Overview

Broad Research Specialism:

• Developing psychological interventions to enhance wellbeing and improve mental health in clinical and non-clinical populations

Core Research Areas:

• Development and Evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) for anhedonic depression in adults and young adults
• Evaluating adapations of mindfulness based interventions for complex depression and workplace wellbeing
• Understanding what psychological mechanisms incluence positive emotions and wellbeing

Career Overview:

I am a research clinical psychologist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge (2002) and a doctorate in clinical psychology from University College London (2004). After completing my PhD and clinical training, I worked as a Senior Investigator Scientist in the Emotion Group at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge until April 2012. During this time I cofounded the Cambridge Clinical Research Centre in Affective Disorders, which conducts translational research to better understand and treat anxiety and depression. I served as an Honorary Senior Lecturer at University College London, teaching and supervising research projects on the doctoral clinical psychology programme there. In May 2012 I joined the Mood Disorders Centre at Exeter University as an Associate Professor. In January 2018 I was promoted to Professor. From January 2015 to January 2020 my research was  supported by a National Institute of Health Research Career Development Fellowship. 

I am a chartered clinical psychologist, registered with the Health Professions Council. I completed my CAT practitioner training in 2007 in Oxford. I was a Beck Institute Scholar in 2013, receiving training and supervision at the Beck Cognitive Therapy Institute in Philadelphia, US. I was awarded diplomate membership of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy in 2013 and accreditation as a CBT therapist by the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) in 2015. I take an evidence-based but eclectic approach to therapy. In addition to developing ADepT and being trained in CBT and CAT, I also have experience of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and mindfulness approaches (Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression; Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Life). At the Mood Disorders Centre, I have been the co-lead for the AccEPT clinic since 2015 (an NHS commissioned service innovating novel treatments for mood disorders that sits in the gap between IAPT and secondary care). I contribute to teaching on clinical psychology at undergraduate and postgraduate levels within Exeter and provide training workshops nationally and internationally on a range of different therapies and on workplace wellbeing.  I currently am mental health co-lead for the NIHR School for Primary Care Research at the University of Exeter, which is part of the Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEX) group. I served for a number of years as a wellbeing academic advisor for the university of Exeter, helping develop training for managers around mental health and to develop a staff mindfulness offering. 

I am interested in considering applications from potential masters or PhD students wishing to work on clinically facing research projects. I am also interested in supporting early and mid career clinical academic psychologists who wish to remain both clinically and research active. I collaborate with and mentor a variety of early and mid career clincial-academic psychologists around the UK. 

You can find my google scholar profile here

Qualifications

BA (Hons) Experimental Psychology, Oxford University, 1997 (1st class)

PhD Cambridge University, 2002

DClinPsy University College London, 2004

Practitioner training in Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, 2007

HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist (PYL05308)

Level A and B BPS certificate in occupational psychology testing, 2008

Accreditation as CBT therapist by Academy of Cognitive Therapy, 2014

Accreditation as a CBT therapist by BABCP, 2016 onwards (039819).

Links

• ADepT: A research study of Augmented Depression Therapy

Research group links

• Clinical

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Research

Research interests

My research examines how to build wellbeing and reduce symptoms of distress in clinical and non-clinical populations, with a particular focus on developing and evaluating a range of novel treatments for clients who currently fall in the 'gap' between primary (IAPT) and secondary (CMHT) care in the UK NHS. My work has historically focused on depression but is now broadening to also include bipolar depression, complicated grief disorder, and personality difficulties/disorder. I also have an interest in ways to promote workplace wellbeing in university, NHS, and other public sector settings, including through the provison of mental health support (predominantly mindfulness), leadership training, and reform in working practices.

Current areas of focus include.

1. Understanding what mechanisms underpin the capacity to experience positive emotions and wellbeing using a variety of basic science methods

2. Using understanding from 1. to develop and evaluate Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) as a novel wellbeing focused-treatment for depression. The current emphasis is on ADepT for use in high intensity IAPT settings, for those with complex depression (complex trauma histories and/or personality difficulties), and for young adults experiencing severe depression.  

3. Examining to what extent IAPT high intensity care can be adapted to effectively treat depression in those with comorbid personality difficulties

4. Evaluating novel variants of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), including for those who are still depressed following CBT and to enhance wellbeing and resilience in workplace settings.  

