Our work

Research work in PHeW is diverse; below are some examples of projects that exemplify the approaches and topics covered.  If you are interested in any of our work, please get in touch with the strand leads Laura or Felicitas, or contact researchers directly. Get in touch!  

Taking a critical and psychosocial lens 

Professor David W. Jones, Dr. Zoë Boden-Stuart, Dr. Parisa Dashtipour, Dr. Tanya Frances, Dr. David Kaposi, Dr. Trudi Macagnino, Claudine McFaul, Dr. Laura McGrath, Dr. Heather Price, Dr. Rajvinder Samra

One important strand of work in PHeW has origins in critical psychology and critical mental health. Working with a shared understanding of mental health, wellbeing and health as psychosocial processes, neither wholly explained at the social or individual level, we bring to bear a range of theoretical ideas, methods and research practices to topics in mental health, health and practice. 

Our lively collective research culture centres around a monthly work-in-progress reading group where we share, question, support and hopefully improve each other’s work.  

Work includes 

• Contributions to the theoretical and methodological understandings of psychosocial studies
• Conceptual and empirical studies of relationality in mental health
• Methodological innovation, including visual, relational, dialogical and reflexive methodologies.
• Taking a feminist lens to distress, including eating disorders, domestic violence survivors, and peri-natal experiences.
• Historical and psychosocial explorations of borderline personality disorder
• Historical and ethnographic studies of therapeutic community approaches, including a therapeutic children's home   

Understanding processes in psychotherapy and counselling 

Professor Naomi Moller, Professor Andreas Vossler, Dr. Gina Di Malta, Dr Tanya Frances, Professor Darren Langdridge, Dr Felicitas Rost

A cluster of researchers in PHeW are engaged in research looking at psychotherapy and counselling practice. We address the dilemmas and challenges involved in researching these special human encounters, both theoretically, historically, and by way of empirical research. This includes both outcome and process research. 

Some key areas include: 

• Understanding and measuring key therapeutic processes, such as relational depth
• Contributions to understanding practice delivery, such as improving the NICE guidelines, the move to online therapy or how family therapists understand their work
• Specific therapeutic approaches, such as psychodynamic psychotherapy, existential therapy, systemic therapy and person-centred therapy
• Researching therapeutic services for specific populations, such as forensic patients, doctors and trans adults
• Research on experiences that might be raised in therapy, such as infidelity

Those contributing to the theme also engage in impact and public engagement activities, such as the highly successful open courses How to do counselling online: A coronavirus primer (with the BACP) and Working with infidelity (endorsed by Relate), as well as this short animation for the public The Therapy Relationship: Key Ideas in Therapy 1/3.

Also, as qualified and active practitioners members retain an active presence in major membership-bodies of the field, such as the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT), the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR), and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).

Looking at health and wellbeing across contexts

Professor Paul Anand, Dr Parisa Dashtipour, Professor Lara Frumkin, Dr. Hannah Hale, Professor Gini Harrison, Professor Darren Langdridge, Dr. Helena King, Dr. Trudi Macagnino, Dr Laura McGrath, Professor Graham Pike, Professor Paul Stenner, Professor Zoe Walkington

Another concern that unites researchers in PHeW is an interest in looking at health, mental health and wellbeing in contexts beyond the clinic. This often involves collaborative working with organisations and focus on a specific applied setting, as well as thinking about mental health and wellbeing in a broader, social setting. Work in this area includes: 

• Understanding the impact of stressful work contexts on individuals and their families (e.g. emergency responders), their wellbeing and support, including the role of technology enhanced interventions
• Engaging the public and health care professionals with mass media health interventions designed to change behaviours (e.g. on anti-microbial stewardship, HIV testing uptake)
• Public health intervention work, such as improving anti-microbial stewardship through understanding and mobilising mass media affect
• Developing guidance and standards for integrating psychological support into HIV care
• Understanding the impact of stressful work contexts on individuals and their families, as well as support available, including emergency responders and police
• Exploring ehealth interventions, including for peri-natal support, lung cancer patients, and blue light personnel
• Understanding the relationship between places and wellbeing, including housing and the built environment