Laura Warbrick

I am an early career clinical-researcher, with a clinical background in low-intensity CBT / PWP practice in NHS Talking Therapies (NHS-TT) settings. My work is currently funded by a competitively awarded NIHR Doctoral fellowship.

My research focuses on enhancing care and provision for the 'missing middle' - the 'gap' between NHS-Talking Therapies services and secondary care. People falling into the missing middle often have complex and overlapping mental health difficulties, and may have been excluded from accessing support in the past. Unmet needs often include difficulties managing emotions, mood and relationships, which people commonly experience in the context of adverse early life experiences or 'complex trauma'. People may have recieved a label of 'personality disorder', 'complex emotional needs', 'complex trauma' or 'complex depression'; but may also have not have had the opportunity for a mental health assessment or diagnosis.

Currently, I am evaluating a new wellbeing and recovery focused intervention 'ADepT+' for people with 'complex depression': depression in the context of additional difficulties managing emotions, relationships and sense of self. ADepT+ has been co-developed alongside people with complex depression. We are evaluating the therapy in a small 'feasibility' trial, comparing it to usual care for people with complex depression. This trial will establish whether the therapy is acceptable, practical to deliver and whether it shows potential to be helpful to people with complex depression; as well as whether it is practical to run a large trial, where we can evaluate whether the therapy is effective.

I am based within the Mood Disorders Centre and also have strong links to the AccEPT Clinic, https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/mooddisorders/acceptclinic/; Mental Health Mission (https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/427-million-funding-boost-for-mental-health-research/33559); which link with the NIHR School for Primary Care Research and the Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx) group.

My interests include transdiagnostic, wellbeing-focused approaches - in particular those with a relational or behavioural focus.

Research Keywords:

• personality difficulties, personality disorder, complex emotional needs, complex trauma
• missing middle
• Primary Care,
• NHS TTad; Talking Therapies ( formerly IAPT, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)
• wellbeing
• intervention development
• mental health service "gap"

My predoctoral fellowship focused on intervention development and pilot and feasibility evaluation of brief Primary Care clinician (GPs and clinicians working in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Services (IAPT)) training packages which aim to improve care and outcomes for individuals with complex emotional needs, who may have experienced 'complex trauma' and who's difficulties are sometimes referred to as 'personality difficulties' or a 'personality disorder'.

Qualifications:
Academic Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Nottingham, 2017 (1st class)

MSc Psychological Research Methods, University of Exeter, 2020 (Distinction; with Dean’s Commendation for Exceptional Performance)

Clinical Qualifications:

PGCert Psychological Therapies Practice (Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), University of Exeter, 2021 (Distinction)

Registered Wellbeing Practitioner with BABCP, 2021 onwards.