Health Psychology

Promoting healthier lifestyles

How can we understand and predict health-related behaviour? What are the most effective ways to promote healthier lifestyles? How can we help people manage the impact of long-term conditions? Why do some people fail to engage with health services? How do our experiences of healthcare impact on our wellbeing?

If these are the kind of questions you encounter in your work, voluntary role, research or studies, our health psychology experts can help inform, advance and challenge your thinking.

We keep you up to date with latest developments in the dynamic and evolving profession of health psychology. Building on the success of our MSc Health Psychology, we offer a range of training and consultancy services showing how psychology can be applied to understanding our experiences of health, ill health and engagement with healthcare systems. We adopt a variety of perspectives, from biological processes to complex cognitive and affective processes.

Our expertise

Our team of specialists is made up of Chartered Psychologists and includes Associate Fellows of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and HCPC-registered Health Psychologists. Their research expertise spans a wide range of themes.

• Professor James Elander: conducts research on the psychological and behavioural aspects of chronic illness, including pain coping, pain management and how people use painkillers
• Dr Vicki Staples: undertakes studies into perceptions of – and stigma surrounding – obesity, as well as weight bias in society and across professional groups
• Dr Amy Baraniak: researches primary healthcare and lifestyle interventions in areas such as smoking cessation, management of long-term health conditions, and the impact of informal caregiving on health and wellbeing

Health Psychology Services

We provide workshops, training and evaluation in any general areas of health psychology – including for non-psychologists – as well as consultancy and research projects aligned to our particular specialisms. 

These services are available to health and social care organisations and professionals; third sector organisations such as charities and patient representative groups; and businesses interested in enhancing the health and wellbeing of their workforce.