ISABEL CLARKE
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
My work spans two areas: psychosis and spirituality, and clinical psychology. Both draw on the research based Interacting Cognitive Subsystems model of cognition, and both seek to bring spirituality into centre stage, founding it in cognitive and other research and theory, and regarding it as a central part of what it means to be human.
Having worked in Mental Health within the NHS since 1988, I have developed this new way of approaching mental health challenge, now branded as:
Comprehend, Cope and Connect (CCC - earlier known as Emotion Focused Formulation Approach, EFFA) in the diverse contexts of Acute, IAPT and Culture Free Adaptation. PCN and Transformation in Primary Care are also adopting it.
See "ICS Underpinning 3rd Wave CBT" section for more on CCC, my books, e.g. Meeting Mental Breakdown Mindfully. See Psychosis and Spirituality and Madness Mystery and the Survival of God for more on that aspect of my work. I am primarily a clinician (and writer), but welcome collaboration with others to research the approach which has been widely adopted in UK mental health services, and elsewhere.
I am also a founder member and director of the Spiritual Crisis Network - a role which is complementary to my NHS position.
LATEST PAPERS: See Clinical Home Page
Papers on the Climate Crisis: see 'Ecology and the Relational Self' page.
STOP PRESS! Our paper in RCPsych Bulletin
Harris, J., Clarke, I., Aniceto, P., Baxter, L., Cavieres, M., Courtney, H., Donaldson, C. Draper, M., Farr, A., Gaussen, K., Haworth, K., Hooper, R., Jones, H., Khatun, H., Lennon, L., McNaught, M., Nicholls, H., Pearson, K., Pitt, J., Wilkinson-Tough, M., Wong, D., Riches, S. (2025) BJPsych Bulletin, First View, pp. 1 - 6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2025.29
NEW BOOK
MEETING MENTAL BREAKDOWN MINDFULLY: HOW TO HELP THE COMPREHEND, COPE AND CONNECT WAY.
Routledge - Follow the link for a flyer with 20% discount.
PREVIOUS BOOKS
Madness, Mystery and the Survival of God
'O' books. 2008
- Why do people still believe in God and the supernatural in a scientific age?
- How come madness and mysticism are so similar?
- What can we learn from this?
- Psychological science offers an intriguing new perspective on these questions: one that relates the great challenges that face us, whether of ecology or fanaticism, to our basic limits as human beings.
- It is a perspective that places human beings in the context of relationship with a larger and ever mysterious whole.
PODCASTS AND INTERVIEWS
Interview with Mannah for her Therapeutic Astrology Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqEaLEL6YT0
New Interview for Richard Wickes' Discover Energy Work Podcast
Interview with Danny Iacono on his podcast: The Passing Through Podcast, covering: Ecology, climate crisis, clinical psychology, podcast
Listen here
Hour long interview with Ricky Derisz, as part of his MindThatEgo podcast
Psychosis and Spirituality with Isabel Clarke
Interview with Patricia Grootjans, Quantum Healing Practitioner about Psychosis and Spirituality and the Spiritual Crisis Network.
CCC AS A CULTURALLY ADAPTED - CULTURE FREE THERAPY
CCC has emerged as a promising avenue to pursue in the quest to adapt therapy to non Western cultures. It has been recognized as both suitable and relatively 'Culture Free'. See the 3rd Wave CBT page for details.
CCC TRAINING
One or 2 Day Workshops
Face to Face preferred.
For individuals to use the approach in their therapy practice.
Train a whole team, Acute Mental Health, CMHT etc., to think and work psychologically.
Just get in touch via the contact details.
For more details and details of other workshops: Self and Spirituality, Psychosis and Spirituality, The Dynamics of Running Groups, Anger Management - see under ICS underpinning 3rd Wave CBT.
RECENT BOOK CHAPTERS
- Clarke, I., Powell, J. A. & JH. (2021) Voices, visions and the spiritual journey. In S. Aris, H. Garroway & H. Gilbert (Eds.) Mental Health, Spirituality and Wellbeing: A Handbook for Health and Social Care Professionals, Service Users and Carers. Pavilion Publishing: Shoreham by Sea.
- Clarke, I. & Tilda (2023) Conflicted Stories. A case of expanded reality. In Diaz-Garrido, J. A. (Ed.) Psychological Interventions for Psychosis: Towards a paradigm shift. Springer Cham.
- Clarke, I. (2022) Spirituality and the Fallacy of the Medical Model. In E.Maisel & C. Ruby,(eds.). Humane Alternatives to the Psychiatric Model. Ethics Press: International.
CULTURE FREE CBT
Phiri, P., Clarke, I., Baxter, L., Elliot, K. Rathod, S. and Naeem, F. (2021) Culture Free CBT for Diverse Groups. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.93904 - Open access peer-reviewed chapter
Phiri, P., Clarke, I. Baxter, L., Yutain, Z. Shi, J. Yuan, X., Rathod, S., Soomro, M., Delanerolle, G. & Naeem, F. (2023) Evaluation of a culturally adapted cognitive behavior therapy-based, third-wave therapy manual. World Journal of Psychiatry 13 (1) 15-35 - Download
Paper in Preparation: Myths of Power. The Relationship between Life Defining Meaning and Science
WEBINAR
Talk on the place of research in the development of my approach given to the Spiritual Crisis Network's Research Group:
Title: Linking Clinical Experience and Research
ISPS-US Webinar
Comprehend, Cope, Connect: An Experience Based Approach to Mental Health
Presented by Isabel Clarke, chaired by Ron Unger.
Watch here
PUBLISHED RESEARCH
David Araci & Isabel Clarke (2017): Investigating the efficacy of a whole team, psychologically informed, acute mental health service approach, Journal of Mental Health, 26, 307-311.
Third Wave CBT Integration for Individuals and Teams
How to Deal with Anger
ANGER MANAGEMENT
Self Help Book: How to deal with anger and frustration. John Murray Learning.