Visiting Speaker, Prof Karen Douglas, University of Kent

***EVERYONE WELCOME, NO NEED TO BOOK***


Date: Thursday 28th January
Location: Town Hall Committee Room 2
Time: 12:00 - 13:00

Title: Secrets and Lies: The Psychology of Conspiracy Theories

Abstract: Was 9/11 an inside job?  Is climate change a hoax?  Was Princess Diana murdered?  Millions of people appear to think so, disbelieving official explanations for significant events in favour of alternative accounts that are often called ‘conspiracy theories’.  In recent years, psychologists have begun to investigate what makes conspiracy theories appealing to so many people.  In this talk, Karen will broadly overview what psychologists have found out so far, and will discuss some of my own findings on the causes and consequences of conspiracy theory belief.

Biography: Karen Douglas is a Professor in Social Psychology at the University of Kent.  In addition to conducting work on the psychology of conspiracy theories, she is involved in projects examining sexism in language, the influence of sexist ideology on attitudes toward pregnant women, and the psychology of internet behaviour.

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Research Seminar Tim Weaver, Middlesex University

***EVERYONE WELCOME, NO NEED TO BOOK***

Date: Thursday 14th January

Time: 16:00 - 17:00
Location: Town Hall Committee Room 2

Title: Contingency Management in UK Drug Treatment Services

Biography: Dr Tim Weaver is Associate Professor of Mental Health Services Research. He also holds honorary positions at Imperial College and Kings College London. Dr Weaver is a social scientist with over 25 years’ experience of health services research in a range of substance misuse and mental health treatment settings. He is co-principal investigator on the first two UK trials of contingency management (voucher based positive re-enforcement).  The seminar will describe these trials and the findings to date.

Dr Weaver’s current research interests also include the community management of severe mental illness, personality disorder, and populations in whom mental illness and substance misuse co-occur, service user involvement in research, and the management of forensic mental health services. He has developed particular expertise in evaluative research that combines qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate the process and outcome of complex health interventions.

Abstract: Within addictions, evidence-based treatments exist (e.g. opiate substitution treatment, OST), but do not generate their full patient benefit because of poor adherence and high progressive drop-out. Building on the behavioural principles of operant conditioning, contingency management (CM) involves the systematic application of positive reinforcement (utilising financial or material incentives) to promote adherence to treatment and/or patient behaviours consistent with treatment goals. In this way the effectiveness of existing treatment may be amplified. There is a strong US evidence for the effectiveness of CM, and considerable interest in its application in the UK, but until recently no evidence base for its effectiveness in UK treatment settings.

Over the past 5 years a team of UK researchers has been investigating the effectiveness of CM in UK drug services undertaking two large randomised controlled trials. The first of these trials – completed and published in 2014 – demonstrated that contingency management could be used to promote increased completion of hepatitis B vaccination amongst people receiving opiate substitution treatment. The second trial - the PRAISE trial – is investigating the effectiveness of contingency management in promoting abstinence from street heroin and is expected to report in 2016.

The seminar will briefly describe the basic principles and practice of contingency management and review the evidence base. However, the primary focus will be on the recent programme of research undertaken within the UK – its rationale, its aims, trial design and results achieved to date. The seminar will also focus on the potential next steps as the emphasis shifts to implementation in routine practice. 

Anne Worthington's Book Chapters

Anne Worthington has published two book chapters: 

Perversion Today – A Lacanian Perspective in Psychoanalysis: Perspectives, Techniques and Socio-Psychological Implications, ed. Zelda Knight. New York: Nova, 2015

https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=56116&osCsid=85b972dd87d78d3398d02adf5919f05c

Beyond Queer in Hysteria Today, ed. Anouchka Grose. Karnac Books, 2015

http://www.karnacbooks.com/product/hysteria-today/35063/

"What is Psychoanalysis? Is it weird?" A 4-Part Educational Film Series for Students and Teachers

The Freud Museum has launched a new series of short films, produced with the generous support of the College of Psychoanalysts and the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research and the engagement of the Centre for Psychoanalysis, Middlesex University. Primarily aimed at young learners on A Level psychology courses, the films will facilitate what for many will be a first encounter with psychoanalytic ideas. 