I use a range of methodologies, ranging from basic science approaches to evaluate candidate mechanisms, secondary analyses of existing data sets, and case series and trials methodologies to evaluate novel therapies.  To ensure novel interventions re fit for the NHS context, I am using principles from implementation science to co-design my interventions alongside service-users and clinicians.

Research projects

Core Work Streams

Developing Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT)

Funded by an NIHR Career Development Fellowship between 2014 and 2019, I developed ADepT as wellbeing focused treatment for depression (see the ADepT Project Page).. We have published a case series showing this is a promising approach (Dunn et al., 2019) and are currently finalising write up of a pilot trial comparing ADepT to CBT (Dunn et al., in prep). We have developed a training pathway for ADepT (Dunn et al., in prep) and are now seeking funding for a definitive trial to compare it to CBT in a high intensity IAPT settings.

Adapting ADepT for complex depression

Funded by a PhD scholarship to Batool AlSayedNasser and a NIHR research development award from the three schools mental health programme to Richard Pione, we are adapting ADepT for those with complex depression (complex trauma history and/or personality difficulties alongside depression) and evaluating this in a two centre case series

Adapting ADepT for young adults

Funded by an ESRC PhD scholarship to James Carson, we are adapting ADepT for young adults with emerging severe depression and evaluating this in a two wave case series.

Evaluating CPD for the primary care workforce to better support clients with personality difficulties/disorder

Funded by a pre doctoral fellowship from the three schools mental health programme to Laura Warbrick, we are evaluating if short training for GPs and IAPT staff can enhance their ability to support clients with features of personality difficulties/disorder.

Collaborative Work Streams

Led by Kim Wright (funded by an NIHR advanced fellowship), a novel integration of BA and DBT for the treatment of rapid cycling bipolar disorder is being developed and evaluated

Led by Abi Russell (funded by an NIHR advanced fellowship), a novel schools based training to support children with ADHD (‘Tools for Schools’) is being developed and evaluated

Led by Victoria Pile (funded by an NIHR advanced fellowship), a novel imagery based intervention for adolescent depression is being developed and evaluated

Led by Peter Taylor (funded by an NIHR RfPB), cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) is being provisionally evaluated as a treatment for self-harm in a pilot trial.

Led by Thorsten Barnhofer (funded by an NIHR RfPB), mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) as a treatment for acute depression in those who have not responded to individual CBT in an IAPT context is being evaluated in a definitive trial.

Emerging work streams

In collaboration with TALKWORKS IAPT service in Devon and Kathy Shear from Columbia University we are developing and auditing a care pathway for adults with complicated grief in an IAPT setting (currently no research funding).

In collaboration with Devon and Cornwall NHS wellbeing hubs, we are developing and evaluating a mindfulness offering for NHS and public sector staff to enhance wellbeing and resilience in the workplace.

Core Infrastructure

Much of this work is hosted by or indirectly supported by the AccEPT clinic, a NHS commissioned therapy service for Mood Disorders at the University of Exeter that delivers care for clients in the gap between IAPT and secondary care. We work closely with a variety of partners, including TALKSWORKS IAPT service in Devon and the University of Exeter student wellbeing service. AccEPT provides an ideal infrastructure to develop, evaluate and then train workforces to implement novel therapies where no  no suitable evidence-based treatment currently exists. AccEPT has been funded for the past fourteen years. I have co-directed AccEPT alongside Kim Wright since 2014.

Research Funding

Research Grants

Co-investigator on NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Application. Title: " Relational Approach to Treating Self-Harm (RelATe): A Feasibility Study of Cognitive Analytic Therapy for People who Self-Harm.” Amount: £210,000, Duration 09/2022 – 09/2024.  

Co-investigator on NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Award. Title: "A randomised controlled trial to investigate the clinical effectiveness and cost- effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for depressed non-responders to Increasing Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) high[1]intensity therapies." Amount: £349,000 (£170K per annum). Duration: 01/2021-01/2023.

Co-investigator on NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Award. Title: "“The clinical and cost-effectiveness of adapted Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for Bipolar Mood Instability in primary care (ThrIVe-B programme): A feasibility study”. Amount £262,000 (£131K per annum). Duration 03/2017-03/2019.

