Dr John McGowan

I completed my degree in psychology from Strathclyde University in 1990 and a PhD University of Wales (Cardiff) in 1995.

My research area was failures in skilled performance and attentional mechanisms. This was followed by two years as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Sussex. I completed the clinical psychology training at Salomons in 2000.

Since qualifying I have worked in the NHS in Kent and Sussex, predominantly as a psychologist attached to inpatient mental health wards. My interests include presentations labelled as 'personality disorders', suicide and self-harm, formulation in complex care, the role of psychological practitioners in multi-disciplinary teams and the role of psychological thinking in inpatient environments. 

I have also published work considering aspects of cognitive-behaviour therapy for psychosis. My clinical orientation is primarily psychodynamic and have had further training in cognitive-analytic therapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy and mentalisation-based therapy.

I also have a strong interest in public engagement is the editor of, and a frequent contributor to, the Salomons Institute blog Discursive of Tunbridge Wells. I also contribute to a range of journalistic outlets.

Click links for a full archive of all pieces on Discursive of Tunbridge Wells, The Conversation and Spiked.

As well as overseeing the Clinical Psychology curriculum leads on our first-year teaching on Psychodynamic therapies and organises specialist teaching in the final year. 

• Introduction to engagement and assessment.
• Psychodynamic thinking and practice.
• Consideration of risk in suicide and self-harm.
• Personality disorders.
• Integrative therapies.
• Media engagement for clinicians

Research interests include: presentations labelled personality disorders, suicidality and self-harm.

Current activities include research on: suicide, 'personality disorders' and the role of psychology in medical settings.

Recent grants include an award from the British Psychological Society Psychology for the production of a review document encompassing recent advances in the treatment of depression.

Selected shorter articles

• McGowan, J., (2018, July, 4). Froome case suggests it’s time to rethink the WADA code. VeloNews. Retrieved from https://www.velonews.com/2018/07/commentary/outer-line-froome-case-suggests-time-rethink-wada-code_471296
• McGowan, J., (2018, January, 19). Trump: Bad not mad. Spiked. Retrieved from http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/trump-bad-not-mad/20870#.WrOVm_nFKJA.
• McGowan. J., Terry, R., @TheAgentApsley., & Griffiths, M. (2017, November, 14). Roundtable: What should we do with the Mental Health Act? Discursive of Tunbridge Wells Blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/roundtable-what-should-we-do-with-the-mental-health-act/
• McGowan, J. (2017, July 18). Saying Donald Trump is mentally ill is unethical, inaccurate and unhelpful. Discursive of Tunbridge Wells Blog. Retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/saying-donald-trump-is-mentally-ill-is-unethical-inaccurate-and-unhelpful/
• Cooke, A., Gilchrist, A. & McGowan J. (2014, August, 18). Robin Williams, depression and the complex causes of suicide. The Guardian, August. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/aug/18/robin-williams-depression-causes-suicide
• McGowan, J. (2014, February, 19). Jury out over forced home treatment for mental illness. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/jury-out-over-forced-home-treatment-for-mental-illness-23203

Selected recent podcasts

• McGowan, J., Cooke, A., & Terry, R. (2018, February 8). Shit happens and it drives us crazy. Podcast retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/shit-happens-and-it-drives-us-crazy/.
• McGowan, J. (2018, January 22). Zero suicide: An idea whose time has not (and should not) come. Podcast retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/zero-suicide-an-idea-whose-time-has-not-and-should-not-come/.
• McGowan, J. Conn, H., Cooke, A., Gilchrist., A, Lea, L., May, R., & Terry, R. (2017, October 2). Can mental health Workers be service users? Podcast retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/can-mental-health-workers-be-service-users/
• McGowan, J., Cooke, A., Gilchrist, A, & Terry, R. (2017, May 17). Against Your Will – Compulsory Powers in the Mental Health System. Podcast retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/podcast-against-your-will-compulsory-powers-in-the-mental-health-system/
• McGowan, J., Cooke, A., Gilchrist, A, & Terry, R. (2016, December 18). Does poverty harm your mental health? Podcast retrieved from https://blogs.canterbury.ac.uk/discursive/podcast-does-poverty-harm-your-mental-health/

I have a strong interest in public engagement am the editor of, and a frequent contributor to, the Salomons Institute blog Discursive of Tunbridge Wells.

I also contributes to a range of journalistic outlets. 

Recent conferences and presentations

• McGowan, J,. (2018). Are we sicker than we think? Paper presented at The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (Sussex) Mental Health Day. March, Brighton.
• McGowan, J., & Cooke, A. (2017). Changing the public conversation about suicide: A call to action. Paper presented at Critical Suicidology 2.0, June, Canterbury.
• McGowan, J,. & Cooke, A. (2017). Is Life a Disease? Paper presented at The Role of Diagnosis in Clinical Psychology: Continuing the Dialogue Conference, June, London.
• McGowan, J. (2017). Engaging with the Media: A Threat or an Opportunity? Symposium organised at Sussex Partnership Psychology and Psychological Therapies Conference. January, Gatwick Airport
• McGowan, J. (2016). Social Recovery. Paper presented at the Recovery Research Network Conference, November, Brighton.
• McGowan, J. (2016). Psychos: Madness in the Movies and popular culture. Paper presented at the BPS History and Philosophy Section & UK Critical Psychiatry Network Joint conference, 22^nd and 23^rd March, Leeds.
• McGowan J. and Cooke, A. (2015). A call to arms: psychology and public engagement. Symposium organised at The British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology Conference. December, London.
• McGowan, J. F. (2015) Blogs and social media: free attention. Paper presented at The British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology Conference. December, London.
• McGowan, J. (2015). Psychos, Cuckoo's Nests and Silver Linings: Madness in the Movies. Paper Presenter to the London School of Economic Literary Festival, February, London. Recordings available here.
• Cooke, A., & McGowan, J. (2014). Is Life a Disease? Paper Presented to the British Psychological Society, Division of Clinical Psychology Conference, December, Glasgow. Versions of this talk have been presented in a number of public settings around the UK. An audio slideshow is available here.
• McGowan, J., & Hickey, L. (2013). Who’s responsibility? Suicide, risk and being sued. Poster presented to the world Congress on Suicide, September, Montreal. (Link for full text)
• McGowan, J & Hickey, L. (2012). Responding to suicidal risks: Bridging between research and clinical practice. Paper Presented to the 14^th European Symposium of Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour, September, Tel-Aviv. Audio slideshow available here.
• And a couple of oldies…
• McGowan, J. F. (2009). Corner shops, NICE Guidelines and mothers of invention: clinical psychology and public policy. Paper presented to the annual British Psychological society Division of Clinical Psychology Conference , December, London.
• McGowan J. F. (2007). Doing research in the acute environment. Paper presented to the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies Annual Conference, University of Sussex. (Link to full text)