Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy Annual Conference 2025 Resources 

Welcome to the Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy Annual Conference 2025 - Inclusivity/exclusivity; medical psychotherapy, labels and stigma

 

Dear Delegates 

Welcome to the Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy Conference, 2025. For this year’s flagship event on, “Inclusivity, exclusivity; Medical Psychotherapy, labels and stigma…”, we are returning to our home at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 21 Prescot Street, London. We are delighted that you have chosen to join us and hope you will be stimulated by the various talks, conversations, groups and workshops that we have carefully curated to explore the theme in detail. 

We look forward to meeting you all at the conference. 
 
Vikram, Sophie, Anne and Parveen,
Academic co-secretaries, Medical Psychotherapy Faculty.

Dr Cissy Atwine, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, British Ugandan Doctors Association

Dr Cissy Atwine is an ST4 Psychiatry trainee who is passionate about global mental health, social determinants of health and social justice. She is the pastoral care lead for the British Ugandan Doctors Association that brings together Ugandan doctors in the UK. She is also passionate about talking therapy and is undergoing MBT Therapy practitioner training with the Anna Freud Centre.

Dr Sophie Atwood
Consultant Psychiatrist in Medical Psychotherapy, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; RCPsych Medical Psychotherapy Faculty Executive Committee Member and Joint Academic Secretary
Dr Sophie Atwood is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Medical Psychotherapy and is Psychotherapy Tutor in Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. She trained in Medical Psychotherapy at the Tavistock Centre, London. Prior to studying Medicine she completed an MA in Social & Political Sciences at Cambridge University.

She is a member of the Executive Committee of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Medical Psychotherapy Faculty, is a joint Academic Secretary for the Faculty and is a member of the Specialist Advisory Committee - contributing to national training and curriculum developments.

Tom Ayers is the Director of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, a collaboration between the Royal College of Psychiatrists and University College London. Tom began his career in the NHS as a manager across a range of mental health settings before becoming Director of Community Mental Health and Social Care Services in Sheffield. He moved into his current role in 2016 and led the development of models of care for the NHS in England as part of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and the NHS Long Term Plan, including developing policy for community mental health services for NHS England. Tom has developed the NCCMH into the leading national provider of Quality Improvement (QI) in Mental Health in the UK and in 2024 launched the largest ever national programme of QI and leadership in Mental Health, aiming to improve the culture of care on inpatient wards in England. Additionally, Tom has led on setting up the RCPsych’s Public Mental Health Implementation Centre, which aims to prevent mental illness, and launched at the Houses of Parliament in 2022. Tom has co-authored several papers related to leadership and improvement in mental health care, for example The mental health safety improvement programme: a national quality improvement collaborative to reduce restrictive practice in England.

Dr Parveen Bains
MRCPsych, BPC registered.

Dr Parveen Bains is trained in Medical Psychotherapy and is currently working as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Adult Eating Disorders in Oxfordshire and holds the Psychotherapy Tutor post in Hertfordshire. She is BPC registered and has a clinical interest in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy in working with Eating Disorders. She has a keen interest in Medical Education and training and is currently Academic Co Chair for the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty exec.

Dr Anne Cooper
Consultant Medical Psychotherapist in CBT,  accredited CBT therapist.

Dr Anne Cooper is a Consultant Medical Psychotherapist, specialising in CBT and working at Leeds and York Partnerships Foundation Trust LYPFT in the Medical Psychotherapy Department, where she is also Psychotherapy Tutor and joint TPD for Psychotherapy. She particularly enjoys working with severe OCD and psychosis. Dr Cooper also has a wider interest in education and is passionate about ensuring that medical students have a comprehensive training in mental health, such that this is seen as an integral part of their training. She is the LYPFT Director of Undergraduate Medical Education and Psychiatry Integrated Core Unit Manager at the University of Leeds. She is a co-opted member of the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty Executive Committee and one of the current Academic Co-Secretaries for the Faculty. She is also Treasurer and unofficial Events Coordinator for BABCP CBT Medics SIG. 

Dr Oliver Dale graduated from Imperial College in 2000. Having completed his training in West London in adult psychiatry in 2008, he worked as a consultant psychiatrist in Hammersmith and Fulham up until his move to SPFT in May 2023. He also trained as an Analytical Psychologist and has been a member of the British Psychoanalytical Council since 2016. Oliver was previously the Clinical Director for the adult community transformation programme at SPFT before becoming Deputy Chief Medical Officer in December 2023 and the Chief Medical Officer in October 2024. Up until June 2024 he was Co-President British and Irish Group for the study of personality disorder. He was chair of Cassel Hospital Charitable trust between 2016 and 2023. He has also held positions within the Royal College of Psychiatrists including executive member and Academic Chair of the General Adult Faculty. He was the chair of the Cross Faculty Working Group for Personality disorder and editor of the all-age Position Statement on Services for people diagnosable with personality disorder from 2018 to 2021. Oliver's clinical background is in community adult psychiatry. He is currently working with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health on a project seeking to address prejudice and discrimination affecting those given a diagnosis of personality disorder. He has been an advisor to NHS England on the development of community services and a collaborator with the NIHR Mental Health Policy Research Unit on Complex Emotional Needs. 