The films address some of the key ideas that students are required to demonstrate knowledge of in their exams, augmenting and in some instances providing a counterweight to what is taught on A Level courses. They feature contributions from John Forrester, Astrid Gessert, Anouchka Grose, Darian Leader, Daniel Pick and Anne Worthington.

The idea for making these videos plus the project management was by Stefan Marianski, who is one of our MA graduates and now working for the Freud Museum. 

The films can be found here:
http://freud.org.uk/education/topic/76249/what-is-psychoanalysis-is-it-weird/

Below is the first video, 'Is it weird?' This episode covers:

• Is psychoanalysis weird?

• A talking cure

• The unconscious

• The ego is not master in its own house

• Psychoanalysis and the 'cognitive approach'

Jung-Lacan Dialogue: The Subject and The Self

This is the third in a series of Jung-Lacan Dialogues aimed at fostering an engagement between two important and creative schools of psychoanalysis. What is the common ground between them? What are the intractable differences? Is it possible to find a common language or achieve mutual understandings? And what are the implications for clinical practice?

Date: 27th February 2016
Venue: Room CG41, College Building, Middlesex University

The Subject and the Self

Is there any commonality between Jung’s idea of the Self and Lacan’s notion of the Subject? And what are the specifics of the differences between these two important clinical concepts? Alan Rowan and David Henderson will elaborate the history and development of the terms and reflect on the implications for clinical work.

Alan Rowan is a Lacanian Psychoanalyst and member of the World Association of Psychoanalysis. He is also a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and a Systemic Psychotherapist who currently works as Head of Psychology Services within a Low Secure Forensic Hospital setting. He has published articles on a range of topics in the field of contemporary Lacanian Psychoanalysis and is frequently invited to lecture on post-graduate and professional training courses in psychoanalysis/psychotherapy.

Dr David Henderson is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice and a senior lecturer in psychoanalysis at Middlesex University. He has an M.A. in Jungian and Post-Jungian Studies and a PhD. from Goldsmiths. David is a member of the Association of Independent Psychotherapists (A.I.P.) and has recently published a book entitled “Apophatic Elements in the Theory and Practice of Psychoanalysis: Pseudo Dionysius and C.W. Jung".

Admission Free

Register on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jung-lacan-dialogues-tickets-19579976236
Enquiries: A.Worthington@mdx.ac.uk

News from Joanna Adler

Joanna Adler has completed work for the Ministry of Justice on an evidence review about what works in the management of young people who offend. This work was conducted with Sarah Edwards, Mia Scally, Anna Gekoski, Dorothy Gill, Mike Puniskis and Miranda Horvath. Joanna also assisted in revisions to a report for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. Watch this space early 2016 for more detail on both of those.

Additionally, CATS and FPS have completed the second fieldwork phase of research into young people’s experiences with online pornography. This work is being conducted for the NSPCC and OCC and is led by Elena Martellozzo and Miranda Horvath, with Joanna Adler, Julia Davidson, Rudy Leyva and Andy Monaghan. The fieldwork was implemented by our partner, Research Bods and consists of just over 1000 surveys with young people aged 11 to 16. 

Jackie Gray's talk to the US Airforce Sexual Assault Victim Advocates at RAF Lakenheath

The Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (Carolina Yepez) for the US Airforce organised a training day for their Sexual Assault Victim Advocates on 9th November. The Advocates are volunteers from all areas within the US Airforce based in the UK, such as engineers, medics & pilots. Over 30 delegates attended the event, and had come from other UK postings, as well as Lakenheath where the event was held. There were speakers from within the US Airforce, as well as three external academics, of whom Jackie Gray was one. Jackie spoke to the delegates about the UK law on rape, the difficulties surrounding the question of consent, and the role of rape myths (stereotyped attitudes to rape and sexual violence that commonly blame victims, excuse perpetrators and minimise the seriousness of rape). The delegates were an enthusiastic and well-engaged group, who seemed very keen to develop their knowledge, and to understand more about the Uk context.

In addition to the talks, the three visitors were given a guided tour of one of the squadron HQs, and also shown a fighter jet by one of the pilots - which was very interesting!