MSc Clinical and Health Psychology

This unit covers the key interventions within clinical psychology that are designed to facilitate change, improve well-being and promote recovery. This unit builds upon the material delivered within the Semester 1 course Psychology in Clinical Practice 1 (for MSc Clinical & Health Psychology and MSc Health Psychology). Psychology in Clinical Practice 2 content includes understanding the importance of attachment in mental health, understanding differential experiences of minority client groups (illustrated through focus on LGBTQ+ community, neurodiversity), working with children, family and older people and recent developments in psychotherapy beyond the traditional CBT approach. 

The unit aims to:

• Continue the introduction, initiated in Psychology in Clinical Practice 1, to the core principles and features of contemporary, theory- and evidence-based approaches to facilitating psychological change in people with health problems.
• Further encourage a critical analysis of the strengths and limitations of psychological interventions.
• Enhance students’ awareness of the reciprocal links between theory, research and clinical practice in the development and evaluation of psychological interventions
• Provide a broader range of illustrative examples of interventions, and the application of interventions with a range of clinical groups, including members of the LGBTQ+ community, children, families and older adults, and people experiencing self-harm difficulties and bipolar disorder.  
• Expand the student's knowledge of psychological interventions to include recent developments in cognitive behavioural and other therapeutic interventions.  

Teaching will be delivered in person over 11 sessions. Each session will be approximately 2 hours long and will involve some didactic teaching, interactive activity and will be accompanied by resources on Blackboard (for example, videos, text, exercises, and guidance for further reading). Learning is supported by discussion boards for each lecture.

There will also be 2 drop-in sessions for questions on the assignment, including the marking criteria and feedback.  

• Enhanced knowledge of a broader range of issues and innovations in clinical psychology.
• Understand the science and practice of CBT in complex and challenging clinical groups.
• Gain a more developed understanding of the impact of context and intersectionality on psychological wellbeing.
• Gain a more developed appreciation of how psychotherapy interventions are practiced. 

• Critically analyse and evaluate the science and practice of interventions. 

• Gain awareness of challenges involved in facilitating therapy sessions through role play and discussion 

• Enhanced understanding of human change processes across a range of clinical groups. 

Open-book essay-based exam question (100%)

48 hours  

Feedback via blackboard 

Cromby, J., Harper, D., & Reavey, P. (2013). Psychology, Mental Health and Distress Paperback. London: Palgrave Macmillan

Leahy, R. L. (2004). Contemporary Cognitive Therapy. Guilford Press.

Lindsay, S., & Powell, G. (2008). The Handbook of Clinical Adult Psychology, Third Edition. Routledge. (earlier editions also appropriate)

Morrison, AP, Renton J, Dunn, H, Williams, S & Bentall, R (2003) Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis: A Formulation Based Approach. Routledge.

Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. New York: Guilford Press.