John McGowan

John McGowan is the Academic Director of the Clinical Psychology Training Scheme at the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology, part of Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent, UK. He serves as a Professor within the School of Sciences, Psychology, Arts and Humanities, Computing, Engineering and Sports, specializing in clinical psychology training and research.

Dr. McGowan completed his psychology degree at Strathclyde University in 1990, earned his PhD from the University of Wales (Cardiff) in 1995 focusing on failures in skilled performance and attentional mechanisms, and completed his clinical psychology training at Salomons in 2000. His professional journey includes significant NHS experience in Kent and Sussex, primarily working as a psychologist on inpatient mental health wards.

His research interests span personality disorders, suicide and self-harm, formulation in complex care settings, the role of psychological practitioners in multi-disciplinary teams, and psychological thinking in inpatient environments. Clinically oriented primarily in psychodynamic approaches, he has additional training in cognitive-analytic therapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and mentalisation-based therapy. His work examining cognitive-behavioral therapy for psychosis reflects his commitment to bridging clinical practice and research.

McGowan's 15 most recent publications demonstrate consistent engagement with mental health policy, psychiatric diagnosis controversies, and public understanding of psychological issues. His writing spans academic analysis, public commentary, and cultural critique, often appearing in outlets like The Conversation and Spiked. The articles reveal evolving interests from foundational clinical psychology topics toward broader societal implications of mental health frameworks.

As editor and frequent contributor to the Salomons Institute blog Discursive of Tunbridge Wells, McGowan maintains an active public engagement profile. His work reflects the institute's commitment to connecting academic psychology with real-world applications and public discourse.

Dr. McGowan's professional activities include research on suicide and clinical decision-making in high-risk situations, personality disorders and recovery, and the role of psychology in medical settings. His recent work includes coordinating a review document on advances in depression treatment funded by the BPS Division of Clinical Psychology.

Based at the Salomons Centre for Applied Psychology in Tunbridge Wells, McGowan contributes to an institution that runs training courses in Clinical Psychology and CBT while developing practice improvement programs for child and adolescent mental health services.