, “Time for a reality check on reality TV shows” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 20 July 2017.
• Yahoo Style UK “The rise of the sixty-plus birth club” by Marie Claire Dorking, January 19, 2017.
• Daily Mail Online, “Awkward menopause side-effect that no one talks about: One in five women see their cup size increase- often dramatically. And it can be so painful they resort to surgery” by Eimer O’hagan, 11 January 2017.
• Stylist magazine, “How to keep the peace and avoid a family bust-up this Christmas” by Amy Lewis, 5 December 2016.
• The Daily Express and Sunday Express, “Perfect peace: The top tips to avoid a stressful Christmas” by Sarah Ewing, 20 November 2016.
• Yahoo Style, “Are you ever too old to become a mum?” by Claire Dorking, 13 October 2016.
• The Telegraph, “Advice for managing menopause in the workplace” (Advertisement feature Vichy Neovadiol), 1 August 2016.
• The Telegraph, “Advice to help clear the menopause fog” (Advertisement feature Vichy Neovadiol) by Claire Fox, 25 July 2016.
• The Telegraph, “Three common menopause myths debunked” by Claire Fox, 25 July 2016.
• Counsel and Heal Mental Health, “Relationships Key to Your Sanity: How People Around You Affect Your Mental Well-Being” by Brian McNeill, 18 May 2016.
• NHVoice, “Nurture relationships as they are vital for our wellbeing” by Emma Tiller, 17 May 2016.
• The Independent, “Why relationships are important to your wellbeing” by Kashmira Gander, 17 May 2016.
• The Sunday Times, “Keeping up with the Kollapsing Kardashians” by Leaf Arbuthnot, 13 March 2016, page 22.
• ES magazine (Evening Standard) “Where the rich go to dry out” by Charlotte Edwardes, 21 Jan 2016.
• Natural Health Magazine, “The talking cure”, 1 January 2016.
• The Daily Mail, “Why are so many young women taking heart pills to calm their nerves? Beta blockers can reduce anxiety for extreme worriers” by Antonia Hoyle, 9 November 2015.
• Channel 5 News, Interview by Matt Spencer on “Possible mental health effects of sexting and bullying”, 11 May 2015.
• The Daily Mail, “Sexting and online bullying is fuelling teenage depression” by Sophie Borland, 11 May 2015.
• BBC News website, “Depression risk to sexting children, warns psychiatrist”, 11 May 2015.
• The Times, “Teenage sexting could lead to depression in later life” by Rosemary Bennett, 11 May 2015.
• Capital Radio news bulletin, Dr Bijlani commenting on “The potential dangers of sexting and cyber bullying”, 11 May 2015.
• The Express, “Older and wiser? A personal insight into 'new later motherhood'” by Kate Baily, 10 May 2015.
• The Guardian, “Teetotaller numbers rise in UK with one in five adults not drinking” by Amelia Hill, 13 Feb 2015.
• The Independent (Saturday magazine) “The Conversation” by Oscar Quinne - an interview about Dr Bijlani and her work, 14 Feb 2015.
• Radio interview; BBC Midlands, Sunny and Shay Grewal show, “How to cope with a new relationship following bereavement”, 7 January 2015.
• The Times, “How to cope when Christmas isn’t so perfect” by Anna Maxted, December 20 2014.
• BBC Focus Science and Technology magazine, Issue 275, “How to beat the winter blues” by Lilian Anekwe, December 2014, pg 57-60.
• Mother and Baby magazine, “Bump and Birth Antenatal Care” by Becky Howard, October 2014, pg 36.
• Daily Mirror, “Why the bikini is not just for the itsy-bitsy” Siobhan McNally, 19 August 2014, pg 34.
• Tesco Living, “How to beat insomnia”.
• The National Student, “How dangerous are study drugs, really? We ask the experts” by Lucy Miller, 9 May 2014.
• Sky News Sunrise, guest appearance for interview with Eammon Holmes on SAD, 26 March 2013.
• Evening Standard, “Beat the NEW* Blues....( that’s our never ending winter)” by Susannah Butter, 25 March 2013.
• “Community Channel” TV interview on “Eating disorders and body image issues in men”, broadcast on 30 January 2012.
• BBC News Website, “Does too little sunlight give us all the winter blues?” by Philippa Roxby, 12 November 2011.
• Best (magazine), “Young, gorgeous and plastic….” 27 September 2011, pg 26-27.
• easy living (magazine), “Therapists on the couch – the depression doctor” (A profile of Dr Bijlani's work as a psychiatrist), October 2009, pg 75.
• The Mail on Sunday, You magazine, “Things you don’t know about ... Rehab”, by Judith Woods, 30 March 2008, pg 23.
• Men’s Health (magazine), “Joy Provision”, March 2008, pg 66-67.
• Zest (magazine), “Five early warning signs”, February 2008, pg 50-51.
• Edge – From the Institute of Leadership and Management (magazine), “All work and no play”, by Steve Coomber, Dec/Jan 2007-08, pg 20-25. 
• Glamour (magazine), “What every woman should know about antidepressants” by Hannah Ebelthite, January 2008, pg 111-120.
• Closer (magazine), “I hope my darling wife Joanne is at peace with Natasha” (Natasha Coombs' suicide), 29 September 2007, pg 22-23.
• First (magazine), “Cocaine is my secret pleasure – fact file” by Dr Natasha Bijlani, 24 September 2007, pg 33-34.
• Daily Mail, “The SAD truth about those winter blues”, by Rachel Ellis, 25 September 2007, pg 49.
• The Daily Telegraph, Features section, “A sinister web of sex and perfection”, by Judith Woods, 21 September 2007, pg 24.
• Daily Mail, “After that soggiest of summers, the winter of discontent”, by David Derbyshire, 18 September 2007, pg 24.
• The Independent, “Winter may herald SAD epidemic for millions”, by Emily Dugan, 17 September 2007, pg 21.
• Daily Mirror, “Beating Addiction – Why we get hooked on drugs”, by Judy Yorke, 4 September 2007, pg 34.
• ‘Update’ (Journal for GPs), “Depression & Bipolar Disorder – Expert answers to burning questions” – August 2007, pg 9-11.
• LBC News Radio, Nick Ferrari Breakfast Show, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Sept 2007.
• Women’s Hour, BBC Radio 4, Stigma of depression (Jenni Murray), June 2003.

Languages

• English
• Fluent Hindi
• Basic Urdu
• Basic Sindhi