PhD Students

April is an accredited psychodynamic psychotherapist, working in private practice both face-to-face and online. While she works with many different clients, she is most passionate working with trauma.

She is undertaking a PhD to explore how students, convenors, and professionals navigate areas that are not covered in psychodynamic training. Alongside her studying, she is also an associate lecturer, teaching part-time on the Graduate Certificate in Humanistic & Psychodynamic Counselling Course, as well as the Introduction to Counselling: Core Skills and Theories here at Goldsmiths.

Supervisor

• Dr Keren Cohen

She is a full time student at STaCS. She worked as social development researcher in Pakistan for CPEC projects. She also has teaching experience, now she is working on the research project Social Work and Disaster Management.

Supervisor

• Dr Panagiotis Pentaris

Lily has been an HCPC-registered art psychotherapist since 2011. She is a professional member of the British Art Therapists Association and the Taiwanese Art Therapy Association. She is a visiting lecturer on MA Art Psychotherapy and a former associate lecturer on Graduate Certificate on Humanistic and Psychodynamic Counselling, Goldsmiths.

She has worked in a wide range of clinical settings, including an outreach team for children with learning difficulties, a palliative care ward, a psychiatric ward, and collaboration with cultural institutes.

These experiences led her to develop research interests in exploring innovative art therapy practices outside conventional therapy environments, such as working in online settings, open spaces, and museums/galleries.

Supervisors

• Dr Brian Callan
• Dr Jill Westwood

Nasima is a highly experienced systemic family psychotherapist and a clinical supervisor. Nasima works part-time in a CAMHS/NHS, and in private practice whilst also a part-time PhD candidate researching Muslim therapists’ professional development from faith perspectives.

Nasima also leads a Muslim professional development network group. 

Supervisors

• Dr Chris Baker
• Dr Adam Dinham

Saul has an MSc in Social Work and has been a practising Social Worker and manager for over 15 years. Saul's area of expertise is in child protection and looked after children. Saul's research is motivated by a desire to understand and explore the profession's attitude towards family poverty, which has been identified as one of the most significant causal factors of higher incidence of child abuse and neglect.

Supervisors

• Dr Panagiotis Pentaris
• Professor Vasilios Ioakimides

Evgenia, who's from Greece, is currently pursuing a PhD program in Social Work and Social Policy, focusing on "Humanitarian Response and Social Work Perspectives: Addressing 'Stop the Boats' Policies and Migrant Deaths in the English Channel."

In addition to her academic pursuits, she actively contributes to discussions on European migration policies and associated humanitarian challenges. Drawing from her academic background in Central and East European Studies, Politics, and International Relations, she seeks to offer in-depth insights into the complex interplay between national security, ethical considerations, and social work interventions.

Beyond her research commitments, she envisions empowering social workers and stakeholders with practical tools to provide support and advocate for policy changes in the intricate landscape of migration across the English Channel.

Supervisor

• Dr Panagiotis Pentaris

Originally from Brazil, Elaine is a part-time PhD student, focused on developing a framework of radical Christianity, its definition and many lived experiences, in London through grounded research.

She works full-time in scientific publishing and leads a working group on diversity, equity and inclusion in her workplace while pursuing her PhD and plans to begin working with public policy research after finishing her studies.

Supervisor

• Professor Christopher Baker

Matt is a youth worker, climate activist, community organiser and researcher. His PhD thesis draws on sociological theories of cultural trauma and social performance to interpret the role of religion and emotion in Extinction Rebellion UK's mobilisation and protests. Based in West Cumbria, his work with young people, activists and community groups focuses on developing collaborative projects between faith-based and secular organisations to connect questions of social and climate justice.

Supervisor

• Dr Chris Baker

Lucy is a manager of community programmes with a background in creative practice. She works with and for local communities to create high-impact projects that have local relevance and is committed to collaborative practices that democratically involve a broad range of voices and stakeholders in decision making.

She has expertise in scoping and imagining a wide range of collaborative creative activity, delivered in supportive, inspiring environments. She has been making visual art about the politics of incarceration and the performance of gendered bodies since 2005.

Supervisors

• Dr Atlas Torbati
• Dr Pearson Nkhoma

Nicola is a freelance theatre maker, working in a wide range of community settings with diverse participant groups.

Her current projects include making work with children from the Islamic community in a celebration of faith and culture, as well as developing autobiographical performance with learning-disabled adults. She has a particular interest in making work both with and for the PMLD community.

Supervisor

• Dr Marina Rova
• Dr Caroline Frizell

Due to submit her PhD at Goldsmiths, Karen works as a course leader and senior lecturer at Regents University London.

She previously worked as a Senior Clinician and Art Psychotherapist in a Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the NHS. She also has a private practice, including offering supervision. Karen established the Social Justice in Art Therapy group after jointly developing a practice enhancement activity and resource hub for art psychotherapists in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University.

Karen has authored on her research on critical feminist approaches to art psychotherapy and has jointly authored and published on critical praxis, feminist, intersectional, social justice, and social action approaches in arts therapy praxis.

Supervisors

• Dr Keren Cohen
• Dr Brian Callan

Tom Woods has been works with adults with learning disabilities and autism. His research explores the impact of environments on the health and wellbeing of neurodiverse populations. More specifically, he investigates how natural bodies of water may act as a therapeutic tool for people with autism and difficulties in sensory modulation.