Dr David Ruthenberg

//Dr David Ruthenberg
Dr David Ruthenberg2010-07-29T17:51:15+00:00

Professional Qualifications

D.Clin.Psy. (Research) (Essex University & Tavistock), M.Sc (Clinical Psychology), B.Sc (Hons.), C.EuroPsych.[1]

Professional registration

Chartered Clinical Psychologist, British Psychological Society (023679)

Chartered Psychologist – Health Professions Council (PYL20324)

Professional Experience

David is a consultant clinical psychologist. He has had in excess of 25 years’ clinical and academic teaching experience. He has worked in most of the core clinical psychology disciplines and in parallel with other interests, has specialised in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of personality and personality disorders and the associated psychopathology for much of his professional life. This clinical experience spans in-patient acute and intensive care units, regular adult mental health and special hospital settings, as well as independent practice. He has taught and supervised very widely, and has presented at national and international conferences. He has held senior NHS positions, being Head of both Clinical Forensic and Adult Mental Health departments, respectively.

He is trained and experienced in the semi-structured clinical interview approaches to diagnostics (SCID and IPDE) and has extensively used and trained colleagues on these approaches within the DSM and ICD systems. Whilst his approach is essentially integrative and clinical, he is familiar with standard psychometric measures and dimensional approaches alike, such as the FFM.

He is trained in the DISCO[2] approach to assessment of Autistic Spectrum Conditions. This approach is validated for use across the age range and applicable to all ranges of cognitive functioning.

Academically, David has a wide range of teaching experience. More recently he has held senior academic posts; as Clinical Director and Senior Lecturer at Essex University, having held similar posts abroad.

He has been actively engaged in medico-legal work throughout his career. He has provided in excess of 300 court reports in a variety of medico-legal contexts. In recent years he has been engaged in Child & Family, Personal Injury and Criminal matters.


[1] C.EuroPsy: Certified to practice as a clinical psychologist in any EU state which has signed up to this EU enterprise to standardise quality of professional practice.

[2] DISCO: Diagnostic Interview for Social & Communication Disorders, Lorna Wing Centre for Autism, London.