Dr James Costello

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About me

I am a counselling practitioner, trainer, writer, innovator, educationalist, and consultant.

I am originally trained in the natural sciences, having done my PhD with the 2016 Nobel Prize winner in the field that became known as nanotechnology.  My practice of innovation in the sciences includes time spent as a Research Fellow at Oxford, and with the Leverhulme Trust.  I maintain a passionate interest in science research, having a distinctly aeronautical theme running through what interests me i.e., from miniature molecular propellers to smart additives for jet fuel (see publications).

I became interested in counselling because I recognise that teaching, learning and innovation are social processes that have at their core the transformative power of relationships.  I am an Accredited member of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, and have an MSc in Counselling (Bristol), which examined men's experiences of perinatal depression so I could improve what I was offering families.  The materials from this research are available for free below.  My counselling practice is currently with Kinergy, an excellent Bristol-based agency supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse. 

I am an active Case Worker for the University and College Union, where I use my skills for advocacy, conflict resolution, and mediation on behalf of our members.  I am a member of the Public Health and Wellbeing Research Group, and am a passionate advocate of promoting wellbeing through embedded counselling at work.  I provide consultancy and training to public (i.e., HEI's, NHS), and private sector organisations who are committed to supporting the psychological wellbeing of their workers.  My book: "Workplace Wellbeing: The Relational Approach" which describes my approach is being published by Routledge in the autumn of 2019.

Area of expertise

My expertise in one-to-one counselling, group work and counselling supervision comes from over 15 years' of practice in:

  • Private (I maintain a small counselling, supervision and consultancy practice);
  • Third (for example, Dementia Care Trust and Kinergy), and
  • Public (i.e., HEIs' as well as several NHS Counselling services) sectors.

I am core tutor on the Certificate in Counselling Skills, Professional Diploma in Counselling, and MA in Counselling & Psychotherapy.  I also contribute to the BSc(Hons) Psychology – (Counselling Theory & Practice), and Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology from time to time.

I work as a consultant with small, medium and large industrial Research & Development organisations (including Airbus Group), where my blended expertise in social processes and technology has led to the solution of real-world technical problems, as evidenced by my patents and publications.  For several years I have been developing and delivering Workplace Wellbeing training for public sector organisations (i.e., HEI's & NHS), for which I have now developed an accompanying book: "Workplace Wellbeing –The Relational Approach", published by Routledge this Autumn.

My leadership experience as an educationalist spans both FE (Head of Department) and HE, having led our progressive Foundation Science Year until recently.  A University Teaching Fellow and external examiner, I have been awarded Royal Society of Chemistry, and HEFC STEM Teaching Fellowships.

Publications

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