Lynne Gabriel, OBE
Professor of Counselling and Mental Health
Founder and Centre Director, York St John Communities Centre
REF Impact Case Study Lead and co-lead for REF Unit of Assessment (UoA 3, Allied Health).
My work involves teaching and enhancing student experience through engagement with research and practice in the clinical and training environment of the York St John Communities Centre. The Centre offers high quality placements and work related opportunities. I lead on a Masters research programme and supervise doctoral and postgraduate researchers. I am founder and Centre Director of the University’s Communities Centre, which is about to move into premises at 32-34 Clarence Street. The Centre has a talented operational and leadership team and provides a REF (Research Excellence Framework) case study for the University. You can find out more about the Communities Centre on our webpage:
York St John Communities Centre
For my work in mental health and education across decades I was awarded an OBE in 2022. I am very honoured to have worked with many talented people and teams across the years, including the current Centre leadership, management and office team. I believe that the OBE honours all of the colleagues I’ve worked with across the years.
I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing and have been involved at national and international level in the development of counselling as a frontline intervention for wellbeing and human distress. In 2007 I was awarded a Fellowship of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and have won local and national awards for contributions to mental health. I am a former Chair of the Association, and have chaired a number of committees, including professional conduct and ethics. I am also active in the York mental health networks and was recently appointed as Co-Chair of York’s Mental Health Partnership Board, working alongside Dr Steve Wright from NHS England and TEWV. You can read more about my background in this article.
I lead a taught MA research year and supervise doctoral and postgraduate researchers.
In recent years I set up a public facing counselling and mental health service, based on the University campus. A key aim of the project was to provide quality teaching and educational placements for students. The project has provided clinical, training and work related placements for many students and is now known as the York St John Communities Centre.
I am passionate about research and value the production of practice-base evidence and evidence informed practice.
After setting up the York St John based counselling and mental health centre, now known as the York St John Communities Centre, I connected with other universities to set up a research consortium. This has now developed into the UK Training, Research and Counselling Clinic Consortium, with collaborators from multiple UK universities and two lead bodies in the counselling professions: British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP).
Recent publications
Across the years I have been involved in multiple professional activities, locally, nationally and internationally.
The following are examples of some of my recent involvements:
- Chair of BACP Ethics and Good Practice Guidance Committee (stepping down in 2023)
- Co-Chair of York’s Mental Health Partnership Board
- Member of UK Expert Reference Group for SCoPED (scoping of practice and education in counselling and psychotherapy)
- Founder and member of the UK Training, Research and Counselling Clinics (TRACCs)
- Member of the international Pluralistic Practice Network - I am a member of several of the network's working groups
- Conference host for 2023 BACP student conference
