MBCT for difficult-to-treat depression workshop

Thorsten Barnhofer

Thorsten Barnhofer, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Surrey where he conducts research into the use of mindfulness-based interventions for the treatment of depression and associated mental disorders across the lifespan.

Barney Dunn

Barney Dunn is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the Mood Disorders Centre, University of Exeter. He co-directs the AccEPT clinic, an NHS commissioned psychological therapies innovation service, which has included mindfulness based approaches as part of its offerings for the past 15 years. His particular research interests around mindfulness and MBCT are adapting it for hard-to-treat depression and understanding its impacts on positive emotions and wellbeing.

Florian Ruths

Florian Ruths is a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital in London and former community psychiatrist. As lead for the Maudsley Mindfulness Service he has been delivering Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Groups (MBCT) for patients with chronic depression and anxiety problems for 18 years. He is running an mindfulness-based program to improve compassion, well-being and resilience in doctors at the Maudsley and Kings Hospital (“MBCT-HIT”). Florian has converted this 8 week mindfulness program into a 2-day retreat format (“M4MD”), which he has been delivering in cities across the UK for several years. Florian is the London-lead of a randomised-controlled multicentre trial investigating mindfulness on patients with CBT-resistant depression (RESPOND). The study is in publication stage. Florian explores the overlaps between psychiatry and mindfulness approaches to help patients with emotional disorders and complex trauma. Florian teaches Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Schema therapy & MBCT on MSc and DClinPsych Courses at King’s College in London. He was co-opted in 2024 onto the General Adult Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists to promote the re-introduction of a psychological and relational foundation into British Psychiatry Training and Practice.

Mary Ryan

Mary Ryan was as a doctor for many years but now works in a variety of roles to use her own experiences of severe mental health problems to improve mental health care. She is committed to making lived experiences central to all mental health research and contributes to a range of projects exploring better treatments for depression and better care for people with personality disorders, suicidality or self-harm.

Clara Strauss

Clara Strauss is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Deputy Director of Research in Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, where she co-leads Sussex Mindfulness Centre, and a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Sussex. She is a mindfulness teacher, supervisor and researcher who is passionate about learning from research and putting research findings into practice. Her particular research interests are in developing and evaluating the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of mindfulness and compassion approaches to support wellbeing and mental health.