Psychology and Mental Health: Beyond Nature and Nurture
Learn how a psychological understanding of our emotions and behaviour gives us new ways to improve mental health and wellbeing.
- Duration6 weeks
- Weekly study3 hours
Psychology and Mental Health: Beyond Nature and Nurture
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Psychological therapies and the work of clinical psychologists are now very popular. This free online course provides an introduction to how psychologists understand emotions, behaviours and thinking patterns, and how this helps clinical psychologists make sense of their clients’ problems.
Over six weeks, you will explore some of the current challenges and debates in the area of diagnosis and treatment, and discover new ways of thinking psychologically about mental health.
You will gain new perspectives on the “nature vs nurture” debate, and understand how we are affected by life experiences. You will also discuss new research, which promises to help us improve our own mental health and well-being.
You will learn with Peter Kinderman, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool, and author of “A Prescription for Psychiatry: Why We Need a Whole New Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing.”
You can find out more about this course in Peter’s post for the FutureLearn blog: “Rethinking mental health and well-being.”
What topics will you cover?
- The impact of biological and neurological traits on mental health and wellbeing
- The impact social elements have on mental health and wellbeing
- The extent to which life events can impact on how we act
- The role that rumination plays in wellbeing and mental health
- Evidence-based suggestions as to how we might all protect and improve our mental health and wellbeing
- The design of mental health services from a non-medical perspective
When would you like to start?
Date to be announced
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explore how social aspects can impact on mental health
- Explore the extent to which life events affect mental health and well being
- Synthesise differing contemporary approaches to health and well being
- Engage in cutting edge research into mental health and well being
- Compare different explanatory models of mental health
- Synthesise different conceptual and explanatory models of mental health
Who is the course for?
This course is aimed at anyone who wishes to understand more about psychology, about mental health or who wishes to maintain their own mental health and wellbeing.
Who will you learn with?
Lead Educator and Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool. @peterkinderman www.liv.ac.uk/psychology-health-and-society/staff/peter-kinderman
I am a post-doctorate researcher at the University of Liverpool. I am interested in the ways we assess mental health difficulties and in alternatives to psychiatric diagnosis.
Who developed the course?
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is ranked in the top 1% of higher education institutions worldwide.
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