PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS AND SPECIALITIES

I am a clinical and a forensic psychologist. I started out in clinical psychology in 1974. Before then, I worked (from 1970) as a research psychologist in a hospital for patients with brain damage. I have also held part-time teaching and lecturing posts at universities. In 2001 I qualified in forensic psychology and worked over 9 years in a medium secure hospital. I now work exclusively in private practice.

In my professional work I have developed the following areas of knowledge and expertise:

• Hypnosis (theory, research, clinical practice and forensic and legal issues). I have published many papers on this subject over the past 30 years and several books. For details of these books click here.

• The preparation of expert witness reports on defendants (pre-trial and pre-sentence) for the criminal courts.

• The preparation of expert witness reports for the civil courts. I have considerable experience in the psychological effects of road traffic accidents.

• The assessment and treatment of people with psychological problems and disorders, notably patients who are compulsorily detained under the Mental Health Act. I have now retired from the Health Service and am no longer actively involved in this work.

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON HYPNOSIS?

Most information about hypnosis that you read in books and on the internet and that is portrayed in the media is unreliable and misleading. I would not even recommend the entries in Wikipedia, which are of indifferent quality. I have penned an account of hypnosis on this website in which I have tried to summarise what scientific enquiry into the subject is now telling us. This article, which I revised on 23.11.08, provides an introduction to a report that my colleagues and I prepared for the British Psychological Society in 2001. I also recommend the following website that is being constantly updated: Hypnosis and Suggestion.