Staff Profile
Dr Penn Smith
Associate Professor; Postgraduate Programme Lead, Counselling
I am an Associate Professor and Programme Lead for the postgraduate courses in Counselling. I am a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a registered member of the BACP (MBACP). My research and therapeutic interests are in relational trauma, social justice, mental health rehabilitation and recovery, and developing the use of creativity in teaching, counselling, and research.
As a practitioner, I have worked therapeutically with vulnerable children, young people, and adults across the third sector and emergency services, as well as worked as an advocate for homeless young people and their families. My core therapeutic approach is integrative with an emphasis on humanistic philosophies and theory. I am also an experienced mental health trainer and have delivered bespoke trauma-informed, creative training to professional coaches and mental health practitioners.
As a member of the leadership team and advisory board for the York St John Communities Centre I am passionate about supporting the Centre and its inspirational work within the community. I am particularly interested in supporting the high-quality counselling placements on offer and the Centre's engagement with trauma-informed research.
Qualifications
- Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (2022)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (Leeds Beckett University, 2019)
- PhD in Psychology (University of Leeds, 2019)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy (York St John University, 2015)
- BA (Hons) in Counselling Studies (York St John University, 2013)
- School – School of Education, Language and Psychology
- Email – p.smith2@yorksj.ac.uk
- Phone – 01904 876 539
- Research - View my work in RaY
- Postgraduate Research Supervisor
Further information
Teaching
I lead and teach on the Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Counselling, which is a BACP accredited training course. I am experienced in delivering theory lectures, supporting students in skills practice and supervision, and facilitating personal and professional group work.
Research
I have strong skills in qualitative research methods and a particular interest in relational trauma, social justice, mental health rehabilitation and recovery, and developing the use of creativity in teaching, counselling, and research.
I have a special interest and expertise in using creative research methods, in particular photo-elicitation and the use of creativity in service evaluation.
I supervise a number of doctoral and postgraduate students. My doctorate students interests are in using participatory arts practice with veterans and exploring grief experiences of black Caribbean and black African people.
Publications
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Charura, D., & Smith, P. (2024). A duoethnographic exploration of Relational Psychotraumatology: research, training, and practice considerations. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 24 (3). pp. 972-981.
Smith, P., Charura, D., Joslin, B., Law, H., Lings, B. (Under review). Exploring lived experiences of mental health professionals: promoting a trauma-informed, existential rights-based approach to mental health care.
Smith, P., Thompson, A., & Madill, A. (2023). Staff experiences of a novel in‐reach rehabilitation and recovery service for people with profound and enduring mental health needs. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing.
Smith, P., Simpson, L., & Madill, A. (2021). Service user experiences of a novel in‐reach rehabilitation and recovery service for people with profound and enduring mental health needs. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 30(5), 1106-1116.
Book chapters
Smith, P., Simpson, L., & Madill, A. (In press). Using photo-elicitation to gain an in-depth understanding of service user and staff experience: An ethical framework for mental health research. In R., Graber, M., Fernandes-Jesus, S., Wilson, & C., Harris (Eds). Community Psychology in Action: Striving towards social justice and wellbeing in challenging times. Routledge Ltd.
Smith, P., & Charura, D. (2024). Working through relational trauma: An exploration of narratives of lived experiences of trauma and recovery. In Zoë Boden-Stuart & Michael Larkin (Eds). Relationships and Mental Health: Relational experience in distress and recovery. Palgrave MacMillian.
Charura, D., & Smith, P. (2023). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In C., Feltham, T., Hanley & L. A., Winter (Eds). The SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy. (5th ed.). Sage Publications Ltd.
Newsletters
Smith, P. (2020). Photo Elicitation Study of a Novel In-reach R&R Service. Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Innovation Research and Development Newsletter, 38, 14-115.
Smith, P., & Madill, A. (2017). Photo Elicitation Study of a Novel In-reach Rehabilitation and Recovery Service. Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Innovation Research and Development Newsletter, 27, 10-11.
Commissioned report
Smith, P., & Madill, A. (2019). Photo elicitation study of a novel in-reach Rehabilitation and Recovery Service for people with severe and enduring mental health needs. The University of Leeds, School of Psychology report to Leeds & York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Most up-to-date professional activities (within the last 5 years)
Event organisation
Smith, P., Finlay, L., Charura, D., & Lago, C. (2022). Diverse relational encounters in counselling and psychotherapy. Book Launch. York St John University.
Charura, D., Smith, P., Spring, H., Howlett, F., & Parveen, R. (2022). We all share the same sky: Refugee and asylum seekers knowledge sharing event. York St John University.
Conference presentations
Smith, P., & Charura, D. (2023). Working through relational trauma: An exploration of narratives of lived experiences of trauma and recovery. Qualitative Research on Mental Health Conference 2023, Budapest.
Smith, P., & Collyer, J. (2023). Working creatively to enhance student engagement, attendance, and wellbeing. Talking About Teaching 2023, York St John University.
Charura, D., Smith, P., Spring, H., Howlett, F., & Parveen, R. (2022). We all share the same sky. Healing through creativity, knowledge sharing, and conversations with refugees and asylum seekers. We all share the same sky: Refugee and asylum seekers knowledge sharing event. York St John University
Smith, P., & Madill, A. (2021). Framing recovery: A photo elicitation study of the experiences of service users within an in-reach Rehabilitation and Recovery Service. BACP Annual Conference 2021.
Smith, P., & Madill, A. (2021). Capturing mental health recovery: Photo elicitation study into service users’ experiences of a Rehabilitation and Recovery Service. Qualitative Research on Mental Health Conference 2021, Malta.
Conference posters
Smith, P., Charura, D., Spring, H., Howlett, F., & Parveen, R. (2022). We all share the same sky. Healing through creativity, knowledge sharing, and conversations with refugees and asylum seekers. We all share the same sky: Refugee and asylum seekers knowledge sharing event. York St John University.
Smith, P., & Madill, A. (2021). Because every picture has a story to tell: Photo elicitation study into staff and service users’ experiences of a Rehabilitation and Recovery Service. Qualitative Research on Mental Health Conference 2021, Malta.
Professional activities
I am a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol), a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and a Registered Member of the BACP (MBACP).
I hold the position of Deputy Chair for the York St John School of Education, Language and Psychology Ethics Committee, and I am a member of the Student Casework team, and School Quality Panel.
I am on the British Psychological Society list of External/Viva Examiners and also external examiner for the MSc in Mental Health, Trauma, and Psychological Wellbeing at Nottingham Trent University.
I am a member of the Leadership team and Advisory Board for the York St John Communities Centre.
