Gwen Adshead
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Gwen Adshead | |
|---|---|
 Gwen Adshead delivering a Gresham College lecture in February 2015 | |
| Born | 14 September 1960 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Occupations | Psychiatrist, Psychotherapist |
Gwen Adshead (born 1960) is a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist who has worked for the NHS for nearly three decades. She currently works as a consultant at Broadmoor Hospital. She has published hundreds of research papers and is a Sunday Times bestselling author.[1]
At the age of 11 Adshead flew alone to England from her native New Zealand to attend Cheltenham Ladies' College as a boarder.[2] She is the mother of two boys.[3] She is a Christian and enjoys singing as part of a choir.[2] She mentioned in an interview with Church Times in March of 2021 that she became a psychotherapist because she wanted to spend more time talking with her patients.[4] She became a psychotherapist after first becoming a doctor and a psychiatrist.[4] The field of forensic psychotherapy helped in bringing together Dr. Adshead's interest in psychology and law together.[4] An example of how her work brings psychology and law together is that she works with the courts by acting as an expert witness in different cases and, in March of 2021, she was doing most of her work with family courts.[4]
Education
Dr. Gwen Adshead was qualified in medicine in 1983. She trained in general and forensic psychiatry at St. George's Hospital.[5] She became an elected member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1987 and in 2005, she was made a fellow.[6] She holds a masters degrees in Medical Law and Ethics with an interest in responsibility, moral reasoning, and psychiatric illness from King's College London.[7] In addition, she holds a Master's of Science degree in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy from Oxford University.[8][9] She is also a qualified member of the Institute of Group Analysis[10] and is also trained in basic mentalization based therapy.[9] Additionally, Dr. Adshead has been awarded two honorary doctorates by St. George's Hospital Medical School in 2016 and 2024.[9]
