Bryony Walker, Course Director

Bryony Walker

Course Director

Bryony Walker is Course Director for Undergraduate and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the Psychological Therapies and Mental Health subject group. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a registered Occupational Therapist (OT) and ILM qualified and practicing coach.

Prior to working in Higher Education, Bryony worked in a range of mental health settings and specialised in Early Interventions in Psychosis (EIP). During her work in EIP services, she trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis and Family Work and developed an interest in therapeutically supporting families and carers using group work.

For 10 years, Bryony was programme lead for the manualised Positive Living and Understanding Psychosis (PLUS) course. A course for carers and family members delivered in partnership with Leeds and York Partnership Foundation Trust and co-created with carers and the voluntary sector. Most recently, Bryony worked as project lead with, Claire Surr, Professor of Dementia Studies, to adapt the PLUS model to inform the design and content of The Empowering Families Affected by Dementia Education Programme funded by the Department of Health (DoH) and mentioned in DoH (2016) Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020.

Internationally, Bryony has worked in Zambia on a DFID funded, Development Partnerships in Higher Education project (DelPHE) with academic colleagues at Chainama College Lusaka, Zambia. The purpose of this project was to support the further development of education and training for the mental health workforce, as the new mental health policy and strategic plan was being implemented.

Current Teaching

Bryony is currently course leader of the Undergraduate Certificate in Counselling and Interpersonal Skills. She teaches across all levels, from undergraduate to post graduate, on subjects such as; mental health, professional development, coaching, cognitive behavioural therapy and working with families and carers. Bryony has extensive experience of collaborating with partners in health and social care to design bespoke accredited and non-accredited teaching and learning for the workforce.

Research Interests

Bryony’s research interests are family experiences of long-term caregiving and the impact of short-term group interventions on long-term care-giving. Bryony’s interest is in action research and participatory methods.

Bryony Walker, Course Director