Jo Read

Dr Jo Read is a Senior Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of East London. Their research focuses on critical mental health practices, with a focus on antidepressant withdrawal, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) safety, trauma-informed care, and challenging biomedical models of psychosis. They lead international audits of ECT usage and advocate for patient-centered approaches to mental health.

Education background includes advanced qualifications in counselling psychology, though specific degree details aren’t provided. Research interests span psychopharmacology critiques, voice-hearing phenomenology, and the Power Threat Meaning Framework as an alternative to diagnostic systems.

Publications emphasize ECT risks, antidepressant dependency, and the role of adverse life events in mental health challenges. They’ve conducted influential surveys on antipsychotic withdrawal experiences and led audits revealing gaps in trauma inquiry practices among healthcare professionals.

Advocacy work includes calls for improved patient information leaflets, government accountability for drug dependency harms, and reforms to mental health service delivery. Collaborations involve international networks like the Hearing Voices Movement and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence.

Labs/teams affiliation: Actively involved with the University of East London's mental health research initiatives and global research partnerships exploring non-biomedical approaches to psychological distress.