UEL psychologist explains trauma and psychosis link

Dr John Read, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of East London, has been featured in a prestigious psychiatric publication in the US.

Psychiatric Times, a go-to resource for mental health care physicians and professionals, published a video on its website of Dr Read of the School of Psychology sharing various ways to respond to and help patients with psychosis who have experienced traumas. The website boasts approximately 400,000 monthly page views.

In the video titled 'A Dialogue on Psychosis and Trauma', Dr Read is joined by Tony Morrison, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Manchester and Rachel Waddingham, Chair of the Hearing Voices Network board.

Professor Read's studies were among the first to show that childhood adversities can play a causal role in the development of psychosis. Psycho-social interventions can be helpful, an article published in July by the same three experts suggested.

Ideally, what is required is a trauma-informed approach, a strategy pioneered in the US. According to the authors, the key components are recognition by all clinical staff that most mental health problems (including psychosis) can be conceptualised and treated through a trauma and/or adversity lens, and an understanding that re-traumatisation via force and compulsion is to be avoided.

This new video expands upon that article titled Traumas, Adversities, and Psychosis: Investigating Practical Implications for the monthly publication, which has a circulation of approximately 40,000 psychiatrists.