Dr Susan Howard

Biography

Academic History

1971 BSc Hons Psychology, University of Sheffield

1972 PGCE, University of Sheffield

1983 MSc Clinical Psychology, University of Surrey

1996 PsychD Clinical Psychology (conversion), University of Surrey

2001 Qualification in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, British Association of Psychotherapists

Work History

Prior to Clinical Psychology training I had a varied career in teaching, commerce and industry. Since training I have worked for the NHS in London and Surrey and in private practice. Early in my career I set up and ran a consultancy and worked in the media while being employed part-time in the NHS. In 1987 I left the NHS and entered full-time private practice, though at almost all times I also had a small NHS contract. From 1994 to 2011 I was a Director of Primary Care Psychology and Counselling Ltd., a company that contracted directly into the NHS to offer mental health provision through local NHS Trusts. In both my private work and in the NHS I have taught and supervised extensively as well as seeing clients.

I joined the Clinical Psychology Course Team at Surrey in 2001 as Senior Clinical Tutor and worked as a Tutor in the Team for 10 years in the clinical team; for several years I also worked in the academic team.

Current Clinical Work

I continue to work in private practice where I see clients for short and long-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy and for IPT; I also supervise in both modalities. Additionally I offer consultations and mediation for professionals working in mental health.

Research Interests

Process and outcome research in IPT

Attachment and IPT

Publications

2007 ‘Models of Supervision’ in A. Petts & B. Shapley (eds) On Supervision: Psychoanalytic and Jungian Perspectives. London: Karnac

2010 Skills in Psychodynamic Counselling and Therapy. London: Sage

2011 Psychodynamic Counselling in a Nutshell (2nd ed). London: Sage

2012 ‘The Portable Therapist: the challenge for therapists working in primary care settings’. Psychodynamic Practice: Individuals, Groups and Organisations. 18(1): 93-104

In Preparation: ‘Interpersonal Psychotherapy’ in W. Dryden and A. Reeves (eds) Handbook of Individual Therapy. London: Sage

Departmental Duties

Since 2008 I have led the initiative to make Surrey University a centre for excellence in IPT training and in September 2011 I relinquished my clinical tutor duties in order to concentrate on developing the training. A significant amount of my time is now spent in developing and providing external training courses and supervision in IPT to NHS and private purchasers. I have also provided internal training so that we have a depth of IPT competency within the PsychD Clin Course team. From March 2012 our courses will be IAPT compliant. I have also initiated training our third year clinical psychology trainees in the model and the development of a PGDip in IPT. With other members of the Course Team I have started to develop a research initiative in IPT.

I continue to input into the PsychD course. In particular I continue to develop and deliver the psychoanalytic psychotherapy part of the curriculum; I contribute to the teaching of therapeutic skills and am involved in the Selection process and training of selectors.