John Conolly is a UKCP registered Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist and Lacanian Analyst. Having led the CLCH NHS Westminster Homeless Health Counselling Service since 2009, he previously worked as an organisational psychologist. He has taught at the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust, and at the Middlesex University on the psychology of trauma and counselling skills.
At the Westminster Homeless Health Counselling Service, he realised the prevalence of complex chronic trauma (personality disorder, ‘traumatised personality’) and with the support and insight of an Expert by Experience introduced walk-in counselling clinics and anger support discussion groups for rough sleepers. He also founded and chaired the Westminster Complex Personalities Network which together with the Westminster Rough Sleepers commissioning team was instrumental in raising the profile of the PIE approach across Westminster homeless services.
He has published and spoken extensively on the Pre-treatment Therapy’ approach, and several mental health services for homeless people have been commissioned along Pre-treatment Therapy principles. John also consults to the National Forum for Homeless Mental Health Services, which is presently looking at the challenges of developing measures of change which are meaningful and operational in the face of engaging and sustaining engagement with traumatized people existing in chaotic living conditions.
John worked with Pathway to develop a short training module on trauma informed communications skills for frontline non mental health professionals. The work was funded by a small grant from The Grocers’ Company, and John’s NHS Trust further seconded him to work with Pathway to look at developing the module into a possible training programme.
A passionate believer of sustainable recovery, John was also honorary chair of the Camden and Islington Foundation NHS Trust, Recovery College from 2019 to 2021.