EmetAction is the world’s first charity dedicated to emetophobia, which is an intense and life-altering phobia of vomiting.

We aim to provide information and advice about the treatment and care of emetophobia to sufferers and to their families.

We are founded by a collaboration of mental health professionals, academics, sufferers and recovered sufferers who are joined by the same goal: to make this common disorder more widely recognised, and treated appropriately.

The objectives of EmetAction are:

  1. To provide information and advice about the treatment and care of emetophobia to sufferers and to their families
  2. To increase awareness and to educate the public into all aspects of emetophobia
  3. To advance research into all aspects of emetophobia
  4. To help those treating emetophobia and promote best practice in treating emetophobia

Who we are

Dr Alexandra Keyes
Chair

Ally is a Clinical Psychologist and BABCP accredited CBT therapist with over 10 years of experience working in mental healthcare in the NHS and privately. She specialises in supporting people with anxiety disorders such as emetophobia, OCD and BDD. She currently works for the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust at a residential unit with people with severe and enduring anxiety problems.

During treatment, she draws on Cognitive Behavioural and Compassion Focused Therapy to help people to develop kinder ways to approach their difficulties. She has published research articles and book chapters on CBT for emetophobia, including a self-help book co-authored with David Veale entitled “Free Yourself from Emetophobia: a CBT Self-Help Guide for a Fear of Vomiting” (due out in September 2021).

She is passionate about raising awareness of emetophobia, and improving access to and quality of evidence-based treatments.

David Veale
Trustee

David is a Consultant Psychiatrist in CBT and leads a national outpatient and residential service for people with severe anxiety disorders at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust. He is a Visiting Professor in Cognitive Behaviour Therapies at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London.

He first published research on emetophobia in 2006 and has been researching the topic ever since. He has published a self-help book co-authored with Alexandra Keyes entitled “Free Yourself from Emetophobia: a CBT Self-Help Guide for a Fear of Vomiting”. He has authored or co-authored about 120 scientific articles, 6 books, 13 book chapters, and 35 teaching articles or reviews.

He is an Honorary Fellow of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is also a Trustee of the national charities, OCD Action and the BDD Foundation.

Charlotte Young
Trustee

I have had emetophobia since the age of 4 and felt alone with my phobia for many years, not knowing the name of my anxieties until I was about 12. I’ve had many experiences with therapy from the age of 7 and have now met others with emetophobia and other mental health issues which has helped me greatly to feel supported and less alone. Emetophobia has had a big impact on my life, and I am now very passionate about raising awareness and supporting others with emetophobia. I am currently a textiles student at university and doing my level 3 in British Sign Language. I care deeply about mental health and disability, and I want to destigmatise and share my knowledge and experiences of emetophobia.

Contact us

If you’d like to subscribe to this site, submit a success story, or just say hello, please contact us here.