Jonathan Isserow

Jonathan Isserow is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Roehampton, where he convenes the MA Art Psychotherapy Programme. He has served as Head of the Arts and Play Therapy Programmes (2010–2018) and currently holds the role of Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement. His work spans psychoanalysis, documentary film, and visual research methods in therapeutic studies.

• PhD from University College London (UCL)
• MA in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies from Tavistock Clinic & University of East London (UEL)
• PgDip in Art Therapy from University of Hertfordshire
• BA Fine Art from University of Witwatersrand

Isserow’s research focuses on infant mental health, child development, and the visual turn in psychoanalysis, with an emphasis on negative capability and participatory visual methodologies. His recent projects include a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Mind Brent, Westminster and Wandsworth (2024–2026) and PSYTES: Psychological Therapies Evaluation (2024). His publications highlight intersections between psychoanalytic theory, documentary film, and therapeutic practices.

His 2023 article Looking with liquid explores water’s role in art psychotherapy, while his 2019 work Object representation bridges infant observation with observational documentary. Earlier studies (2013, 2008) examine symbol formation in art therapy and retroactive subjectivity in film. Themes across his work include visual joint attention, therapeutic symbolism, and cross-modal research.

As a British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) member and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registrant, Isserow combines clinical practice with academic leadership. He mentors practice-based research proposals in art psychotherapy and therapeutic studies at MPhil/PhD levels.