Dr Maria Eyres is a consultant psychiatrist in medical psychotherapy and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist. She is a co-chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Expert Reference group on non recent child sexual abuse. She was a member of the Faculty Executive for a number of years, leading and contributing to various projects and taking up specific roles such as the Newsletter Editor and the Academic Secretary. She is currently working part time for DocHealth, not for profit organisation working with doctors. 

Dr Vikram Luthra 
Consultant Psychiatrist in Medical Psychotherapy (dual trained with General Adult Psychiatry) at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, (LYPFT), and Psychoanalyst (M. Institute of Psychoanalysis)

In addition to his Medical Psychotherapy role, he is the Clinical Lead for the Take Time (doctors and dentists in difficulty) service which covers the Yorkshire and Humber region. He is a co-opted member of the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty Executive Committee and one of the Academic Co-Secretaries for the Faculty. He also holds the Joint-TPD role for Medical Psychotherapy for Yorkshire and Humer.  He is the Regional Medical Psychotherapy Representative for Yorkshire. He is the Joint-President of the Balint Society, UK, and interested in increasing the diversity and engagement of members of the society. He is a passionate educator and trainer for undergraduate and postgraduate learners in Medicine and holds an Honorary Senior Lecturer position at the University of Leeds. He is a RCPsych CASC examiner. He is a member of the British Psychoanalytic Society and works as a psychoanalyst in private practice. His other interests include supporting the development of reflective skills in doctors and furthering psychotherapeutic skills within psychiatry.

Dr Sarah Markham - I am deeply thankful to have received medical psychotherapy which gave me the tools to free myself from the negative thinking loops which impacted so negatively on my mental health and life. It has been an incredibly inspiring and motivating experience to support the Faculty of Medical Psychotherapy.


Dr Diana Menzies is a Medical Psychotherapist and Group Analyst. She has worked in the NHS for over 30 years, mainly at SWL&STG, London. Her main interest is in groups, especially democratic therapeutic communities, an interest which developed from her time working at Henderson Hospital, before its untimely closure. She has written several papers and co-edited a book. She is part of the Henderson Heritage Group which aims to preserve its archive and legacy. 

Jane O’Rourke – psychodynamic psychotherapist, therapeutic yoga specialist & founder of mindinmind
Clinical practice and therapeutic approach:
Jane O’Rourke is a psychodynamic child, adolescent, and family psychotherapist based in London. She trained at the Tavistock Clinic and has worked extensively across the NHS, educational settings, and in private practice. Her therapeutic approach integrates psychodynamic theory with body-based methods, notably therapeutic yoga, which she offers both individually and in group settings.
As the founder of Yoga4Trauma, Jane pioneered therapeutic yoga programmes within clinical mental health services. Most notably, she led an innovative therapeutic yoga group in the Trauma Service at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for seven years. This pioneering work has since evolved into her Community Therapeutic Yoga Group, which supports trauma recovery by complementing traditional talking therapies.
Jane is a contributing author to the book Complex Trauma (edited by Jo Stubley), in which she wrote a chapter exploring the role of therapeutic yoga and psychotherapy in facilitating post-traumatic growth. In her clinical writing, she highlights the embodied nature of trauma, stating that “trauma imprints on the body as well as the mind” and drawing on neurobiological research to show that “it is not possible to separate the brain from the body: they are indivisible and shaped by experience.”
Founder of mindinmind
Jane is the founder of MINDinMIND, a platform that shares the thinking and work of leading child psychotherapists and psychologists. Through interviews, podcasts, symposiums, and articles, MINDinMIND aims to make the insights of senior figures in mental health accessible to professionals supporting adults and children. Her work focuses on translating complex ideas from eminent clinicians into actionable strategies and thinking that promotes emotional wellbeing across all age groups.
Professional affiliations and recognition
Jane is a registered member of the British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC) and the Tavistock Society of Psychotherapists. In recognition of her contribution to child mental health and public education, she was awarded the Association of Infant Mental Health UK (AIMH UK) Founders Award in 2023.
Media and communication 
 Prior to training as a psychotherapist, Jane worked as a senior BBC journalist and award-winning producer. Her background in media enhances her ability to communicate psychological ideas clearly and engagingly to both professional and public audiences. She remains active in public mental health discourse through articles, interviews, and social media.
Approach to trauma treatment
 “There is a clinical issue in unresolved trauma that is still overlooked by many talking therapies: that trauma imprints on the body as well as the mind. Advances in neuroscience show that it is not possible to separate the brain from the body: they are indivisible and shaped by experience. Trauma can inhibit memory functioning and the ability to form a narrative—crucial factors for enabling processing in talking therapy. It is therefore important to bring the body as well as the mind into treatment to establish physiological and psychological safety.”
 – Jane O’Rourke, Complex Trauma
Professional values and personal approach
Jane is recognised for her thoughtful and reflective approach, and for her openness to ideas that enhance mental health practice. She brings warmth and creativity to her work, which is grounded in clinical rigour and a genuine interest in what supports psychological growth and recovery.

