Adam Ottley-Porter
About
Biography
Adam is one of the Lecturers on the Advanced Practice in Psychological Wellbeing programme. This course involves training clinicians (Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners or PWP's) to deliver low intensity therapy for anxiety and depression within the national NHS Talking Therapies pathway. This includes teaching, creating and updating the materials for delivering his lectures, marking and assessing a variety of assignments and working as a personal tutor who liaises with the placement services the students/trainees are working in. He also leads on Module 1 which looks at how PWP's assess and engage their patients and Module 4, where trainee PWP's evidence their practice over their training. As part of his teaching role Adam completed the PGCert in Higher Education in 2024, earning a Distinction and Fellowship to the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). As part of his PGCert he was shortlisted for the Lewis Elton Award for Educational Innovation, receiving a Highly Commended Certificate.
Adam also works as a PWP within an NHS Talking Therapies service. This involves supporting people with mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is a mixture of 1-1, group and computerised support. Within this role he is also a supervisor, preceptor and line manager and completed further training to work with long term physical health conditions.
His working background prior to his PWP role has been primarily working with individuals who have moderate or severe Learning Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Adam continues to liaise regularly with colleagues in these services as part of his PWP role to ensure people that have a Learning Disability and are are able to access mainstream mental health services are provided the opportunity to do so. This remains a key area of interest and influences Adam's passion for improving accessibility to all who may have some form of neurodiversity.
Adam's other area of interest is around perinatal mental health/care. This relates both to mothers and mothers to be having worked with many perinatal mothers struggling with depression and anxiety, but also extends to partner wellbeing and improving/normalising conversations around baby loss. This has led to his current, and future, blog posts and videos around normalising baby loss being published by Tommy's (National Pregnancy and Baby Loss Charity) and circulated on social media.
Since October 2024 Adam has been appointed External Examiner for Buckinghamshire New University who award the Graduate Certificate for the Oxford Health NHS Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Training programme.
University roles and responsibilities
- Personal Tutor on APPW Course
- Module 1 (PSY3110/PSYM126) Lead and Lecturer - Engagement and Assessment of Common Mental Health Problems
- Lecturer on Module 2 (PSY3111/PSYM127) Evidence-based treatment of common mental health problems
- Lecturer on Module 3 (PSY3113/PSYM129) - Values, diversity and context.
- Lecturer on Module 4 (PSY3112/PSYM128) - Evidencing your practice
My qualifications
Lewis Elton Award for Educational Innovation 2024 (Certificate of Commendation)
Previous roles
Working in an NHS talking therapies service delivering treatment interventions and assessments for those experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and depression.
Affiliations and memberships
News
In the media
ResearchResearch interests
I have broad interest in research into Mental Health, Healthcare, NHS, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
A more specific areas of interest focuses on Neurodiversity (particularly ASD, ADHD Specific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia, and Learning Disability) both from a patient perspective and how to support therapeutic treatment, but also around broadening and better supporting Psychological Professionals with these diagnoses.
I also have an interest in Perinatal Mental Health, particularly around the topics of baby/pregnancy loss and fathers/partners including wellbeing.
Research interests
I have broad interest in research into Mental Health, Healthcare, NHS, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
A more specific areas of interest focuses on Neurodiversity (particularly ASD, ADHD Specific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia, and Learning Disability) both from a patient perspective and how to support therapeutic treatment, but also around broadening and better supporting Psychological Professionals with these diagnoses.
I also have an interest in Perinatal Mental Health, particularly around the topics of baby/pregnancy loss and fathers/partners including wellbeing.
Teaching
Adam lectures across the Advanced Practice in Psychological Wellbeing course.
In Module 1 this includes teaching various elements of how to assess patients within NHS talking therapies services. Specific lectures taught within this has included the important of reflective practice, the understanding and building of a therapeutic relationship and setting goals and shared planning with patients.
Teaching in module 2 includes lectures on various treatment interventions used as a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner. This has included, but not limited to, 'Behavioural Activation for Depression', 'Physical Activity and Exercise', 'Sleep Hygiene' and 'Worry Management for Generalised Anxiety'. Adam has also supported colleagues in teaching on 'Cognitive Restructuring', 'Graded Exposure Therapy', 'Problem Solving' and 'Medication Management'.
Module 3 focuses on the broader concepts of diversity and working in an anti-discriminatory way with patients and within NHS Talking Therapies services. Adam's particular focuses in this module are on working with 'Neurodiversity', 'Perinatal Mental Health', 'Digital Capability' and the link between 'Employment and Mental Health'. Adam has also supported, and continues to support, his colleagues in teaching on other topics such as 'Race and Culture', 'Gender and Sexuality', 'Long Term Physical Health Conditions' and 'Ethics in Practice'.
Wider teaching also includes running supervisor support sessions for informing newer placement supervisors, or a refresher, of what is involved in the programme and how to support trainees around the relevant assignments.