Principal Investigator on NIHR Career Development Fellowship award. Title: "Improving depression treatment outcomes by better repairing positivity deficits: Development and pilot randomised controlled evaluation of a novel psychosocial therapy." Amount: £570K (114K per annum). Duration 01/2015-12/2019

Principal Investigator on Wellcome Internal Strategic Support Fund award from University of Exeter. Title: "Do disturbances in reward system function predict current and future mood disorder symptoms and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours? A community cohort prospective study". Amount £67, 000. Duration: 01/2013-01/2014.

Collaborator on project supported by NIHR CLAHRC for the South West Peninsula, led by Professor Chris Dickens and Professor Willem Kuyken. Title: "Determining the feasibility and acceptability of mindfulness based interventions in depressed people with chronic physical health problems: A pilot study". Amount: £14,412. Duration: 2/2013-12/2013.

Collaborator on Wellcome Trust project grant (2007). Grant holder: Bundy Mackintosh. Title: "Alleviating anxiety through Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM)". Amount: £270,367. Duration: 4 years (03/2007-03/2011).

Collaborator on Medical Research Council intramural programme grant (2009-2013) awarded to Professor Tim Dalgleish. Title: "Cognitive efficiency and mental control: From basic processes to clinical interventions". Amount: £2.2 million. Duration: 07/2009-07/2013. I independently developed, wrote, and lead two research streams, including a stream on anhedonia.

Collaborator on Medical Research Council Clinician Scientist Fellowship, awarded to Dr. Richard Meiser-Stedman. Title: "Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as an early intervention for PTSD in youth: preliminary efficacy and mechanisms of action". Amount: £755,000. Duration: 09/2009 – 09/2013.

Infrastructure Grants

Exeter primary care (APEX) lead on NIHR infrastructure award. “Improving mental health and wellbeing in underserved populations through collaborative research: a proposal from the NIHR Schools for Primary Care, Public Health and Social Care”. Amount: £7.2 million (£2.4 million per annum). Duration: 2021-2024.

Co-principal investigator on NHS funded award. Title: "AccEPT clinic Devon". Funded on a recurring basis since 2014 at £136K per annum (£1.2 million to date).

Part of consortium bidding for EPSRC capital expenditure grant, awarded to University of Exeter. Title: "Small items of research equipment at the University of Exeter: Amount: total grant £512,259. Duration: 09/2012-03/2012.

Funded PhD students

James Carson (SW ESRC studentship), 2021-ongoing, primary supervisor

Nina Higson-Sweeny (SW ESRC studentship), 2020-ongoing, second supervisor

Batool AlSayedNasser (Saudi Arabian Government studentship), 2020-ongoing

Merve Yilmaz (Turkish Government studentship), 2015-2019, primary supervisor

Modi Alsuabie (Saudi Arabian Government studentship), 2014-2018, second supervisor

Grace Fisher (Exeter graduate fellowship), 2012-2016.

Davy Evans (MRC studentship), 2009-2012

Patricia Schartau (MRC Studentship), 2005–2008

Funded pre-doctoral or post-doctoral fellowships

Richard Pione (NIHR three schools mental health fellowship), 2022-ongoing, primary supervisor

Laura Warbrick (NIHR three schools mental health fellowship), 2022-ongoing, primary supervisor

Abi Russell (NIHR Advanced fellowship), 2019-ongoing, collaborator

Victoria Pile (NIHR Advanced fellowship), 2019-ongoing, collaborator

Kim Wright (NIHR Advanced fellowship), 20222-ongoing, collaborator

Research networks

Developing and evaluating Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT project). 

Kim Wright, Nigel Reed, Katie Marchant (all Exeter), Willem Kuyken (Oxford), Nicole Geschwind (Maastricht), Richard Pione (Thurrock)

Secondary analysis of depression clinical trials to explore anhedonia outcomes

Rob DeRubeis (Pennsylvania), Steve Hollon (Vanderbilt), Pim Cuijpers (Vanderbilt), David Richards (Exeter), Willem Kuyken (Oxford)

Examining mechanisms contributing to anhedonia

Charlie Taylor (San Diego), Filiip Raes (Belgium), Sam Winer (New York)

Developing novel treatments for bipolar disorder

Kim Wright (Exeter)

Evaluating MBCT for treatment resistant depression

Thorsten Barnhofer (Surrey) and Clara Strauss (Sussex)

Developing a novel ADHD toolkit to support young people in schools

Abigail Russell (Exeter) and Tamsin Ford (Cambridge) 

