Plenary Speakers
Lucy Johnstone, PsyD
Dr Lucy Johnstone is a consultant clinical psychologist, author of 'Users and abusers of psychiatry' (3rd edition Routledge 2021) and ‘A straight-talking guide to psychiatric diagnosis’ (PCCS Books, 2nd edition 2022); co-editor of 'Formulation in psychology and psychotherapy: making sense of people's problems' (Routledge, 2nd edition 2013); and co-author of ‘A straight talking introduction to the Power Threat Meaning Framework’, 2020, PCCS Books) along with a number of other chapters and articles taking a critical perspective on mental health theory and practice. She is the former Programme Director of the Bristol Clinical Psychology Doctorate in the UK and has worked in Adult Mental Health settings for many years. She is Visiting Professor at London South Bank University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
She was lead author, along with Professor Mary Boyle, for the ‘Power Threat Meaning Framework’ (2018), a British Psychological Society publication co-produced with service users, which outlines a conceptual alternative to psychiatric diagnosis. She currently works as an independent trainer, and lives in Bristol, UK.
Dr Johnstone will be giving the following presentation: The Power Threat Meaning Framework: A conceptual alternative to the diagnostic model of distress
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Maria Karekla, Ph.D. 
Dr. Maria Karekla is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor at the University of Cyprus where she heads the ACThealthy Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Medicine laboratory. She is a peer-reviewed acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) therapy trainer, and presently serves as the President of ACBS, where she has been a fellow since 2019. She is also a fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM). She was nominated in 2017 for the National Literary Awards in the children/adolescents category, and also for her illustrations for the book. She has received numerous national and international awards and grants for her research work. In 2018, she was nominated as Cyprus Woman of the Year in the academic/researcher category.
Dr. Karekla will be giving the following presentation: Are we there yet? Digitally moving towards the future of contextual behavior science.
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
.jpg)
Susan Michie, FMedSci, FAcSS, FBA
Susan Michie, FMedSci, FAcSS, FBA is Professor of Health Psychology and Director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, UK. She is the Chair of WHO’s Behavioural Insights and Sciences Technical Advisory Group, participated in the Lancet’s Covid-19 Commission and served as an expert advisor on the UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies and its Behavioural Science group. Susan is part of the UK’s Policy Research Unit in Behavioural Sciences, advising the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care. Professor Michie has served as Chair of the UK Food Standard Agency’s Social Sciences Advisory Committee and chaired the Academy of Social Science’s ‘Health of People’ project. Susan’s research focuses on behaviour change in relation to health and the environment: how to understand it theoretically and apply theory to intervention development and evaluation, and to evidence synthesis and translation.
Professor Michie will be giving the following presentation: Using models and ontologies to enable behaviour change
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Pádraig Ó Tuama
Pádraig Ó Tuama is the host of On Being’s Poetry Unbound and also the author of Poetry Unbound; 50 Poems to Open Your Life. Profiled by The New Yorker, published in Poetry Ireland, the Harvard Review, The Kenyon Review and many others, he brings interests in conflict, language, religion and power to his work. From 2014-2019 he was the leader of the Corrymeela Community, Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation community. Ó Tuama has numerous professional accreditations in conflict, focusing particularly on dynamics of group conflicts.
Pádraig Ó Tuama will be giving the following presentation: Poetry: Finding a Home in the World
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Invited Speakers
Vera Araújo-Soares, Lic. Psych; MSc, PhD, FEHPS
Vera is currently leading the Division on Prevention of the Center for Preventive Medicine and Digital Health (CPD) at the Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany. Vera led the Behaviour Change programme in Fuse, the UK Clinical Research Collaboration Centre of Excellence for Translational Research in Public Health. She has also served as the 14th elected President of the European Health Psychology Society. Her research is theoretically grounded, applied, interdisciplinary and multi-methodological and funded by major funders such as the UK National Institute for Health Research and the Medical Research Council.
Vera Araújo-Soares will be giving the following presentation: Developing Behaviour Change Interventions for Self-Management in Chronic Illness
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Tamar Black, Ph.D.
Dr. Black is an educational and developmental psychologist in Melbourne, Australia. She has 20 years of experience working as a school psychologist, and 21 years of experience in private practice, working with children, adolescents and parents. She is an approved supervisor with the Psychology Board of Australia and the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychology. Tamar has trained extensively in ACT and has expertise in supervising psychologists in using ACT for treating children and adolescents. Tamar is an experienced and very enthusiastic ACT trainer and provides training to local and international organisations and professionals working with children around the world.
Dr. Black will be giving the following presentation: Using the ACT Kidflex with Children and Adolescents: Making ACT Practical, Engaging and Easy to Understand
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Raimo Lappalainen, Ph.D.
Dr. Lappalainen is a professor in clinical psychology and psychotherapy at the Department of Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. A licensed psychologist and psychotherapist. He has acted as the vice head and the head of the Department of Psychology between years 2008-2013. He has over 25 years experience of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (CBT) with expertise especially in the third wave CBT, acceptance and value –based interventions. Author of more than 100 scientific articles and books. Special expertise in applying and constructing web- and mobile-based psychological interventions. His main research interests are development of brief psychological interventions, including web- and mobile -based interventions for wellness management.
Dr. Lappalainen will be giving the following presentation: From Magis mobile games to Student Compass - Mobile technology to increase psychological flexibility in children, adolescents and young adults
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.
Alexandros Lordos, Ph.D.
Dr. Lordos is currently an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Cyprus. He also has served as Head of Learning and Innovation at the Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development, based in Brussels. He is also a member of the boards of directors of several private companies, visiting scientist at the School of Public Health of Harvard University and a senior associate of the International Peacebuilding Advisory Team. He is the writer of award-winning papers on peace and psychology.
Dr. Lordos will be giving the following presentation: Developing national infrastructures for multisystemic recovery and resilience: A process-based approach
Click here for a complete bio and session abstract.