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• Counselling Psychology
• Psychotherapy
• Creative Arts Therapy
• +6 more

Dr. Joanna Omylinska-Thurston is an Associate Professor in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Salford, School of Health & Society, and a Counselling Psychologist at the Greater Manchester Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). She is the co-founder of the innovative psychotherapy approach "Arts for the Blues" developed in collaboration with Edge Hill University and the University of Salford. Her educational background includes a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, which forms the foundation of her clinical expertise and academic contributions to mental health interventions. This qualification enables her dual role in both academic and clinical settings. Dr. Omylinska-Thurston's research bridges traditional evidence-based interventions like CBT with arts psychotherapies, creating the novel "Arts for the Blues" approach that integrates drawing, writing, and movement into talking therapies for depression treatment. Her work spans depression treatment, creative arts therapy, digital psychotherapies, trauma therapy, psychological flow states, and cross-cultural studies of mental health professionals' wellbeing. She has conducted extensive research on clients' perceptions of helpful and unhelpful factors in psychological therapies, which directly informed her therapeutic innovations. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strategic focus on building the evidence base for creative interventions through feasibility studies, realist evaluations, and systematic reviews. Her work demonstrates a methodical progression from conceptual development to implementation science, with increasing attention to scalability, cultural factors, and digital adaptation of therapeutic approaches. The cross-cultural dimension of her work, particularly studies across 12 European countries during the pandemic, adds significant depth to her contributions to the field. Her scientific recognition includes the prestigious NIHR DCAF Fellowship, which supports her current work developing a Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) for Arts for the Blues in NHS Talking Therapies. NIHR DCAF Fellowship Dr. Omylinska-Thurston actively supervises PhD students in Psychological Therapies and leads multiple significant research projects funded by diverse sources including GMMH, Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and Arts Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Her current portfolio includes a major feasibility RCT of Arts for the Blues in NHS Talking Therapies (2024-2028), Arts for the Blues CPD training programs, and collaborative community research to tackle health inequalities through creative approaches. As a key member of the Centre for Applied Health Research at the University of Salford, she contributes to advancing knowledge in mental health interventions through interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge clinical psychology, arts practice, and healthcare delivery systems. Her work represents a significant innovation in making creative therapies accessible within mainstream NHS services while maintaining rigorous evidence standards.

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• +4 more

Lone Baandrup serves as a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Copenhagen, with primary specialization in Psychiatry and operational affiliation to Copenhagen University Hospital (Region Hovedstaden). Her institutional base is located at Blegdamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, where she integrates clinical practice with academic research in mental health services. Her research portfolio demonstrates deep engagement with trauma-related disorders, severe mental illness management, and psychiatric care optimization. Key interests include Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder pathophysiology, pharmacological interventions for bipolar mania, environmental impacts on mental health (notably lighting protocols), and safety outcomes in restraint practices. Her work consistently addresses real-world clinical challenges through register-based epidemiology, quality improvement frameworks, and intervention studies targeting vulnerable populations. Analysis of her 2024-2025 publications reveals three dominant trajectories: (1) development of evidence-based treatment algorithms for acute psychiatric conditions, (2) investigation of systemic healthcare disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) innovative non-pharmacological approaches to improve inpatient mental health outcomes. These studies frequently employ quasi-experimental designs, national registry data, and Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology to bridge research and clinical implementation. No scientific awards were documented in the source materials. While specific advising roles and grant details remain unreported, her collaborative publications involving multidisciplinary teams (including physicians, epidemiologists, and hospital administrators) suggest active mentorship in clinical research. The absence of laboratory descriptions indicates her work primarily utilizes clinical registries and hospital-based observational studies rather than wet-lab facilities.