Andreas Vossler - Mad or Bad?: A Critical Approach to Counselling and Forensic Psychology

Dr Andreas Vossleris Director of the Foundation Degree in Counselling and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University. He is also a systemic trained couple and family psychotherapist. His current research activities focus on therapeutic work with couples and families, infidelity, internet infidelity, and counselling and psychotherapy. Andreas is co-editor of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Handbook (2014) and Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy (2010; both Sage). He has authored three textbooks and published 17 book chapters and 20 articles in peer-reviewed papers on topics related to counselling and psychotherapy (family therapy, infidelity, online counselling, health psychology, psychiatry) and research methods. Andreas is on the editorial board of Counselling Psychology Quarterly and Forum Community-Psychology.Dr Catriona Havardis a Senior Lecturer at the Open University. She has investigated how accurate people are at recognising faces, in the forensic context of eyewitness identification from line-ups. The aim of her research is to make eyewitness evidence more reliable, especially for children and older adult (over 60 years) witnesses, and to reduce misidentifications that could lead to wrongful convictions.Dr Meg-John Barkeris a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University and a UKCP accredited psychotherapist. Meg-John has published many academic books and papers on topics including mindfulness, relationships, sexuality and gender, as well as co-editing the journal Psychology & Sexuality. They chaired production of the main counselling module at the Open University and co-edited the accompanying textbook Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy, as well as writing further books on Mindful Counselling and Psychotherapy, and on Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals. Their main focus is on writing for the general public, drawing on academic and psychotherapeutic theories and research. They published the mindfulness-influenced self-help relationship book Rewriting the Rules in 2013, and 2016 saw the publication of The Secrets of Enduring Love (with Jacqui Gabb), a comic introduction to queer (with Julia Scheele), and a practical guide to sex (with Justin Hancock). Meg-John also informs UK policy and practice around sexuality and gender, and they are involved in running many public events, including Critical Sexology. They blog about all these topics on www.megjohnbarker.com. Twitter: @megjohnbarker.Professor Graham Pikeis an academic with interests in forensic psychology, critical criminology and applied cognition, whose research focuses on issues of evidence and harm within the criminal justice system. He is Professor of Forensic Cognition at the Open University, Deputy Director of the Harm and Evidence Research Collaborative and Associate Director for the National Centre for Policing Research and Professional Development. His research has led to changes in the PACE Codes of Practice, numerous guidelines for policing practice and also development of the VIPER identification system and E-FIT software. He has a passion for public engagement, whether it be producing Apps (see Photofit-me and OU Brainwave in the Apple and Android stores), MOOCs (www.futurelearn.com/courses/forensic-psychology), blogs (oucriminology.wordpress.com) or participating in public lecture tours (see www.crimiknowledge.com). Twitter: @Graham_Pike.Dr Bianca Raabeis an academic with interests in Social, Developmental and Counselling Psychology, whose research interests have focused on young peoples constructions of citizenship and identity, and is currently interested in wild therapy, and therapy in open spaces. In maintaining her therapeutic practice Bianca is involved in both short-term (three session counselling) and long-term psychotherapy. She is a Staff Tutor based in the North East of England, at the Open University, Gateshead. In her role as a Staff Tutor she has particular interest in collaborative teaching and learning and working with complex group dynamics.Joanne H. Alexanderis a psychology graduate researcher at the University of Northampton. She has worked on local, national and international research projects, centred on domestic violence, housing provisions for victims of violence, referral practices in childrens social care, models of early help, and care leavers access to Higher Education. Her doctoral research explores the intergenerational transmission of family violence.Dr Clare Binghamis a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Psychology at the John Howard Centre, a medium secure inpatient service in Hackney. She trained in systemic approaches at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust between 2005 and 2007 and was involved in setting up a family therapy clinic for the Forensic Directorate of East London NHS Foundation Trust. She lectures on Doctoral Clinical Psychology training courses across the North Thames region and her teaching includes lectures on systemic work in forensic settings.Dr Matt Brucegraduated in 2005 from University College London as a Clinical Psychologist and has since acquired a specialism in dangerousness and severe personality disorder across various security settings and providers in the UK and USA. In the UK he was clinical lead for a pilot programme funded by the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice, to treat high-risk of high-harm offenders with severe personality disorders. Dr Bruce is also an honorary faculty member at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at Kings College London and has published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the subject of forensic psychology. In the USA, he has worked as a Clinical Psychologist at Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Department of Behavioral Health, Washington, DC and currently holds an Assistant Professor appointment on the postgraduate Forensic Psychology program at George Washington University.Professor Jane E.M. Callaghanis a psychologist at the University of Northampton, where she leads the Centre for Family Life and undertakes applied psychology research. Her specialist interests include violence in the family, child and adolescent mental health, as well as gender and identity, and professionalism.Dr Troy Cooperis a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University. Her first research was in eating disorders and addiction to alcohol and illegal drugs, and her first job was at the Addictions Research Unit (now National Addictions Centre) at the Institute of Psychiatry in London. Troy began a career at the Open University in the mid-1990s tutoring, teaching and writing on psychology modules, and developed research interests in online learning, the place of reflection in learning, and student well-being and success. Recently she gained a DipHE in Childhood and Adolescent counselling, and has worked with bereaved children. Troys current main scholarship and practice interests are in the social construction and mediation of mental illness, and working with older people and in the broader context of issues at the end of life.Dr Simon Crossis Senior Lecturer in Media and Culture at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Simon has published widely on media analysis of public policy issues. He is the author of