Adolescent Mental Health

Victoria Pile (KCL, London) and Maria Loades (Bath)

Evaluating IAPT outcomes for personality difficulties

Beck Mars, David Kessler, and Paul Moran (Bristol)

Evaluating CAT as a treatment for self harm

Peter Taylor (Manchester), Steve Kellet (Sheffield)

Developing interventions for grief in IAPT

Kathy Shear (Columbia)

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Publications

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External Engagement and Impact

Awards and distinctions

Beck Institute scholar in 2013, receiving CBT training and supervision at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

My 2012 article in Cognitive Affective and Behavioural Neuroscience was selected as article of the year in that journal for 2013 by Psychonomics Society ($1000 prize)

Honorary Senior Lecturer at University College London (2005-2012)

Committee/panel activities

Current Committee roles:

University of Exeter wellbeing group (overseeing student and staff wellbeing): 2018- onwards

Mental Health Lead for NIHR Primary Care School, University of Exeter, 2021 - onwards

University of Exeter NIHR FAN group (overseeing NIHR facing research in the university)

Past committee roles:

NIHR advocate for psychology 2016 - 2021 onwards

Member of NIHR ICA pre doctoral fellowship panel 2018 - 2020

Member of Dean for UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) faculty trainees advisory panel 2015 - 2018

Member of multi-agency integrated psychological therapies workstream, setting and implementing strategy for psychological therapy provision in Devon 2015-2017

External examiner for Royal Holloway Doctorate in Clinical Psychology 2010-2014.

Member of Research Committee for Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy 2005-2008

Society memberships

British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy

Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy

Editorial responsibilities

Regular journal reviewer, including for Psychological Science, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Emotion, and Behaviour Research and Therapy.

Regular grant reviewer for NIHR, ESRC and Wellcome Trust

Media Coverage

Dunn, B. D., Galton, H., Morgan, R., Evans, D., Oliver, C., Meyer, M., Cusack, R., Lawrence, A. D., Dalgleish, T. (2010). Listening to your heart: How interoception shapes emotion experience and intuitive decision-making. Psychological Science, 21, 1835-1844. Covered in: National Geographic, Daily Mail, Time, Business week, Metro, Oprah Magazine (also featured in article in New Scientist).

Indovina, I., Robbins, T. W., Nunez-Elizalde, A. O., Dunn, B. D., & Bishop, S. J. (2011). Fear conditioning mechanisms associated with trait vulnerability to anxiety in humans. Neuron, 69, 563-571. Covered in:  Fox News (Video Clip) Spiegel, ScienceDaily, Times of India

Dunn, B.D., Evans, D., Makarova, D., White, J., Clark, L. (2012). Gut feelings and the reaction to perceived inequity: the interplay between bodily responses, regulation, and perception shapes the rejection of unfair offers on the ultimatum game. Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience,12, 419-429. Covered in Reuters

Dalgleish, T., Navrady, L., Bird, L., Hill, E., Dunn, B.D., Golden, A.M. (2013). Method-of-Loci as a mnemonic device to facilitate access to self-affirming personal memories for individuals with depression. Clinical Psychological Science. Covered on Radio 4’s “All in the Mind”

Other

My work has potential impact in five areas: i) treating anhedonia/wellbeing in depression through the development of Augmented Depression Therapy; ii) enhancing the capacity to treat complex depression/personality difficulties; iii) optimising staff and student wellbeing in university and public sector contexts; iv) developing treatment pathways for bereavement and complicated grief disorder; and v) building research capacity in the mental health workforce. Talks, workshops, and other activities in each of these streams are summarised below:

Treating Anhedonia/Wellbeing in Depression using ADepT

Talks

University of Exeter, 2022 (departmental seminar). Learning how to feel good: Development of a novel therapy to target wellbeing and positive mood in depression

BABCP Annual Conference, London, 2022 (Keynote):  Learning how to feel good:  Development of a novel therapy to target wellbeing and positive mood in depression

University of Newcastle, 2022 (DClinPsy Research conference). Letting in the light: Development and evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT)

University of Bath, 2022 (Mindfulness Centre invited talk): Mindfulness in Exeter: AccEPT clinic model

TALKWORKS IAPT Service Away Day, Devon, 2021: ADepT training for TALKWORKS:  Outcome evaluation (30m talk)

Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, 2020 (departmental seminar): Letting in the light:
Development and evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT)

University of Leuven, Belgium, 2020 (departmental seminar): Learning how to feel good:
Understanding and treating disturbances in positive emotion regulation in depression

World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies, Berlin, 2019 (symposium talk): Augmented Depression Treatment (ADepT) compared to traditional Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of depression: Interim results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

ICPS Conference, Paris 2019 (symposium presentation): Evaluating dampening appraisals as a mechanism driving blunted positive emotions across the life span

Northern IAPT Practice Research Network meeting, York, 2019: Augmented Depression Treatment (ADepT) compared to traditional Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in the treatment of depression: Interim results of a pilot randomized controlled trial

UPMC, Pittsburgh, US, 2021 (lab group talk): Learning how to feel good: Development and evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT)

University of Pennsylvania, US, 2019 (invited lab group talk): Learning how to feel good:
Pilot Trial evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy v CBT in treatment of depression

University of Bath, 2019 (departmental seminar for psychology): Learning how to feel good:
Understanding and treating disturbances in positive emotion regulation in depression

Mindfulness International Conference, Amsterdam, 2019: How Does Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Bolster Positive Affect and Is This Related To the Prevention of Depressive Relapse?

University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre, 2018: Preliminary evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) as a transdiagnostic treatment for wellbeing deficits in mood disorders

Transdiagnostic Therapy Conference, MRC CBU, Cambridge, 2018 (short talk): Preliminary evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) as a transdiagnostic treatment for wellbeing deficits in mood disorders

BABCP Annual Conference, 2018 (symposium talk): How Does Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Bolster Positive Affect and Is This Related To the Prevention of Depressive Relapse?

BABCP annual conference, Manchester, 2017 (symposium talk). How well does Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy repair the residual symptoms of depression?

Association of Depression and Anxiety annual conference, Philadelphia, US, 2016 Cognitive Therapy and SSRI pharmacotherapy do not normalize positive affect.

University of Pennsylvania, US, 2015 (lab group talk). Learning how to feel good in depression: Understanding and repairing anhedonia in depression

Royal Holloway University, London, 2015 (departmental seminar): Learning how to feel good in depression: Understanding and repairing anhedonia in depression.

University of Ghent, 2014 (departmental seminar). Learning how to feel good in depression: Understanding and repairing anhedonia in depression.

University of Exeter, clinic think tank, 2014: Learning how to feel good in depression: Development of a novel psychosocial therapy.

University of Exeter Medical School Mental Health Research Group Seminar, 2013. Learning how to feel good: Understanding and treating the anhedonic symptoms of depression.

University of Manchester, 2011 (departmental seminar): Understanding positive emotion regulation disturbances in depression

Cambridge Clinical Research Centre in Affective Disorders, Cambridge, 2011 Finding ways to feel good: Positive emotion regulation disturbances in depression

University of New South Wales, Australia, 2010 (departmental seminar): Understanding anhedonia in depression

Conference Symposium Organised

BABCP Annual Conference, London, 2022. Treating Depression using Augmented Depression Therapy and Behavioural Activation: Emerging Insights and Future Directions

World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies, Berlin, 2019: Understanding and treating the anhedonic symptoms of depression: A translational research agenda

BABCP Annual Conference, Manchester, 2017: Positive emotion regulation in mood disorders. 

BABCP Annual Conference, Birmingham, 2014: Understanding and treating disturbances in positive mood in mood disorders: From basic science to clinical intervention

European Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy Conference, Marrakech, 2013: Positive Clinical Psychology Approaches to Mood Disorders

BABCP Annual Conference, Guilford, 2011: Exploring emotion regulation process in health and psychopathology

BABCP annual Conference, Manchester, 2010: Understanding anhedonia and positive information processing in depression: From basic science to clinical intervention

Workshops Delivered

Oxford Mindfulness centre (upcoming, 2022): Letting in the light: Using mindfulness practice to reconnect to positive emotion experience and wellbeing (one day workshop for mindfulness practitioners).

BABCP Annual Conference, London (2022): (pre conference one day workshop) Learning how to feel good: How to overcome anhedonia and build wellbeing using Augmented Depression Therapy

Inclusion Thurrock NHS ‘gap’ service (2022): Augmented Depression Therapy with Complex Depression (1 day workshop, 4 x 3hr skills classes, supervision to train service to implement ADepT)

Camden & Islington IAPT Services, London (2022): Learning how to feel good: How to build positivity in depressed clients with CBT (2 x half day workshops for high intensity therapists).

