Mental Health and Creativity – Bath Spa University

Mental Health and Creativity – Bath Spa University
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Mental Health and Creativity
Exploring mental health through research, creativity, and collaboration
The Research Centre for Mental Health and Creativity
brings together researchers, artists, health professionals, and people with lived experience to explore how we understand and respond to mental health.
We know mental health is complex. It touches every part of life - from the personal and emotional to the social, cultural, and political. Our work recognises that distress and wellbeing aren’t just clinical concerns. They’re also deeply human experiences, shaped by the stories we tell and the systems we live within.
Creativity is central to our approach. Whether through writing, art, performance, or participatory research, we explore how creative practices can offer new insights into mental health. They can help us reframe difficult experiences, make space for unheard voices, and imagine different ways of caring for ourselves and each other.
We work across disciplines - psychology, creative writing, fine art, literature, philosophy, and more - because no single field has all the answers. Our community is collaborative and curious, open to challenge and committed to meaningful change.
We welcome partnerships with individuals, organisations, and communities who share our interest in mental health and creativity. Together, we aim to build a more thoughtful, inclusive, and imaginative understanding of what it means to be well.
Centre leaders
Agata
Vitale
Senior Lecturer in Abnormal/Clinical Psychology
Nathan
Filer
Members
Rosalchen
Whitecross
Senior Lecturer in Criminology
Marie
Thomas
Reader in Psychology
Kate
Muir
Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology
Samantha
Walton
Sara
Gallagher
Rachel
Bynoth
Alexia
Casale
Meryem
Akin
Senior Lecturer in Business and Management
Yesid
Paez
Helen
Goodman
Matthew
Baker
Senior Lecturer in Human Biology and Human Nutrition
Conor
Wilson
Director of the Art Research Centre and Research Lead for Art
CJ
Turner-McMullan
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Liz
Durden-Myers
Thomas Howard
Morris
Programme Leader for Primary Education (5-11) with QTS
Lucy
Cuthew
Bethany Rose
Lamont
Lily
Dunn
Ngosa
Kambashi
Lecturer in Forensic Psychology
Sarah
Flavel
Robert
Luzar
Christina
Williams
Jeff
Boehm
Senior Lecturer in Music
Samantha
Stewart
Simon
Taylor
Lucy
Sweetman
Rebecca
Schaaf
Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Get in touch
We are always delighted to welcome new members with fresh perspectives. If you would like to join us, please get in touch with the centre leaders.
Agata Vitale:
a.vitale@bathspa.ac.uk
Nathan Filer:
n.filer@bathspa.ac.uk
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