Dr Terry Spokes is a highly-experienced clinical psychologist who has worked as a director of a number of addiction treatment services in Europe and Asia. He provides psychological therapy to adults who present with a range of mental health concerns, and has specialist interest in the psychological treatment of addiction, trauma and neuropsychological concerns.
Certifications and Accreditations:
- Doctorate of Clinical Psychology. University of Oxford.
- Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology. University of Glasgow.
- Bachelor of Science in Psychology. University of Bath.
- Health and Care Professions Council Registration: Practitioner Psychologist.
Prior to graduating from the University of Oxford doctoral training course in 2010, Dr Terry worked at the Institute of Psychiatry in London as part of a large-scale trial to support people with severe mental health issues gain meaningful employment. As part of the clinical psychology doctoral training, he completed a specialist placement in a traumatic stress service where he developed a passion for supporting people to heal from traumatic experiences. He completed training in a range of therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and compassion-focused therapy (CFT). He has since completed further training in somatic approaches to trauma therapy and an advanced master program on the treatment of trauma. His doctoral dissertation focused on using EMDR as a form of post-incident support for nurses who had experienced assault in the workplace (see publications).
Since qualifying as a clinical psychologist, Dr Terry has worked across a range of neurorehabilitation services in the UK, conducting neuropsychometric assessments and neuropsychological rehabilitation. Over recent years he has worked primarily in the addiction treatment sector, including as the clinical director of a residential addiction treatment centre in Bali and later as a director of a residential treatment centre in the UK. He has provided consultancy to addiction treatment centres in the UK regarding service development and ensuring policies and protocols align with best practice guidelines. In 2022 he helped launch a new addiction treatment service in Switzerland, before joining Promises as Group Director of Clinical Services in 2023.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr Terry regularly provides supervision and training to psychologists and mental health professionals, speaks at conferences and on podcasts and radio shows, and is involved in research and publication. In 2022 he was honoured to collaborate with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on a project titled ‘Changemakers in Health’.
Publications:
- Eccles, F., Sowter, N., Spokes, T., Simpson, J. (2022) Stigma, Self-Compassion and Psychological Distress among People with Parkinson’s. Disability and Rehabilitation (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35171069/)
- Spokes, T. (2020) Understanding trauma and attachment. APCB Webinar. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOQTo5ELDA4)
- Spokes, T., et al. (2011) Reducing distress following assault in the workplace. Nursing Times; 107: Online issue (https://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/mental-health-nurses/reducing-distress-following-assault-in-the-workplace-09-08-2011/)
- Howard, L., Heslin, M., Leese, M., McCrone, P., Rice, C., Jarrett, M., Spokes, T., Huxley, P. & Thornicroft, G. (2011) The Supported Work and Needs (SWAN) study: a pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial of supported employment in South London. British Journal of Psychiatry, BJP/2008/061465 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20435968/)