Hackney IAPT Services, London (2021): Learning how to feel good: How to build positivity in depressed clients with CBT (2 x half day workshops for high intensity therapists).

TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon (2021): Augmented Depression Therapy for Depression (1 day workshop, 4 x 3hr skills classes, supervision to train service to implement ADepT)

Thurrock IAPT Service, Essex (2021): Learning how to feel good:  How to build positivity in depressed clients with CBT (3 x half day workshops)

CBT Reach (online workshop company) (2021): Learning how to feel good:  CBT for anhedonia and depression (one day workshop)

Oxford Cognitive therapy Centre (2021): Learning how to feel good:  How to build positivity in depressed clients with CBT (one day workshop for mental health professionals)

Oxford Cognitive therapy Centre (2020): Learning how to feel good: How to build positivity in depressed clients with CBT (one day workshop for mental health professionals)

Watte Gruppen, Copenhagen (2020): Learning how to feel good:  An Introduction to Augmented Depression Therapy (2 day workshop for CBT therapists)

Belgium CBT organization, Leuven (2020): Learning how to feel good: An Introduction to Augmented Depression Therapy (one day workshop for therapists)

TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon (2019). Learning how to feel good:  How to build wellbeing and overcome anhedonia in depression (3 hour skills class for high intensity therapists).

World Congress of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies, Berlin (2019) (in conference skills session): Learning How to Feel Good:  An Introduction to Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT)

Northumbria IAPT service (2019): Learning how to feel good:  How to build wellbeing and overcome anhedonia in depression (one day workshop for high intensity therapists)

Bradford IAPT Service (2018). Learning how to feel good: How to build wellbeing and overcome anhedonia in depression (one day workshop for high intensity therapists)

Charlie Waller Institute (2019). Building wellbeing in depression using Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) (one day workshop for mental health professionals)

Somerset Psychological Therapy Services (2018). Learning how to feel good:
How to build wellbeing and overcome anhedonia in depression (one day workshop for primary and secondary care clinicians)

BABCP Annual conference, Glasgow (2018): Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) (one day pre conference workshop)

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge (2017): Treating anhedonia in depression (one day workshop)

Charlie Waller Institute, University pf Reading (2017): Treating anhedonia in depression (one day workshop)

University of East Anglia (2015), DClinPsy Master Class: Treating anhedonia in depression (one day workshop)

BABCP Annual conference, Warwick (2015): Building positive mood in depression (pre conference workshop)

Service Provision

Direct AccEPT clinic, supervise therapists and treat clients in the AccEPT clinic using ADepT approach (2014-onwards), including treatment resistant depression, complex depression, and depression in young adults (in collaboration with University of Exeter student wellbeing service)

Trained a cohort of IAPT therapists in Devon TALKWORKS to deliver ADepT for depression (2020)

Training a cohort of psychological therapists in Inclusion Thurrock service, Essex to deliver ADepT for complex depression (2022 onwards)

Personality Difficulties/Complex Depression

Workshops

Wattte Gruppen, Copenhagen (2022): Optimising ways to work with complex depression using CBT approaches (2 day workshop for advanced CBT practitioners)

Vita Minds IAPT service, Bristol (2022): Adapting CBT for depression and anxiety to work with individuals with comorbid personality difficulties (2 x half day workshop for IAPT high intensity therapists)

TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon (2022): Adapting CBT for depression and anxiety to work with individuals with comorbid personality difficulties (4 x full day workshop for IAPT low intensity therapists).

TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon (2021): Adapting CBT for depression and anxiety to work with individuals with comorbid personality difficulties (one day workshop for IAPT high intensity therapists)

Dorset IAPT service, 2021. Adapting CBT for depression and anxiety to work with individuals with comorbid personality difficulties (one day workshop for IAPT high intensity therapists)

Camden & Islington IAPT service, London (2021): Adapting CBT for depression and anxiety to work with individuals with comorbid personality difficulties (2 x half day workshop for IAPT high intensity therapists)

Oxford Cognitive therapy Centre (2021): Adapting CBT for depression to work with individuals with comorbid personality disorder features (one day workshop for mental health professionals)

