Naomi Moller and Andreas Vossler - Symposium: Using Research to Impact Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice and Mental Health Policy

Prof Naomi Moller and Dr Andreas Vossler host a symposium with Dr Felicitas Rost (Society for Psychotherapy Research), Dr Clare Symons, and Matthew Smith-Lilley (of BACP).

How can research knowledge and expertise be used to address ‘real world’ issues and impact on counselling and psychotherapy practice? What are the conditions needed to achieve research impact that can make a difference in mental health policy? What lessons can be learned from existing research initiatives and campaigns? This online symposium, which was jointly organised by the OU’s Psychology of Health and Wellbeing (PHeW) research group and the Society of Psychotherapy Research (SPR, UK Chapter), addressed these and related questions by showcasing two recent research initiatives aimed at impacting counselling and psychotherapy policy and/or practice in the UK.

Key Readings:

McPherson, S., Rost, F., Town, J. and Abbass, A. (2018) ‘Epistemological flaws in NICE review methodology and its impact on recommendations for psychodynamic psychotherapies for complex and persistent depression’, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, 32(2), pp. 1–20.

Barkham, M., Moller, N. and Pybis, J (2017). How should we evaluate research on counselling and the treatment of depression? A case study on how NICE’s draft 2018 guideline considered what counts as best evidence. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 17(4) pp. 253–268.

Smith, K., Moller, N., Cooper, M., Gabriel, L., Roddy, J., & Sheehy, R. (2021). Video counselling and psychotherapy: A critical commentary on the evidence base. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 00, 1– 6.