Professor Femi Oyebode, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Birmingham
Femi Oyebode is a retired Consultant Psychiatrist & is honorary Professor of Psychiatry University of Birmingham. He is best known for his book Sims' Symptoms in the Mind-Textbook of Descriptive Psychopathology.

Dr Maria Papanastassiou - Group analyst, trained at the Institute of group analysis London and Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist working both in the NHS and the private sector as well as London universities. Teacher at the institute of group analysis for students at the Qualifying course. Has special interest in conducting large groups both at the college and in other training communities.

Dr Beena Rajkumar is a dual trained Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist.  She works as Consultant Psychiatrist in the CMHT and she also works as a Medical Psychotherapist for the NHS.  She is also the Director of Medical Education for Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.   
She has worked with people who have Complex Trauma for the last 15 years both as a Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist.  Complex Trauma is her passion and area of clinical interest.  She is also passionate about teaching and fostering experiential learning.  She is tutor for medical students from Lincoln Medical School and she is honorary associate professor (clinical) for Nottingham University.

Dr Louise Robinson - I am an ST6 dual trainee in General Adult Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy with an interest in climate action and sustainability. I am a joint Sustainability Champion (shared role with Dr Nora Gribbon) within the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty Committee.

Dr Joanne Stubley is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust. She joined the Tavistock Trauma Service in 1998 and has been the lead clinician since 2004. She is a psychoanalyst who has also been trained in trauma-specific modalities of care.  Dr Stubley is Co-Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Expert Reference Group on non-recent child sexual abuse. She is an honorary lecturer at University College London and has written widely on trauma, teaching nationally and internationally. She is co-editor of “Complex Trauma: the Tavistock Model” with Linda Young, published in 2022, which was nominated for a Gravida Award.

Caroline Thompson, ENT Specialist, An associate specialist in ENT, and survivor, who was a core contributor to the college position statement on ' The impact of non-recent child sexual abuse on the mental health of adults '. As such I had a foot in both camps, which not only brought personal experience of the enormous challenges faced by survivors, but also an understanding of the significant pressures faced by Mental Health Staff trying to deliver a service within a system which is currently not fit for purpose, grossly underfunded, and with inadequate training.

Dr Graeme Whitfield currently works in the private sector having retired from the NHS in April 2025. He has worked as a Consultant Medical Psychotherapist since 2004. He has a particular interest in psychological trauma and has published extensively in the area of CBT-based self-help and CBT group delivery. He is also a passionate supporter of the concept of compassion in healthcare and the development of a compassionate relationship with ourselves.



Our poster author's abstracts will be displayed at the venue. Please find below a digital version of the abstracts (where authors have provided us with a electronic version):

  1. Medical Student Balint – a tool to improve empathy, transform communication skills and empower tomorrow’s socially aware patients’ advocates
    Dr Burak Cardak, CT1-3, Justyna Wroblewska, Michael Milmore
  2. Psychological formulations of 24 adults with Functional Neurological Disorder treated with Shared Individual Formulation Therapy (SIFT)
    Dr Myles Gutkin, Consultant, Professor Richard A Kanaan, Professor Richard J Brown
  3. Patients’ experiences of dissociative symptoms and grounding techniques
    Dr Holly Melvin, Foundation Doctor, Dr Edward Mellor
  4. Evaluating Interpreting Services Within Psychological Therapy
    Dr Charlotte Scott, ST7 Psychiatry Trainee, Anokh Goodman
  5. Clinical Audit and Re-Audit into Strategies for Relatives (START) programme uptake
    Dr Ioana Toma, CT1-3, Dr Parthipan Sivaraman
  6. Using Cognitive-Analytic Therapy (CAT) as a conceptual explanatory framework for severe command hallucinations – a Case Report
    Dr Ioana Toma, CT1-3, Chanel Morland

 


    Thank you for attending the conference.

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    All comments received remain confidential and are viewed in an effort to improve future events.

    You will automatically receive a certificate of attendance 1 week after the event has taken place.

    This course is eligible for up to 2 hours on Wednesday, and up to 6 CPD hours per day on Thursday and Friday, subject to peer group approval.

    Join us for the Psychodynamic Psychiatry Day 2025: If grief is the 'sea we swim in', what does this mean for psychiatry? taking place on Friday 14 November 2025. The conference will be taking place at:

    Royal College of Psychiatrists,
    21 Prescot Street,
    London E1 8BB

    Find further details and register your interest in the conference on the event web page.

    Bridging tradition and innovation:

    • Date: Friday 30 May 2025
    • Venue: St Thomas Centre, Ardwick Green North, Manchester M12 6FZ

    For programme information and bookings, please visit the conference website

     

    Please note this event is being organised by an external group, and not by the Royal College of Psychiatrists