Dr James Costello

• Qualifications:BSc(Hons), PGDip Counselling, MSc (Psychotherapy), PhD, CChem, Registered Member MBACP (Accredited), BACP Senior Accredited Supervisor (Groups)
• Position:Senior Lecturer
• Department:College of Health, Science and Society
• Telephone:+441173282490
• Email:James.Costello@uwe.ac.uk
• Social media:

About me

I am a psychotherapist, supervisor, consultant, author, and researcher with a distinctive cross-disciplinary background spanning the psychological and natural sciences. A Registered and Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP), I hold Senior Accreditation as a Specialist in Group Supervision.

I specialise in facilitating reflective spaces and clinical supervision for professionals across a wide range of settings - including NHS mental health services, higher education institutions, third-sector organisations, and high-stakes environments such as Government Inquiries (e.g., Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, UK Covid-19).

Author & Thought Leader

My professional practice and advocacy have culminated in two major books:

Workplace Wellbeing - A Relational Approach  (Routledge, 2020).

Born of years spent resolving workplace conflict and representing members of the University and College Union, this book has been widely acclaimed:

·       “A must for anyone interested in workplace wellbeing.” – Therapy Today.
“A practical guide for managers aiming to embed wellbeing strategically.” – Prof Alex Edmans, London Business School.
“A thorough and critical exploration of humanistic skills in organisational settings.” – Personnel Psychology
“Connects theory, research, and practice through the lens of a relational approach.” – Prof Matthijs Bal, Lincoln International Business School

You can find me in conversation with BACP Workplace,, discussing gaslighting on podcast platforms, or featured on ITV’s Tonight (Series 24, Episode 20).

Philosophical Foundations of Psychotherapy: Radical Relationality (Routledge, 2024).

This second book, grounded in decades of therapeutic, supervisory, and teaching experience, was published as part of Routledge’s Advances in Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology series and has been nominated for the 2025 British Psychological Society Book Award.

Professional and Community Engagement

I serve on the editorial panels of multiple journals and publishing houses focused on mental health and the philosophy of psychology. My current research explores consciousness and sleep disturbance, and I am an active member of the British Society for Phenomenology.

As a Parent Governor, I am proud to support the exceptional staff and students of Avanti Gardens School - a community deeply committed to holistic education and wellbeing.

Area of expertise

Clinical, Educational, and Sectoral Experience

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked in both one-to-one and group contexts across a range of sectors:

• Private Sector: Co-founder of Born Human, a holistic mental health consultancy.
• Public Sector: Clinical work with the Home Office, Cabinet Office, NHS, and several UK universities.
• Third Sector: Therapeutic support for organisations including Bluebell Care (perinatal mental health), Dementia Care Trust (support for carers), and Kinergy (support for survivors of sexual abuse).

Academic and Interdisciplinary Background

I have taught and led programmes from Certificate to Doctoral level across psychology and psychotherapy, and I’m a seasoned postgraduate research supervisor (PhD, Prof Doc, MSc, MRes). As a University Teaching Fellow and experienced external examiner, I have held senior roles across further and higher education.

Before retraining in psychotherapy, I completed a PhD under Nobel Laureate Sir J. Fraser Stoddart, contributing to the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. I went on to hold research fellowships at Oxford University and the Leverhulme Trust, with work in medicinal chemistry and toxicology that has informed my enduring interest in the entwinement of mind-body. My scientific career includes more than £850,000 in research funding and scores of refereed publications and patents.

Publications

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