Oxford Cognitive therapy Centre (2020): Adapting CBT for depression to work with individuals with comorbid personality disorder features (one day workshop for mental health professionals)

University of Exeter, High Intensity IAPT Training (2015): Managing personality disorder in an IAPT setting (one day workshop)

University of Exeter, High Intensity IAPT Training (2014): Managing personality disorder in an IAPT setting (one day workshop)

Staff Wellbeing and Mental Health

Talks

University of Manchester, 2022 (Invited talk): Building wellbeing in the work place: Combining individual and system level approaches

TALKWORKS IAPT Service Away Day, Devon, 2020: Compassionate leadership at Work (1hr workshop)

University of Exeter, Department of Psychology, 2020. Wellbeing at work (one hour talk)

University of Exeter, Personal Services Staff Meeting, 2020. Tips around wellbeing and self-care while homeworking during the COVID pandemic (30m talk)

University of Exeter, Staff Festival, 2018. Moving from stress to wellbeing at work.

University of Exeter, Heads of Department Engage Event Event, 2020. Supporting Staff Mental Health (1hr talk)

University of Exeter, Education Strategy Group (SIS), 2020. Managing staff wellbeing: Actions for education (1 hr talk)

University of Exeter, FX wellbeing hub, 2020. Supporting wellbeing, stress and mental health at work in the COVID context: An introduction for line managers

Cornwall NHS wellbeing hub, 2020. Mindfulness Trainings for Cornwall Wellbeing Hub:
 A Brief Review of the Evidence Base Evaluating Mindfulness at Work

University of Exeter, Staff Festival, 2017. Psychological Therapies for Depression:  How well and in what ways do they work?

Service Provision and Committee Membership

University of Exeter (2018-ongoing): Designed, implemented and evaluated staff mindfulness offering to promote wellbeing, which is now being commissioned on an ongoing basis

Cornwall and Devon NHS wellbeing hubs (2020-ongoing): Designed, implemented and evaluated staff mindfulness for public sector staff, which is now being commissioned on an ongoing basis

University of Exeter (2020-ongoing): Organised a pilot of Sleepio app for insomnia, which is now being commissioned on an ongoing basis

University of Exeter (2018-onwards): Co-developed e-training for staff in leadership positions about how to promote wellbeing and support staff with mental health, which is now available to all staff in the university.

Member of University of Exeter wellbeing committee (2019-onwards)

Member of University of Exeter workload working group (2022-onwards

Live Music Now (Charity): Delivered a talk on wellbeing and facilitated a delivery of a mindfulness course for musicians during the covid 19 pandemic.

Bereavement and Complicated Grief Disorder

Talks

Centre for Complicated Grief, Columbia University, New York, 2020 (invited talk). Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) to enhance wellbeing after loss

Workshops

TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon (2021): Supporting individuals with grief (2 x half day workshops for low intensity therapists).

Service Provision

Helped co-design and implement a pathway for complicated grief in TALKWORKS IAPT service, Devon, in collaboration with Kathy Shear, University of Columbia, US.

Co-authored guidance about management of bereavement during covid-19 pandemic (other authors Anke Ehlers, Oxford and Kathy Shear, Columbia)

Capacity Building/Research Infrastructure

Talks

BABCP Annual Conference, London, 2022 (talk in symposium): How best to establish ‘proof of concept’ for novel psychological therapies: Opportunities and challenges

BABCP Annual Conference, London, 2022 (round table discussion): Is this as good as it's going to get—have we reached the "efficacy ceiling" in CBT for depression?

University College London, 2020 (DClinPsy Research Conference). Engaging in Research Beyond Training and Clinical Fellowship Workshop (3 hour talk)

University of Newcastle, 2019 (talk to CAT course): Reflections on how to grow the evidence base in CAT (1 hour talk)

University of Newcastle, 2019 (talk to CAT course): Reflections on how to grow the evidence base in CAT

University of Plymouth, 2019, Departmental Seminar. Developing Novel Psychological Therapies for Mood Disorders in a real world setting: the AccEPT clinic model

BABCP Annual Conference, Bath, 2019 (symposium talk): The Adult AccEPT Service

Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy (ACAT) research day, 2018 (keynote):  Key steps from being a promising new therapy to being part of the evidence base – what can CAT learn from other new therapies

University of Reading, 2017. The AccEPT clinic: An example of embedding psychological therapies research into routine NHS care.

Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy at 30 conference, 2014. Challenges and opportunities for Cognitive Analytic Therapy at 30

Workshops

BABCP Annual Conference, Bath, 2019: Turning Research Ideas into Reality:  A Guide for Clinicians About How to Get Your Research Funded (3 hour skills workshop)

Committee Membership and Other Activity

Regularly mentor a range of psychologists and other mental health professionals to build research careers (currently including clinical psychologist Victoria Pile NIHR Advanced Fellowship, KCL; psychologist Abi Russell, NIHR Advanced fellowship, University of Exeter Medical school; PWP Laura Warbrick, NIHR three schools mental health award, University of Exeter; clinical psychologist Richard Pione, NIHR three schools mental health award, Inclusion Thurrock; and clinical psychologist Eirini Kontou, NIHR ICA clinical lectureship)

Member of NIHR FAN group University of Exeter (2019-ongoing): supporting NIHR facing research at the University of Exeter

Mental Health Lead for NIHR Primary Care School, University of Exeter (2021-ongoing): supporting mental health facing research and capacity building in primary care mental health workforce.

NIHR Training Advocate for Psychology (2016-2021): supporting clinical psychologists and other workforces to get research active in the mental health space

Member of NIHR ICA pre doctoral fellowship panel 2018 – 2020

Member of Dean for UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) faculty trainees advisory panel 2015 - 2018

Wrote blog on embedding research in NHS practice as part of NIHR 'I am research campaign', 2017

Featured as a video case study on how to build a clinical trials career by NIHR

External examiner for Royal Holloway Doctorate in Clinical Psychology 2010-2014.

Member of Research Committee for Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapy 2005-2008

Interoception

Talks

Exploring mindfulness, neuroscience and eating disorders conference, Clinical Neuropsychology Research Group, University of Exeter, 2013. The importance of bodily awareness in anorexia: An interactive cognitive subsystems account.

Society for Experimental Social Psychology Conference, 2011 (symposium talk). Does interoceptive accuracy influence cognitive-affective processing?

University of Exeter, 2010 (departmental seminar). Exploring bodily feedback mechanisms in psychopathology

Applied Positive Psychology Conference, 2009, Warwick (symposium talk). Follow your heart? Experimental investigations of whether mindfulness in part works by changing the relationship to the body

International Society for Research on Emotions, Leuven, Belgium, 2017 (symposium talk). Somatic regulation of cognitive-affective processes in depression

Cambridge Neuroeconomics Workshop, 2009. Heartfelt emotions: How interoception shapes intuition

University of East Anglia, 2009 (departmental seminar). Follow your heart? Examining the influence of bodily feedback on decision making and emotional experience in non-clinical and clinical populations

University of New South Wales, Australia (departmental seminar), 2008. Follow your heart? Examining the influence of bodily feedback on cognitive-emotional processing in healthy and mood disordered individuals

University of Louvain, Belgium, 2007 (departmental seminar). Follow your heart: Extending the Somatic Marker Hypothesis.

Symposium Organised

BABCP Annual Conference, Sussex, 2007: Role of the body in mood disorder and brain injury

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Teaching

I was awarded an ASPIRE fellowship of the Higer Education Academy in June 2014.

Research supervision:

I regularly supervise PhD, Masters, clinical psychology trainee, and undergraduate dissertations on clinically facing projects. 

Current teaching:

Module convenor for third year elective module "Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to Mood Disorders"

Traner on diploma for post qualification diploma CBT for personality disorder, 2019-ongoing, University of Exeter

I give regular workshops in the UK and internationally training clinicians to work with depression (including workshops on Augmented Depression Therapy and on how to adapt CBT to work with depression in clients with comorbid personality difficulties)

Historical teaching:

Module convenor: Evidence based psychological therapy practice (PSY1302; 1st year BSc Applied Psychology).

Module convenor: Interpersonal and emotion regulation processes in psychopathology (PSY3207: 3rd year BSc Psychology).

Guest teaching on Masters in Psychological Therapies (cognitive analytic therapy) and on IAPT high intensity training courses at University of Exeter.

Modules

2023/24

• PSY3425 - Cognitive Behavioural Approaches to Mood Disorders

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Supervision / Group

Research Fellows

Postdoctoral researchers

Postgraduate researchers

Alumni

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Office Hours:

tbc for 2023-2024 academic year

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