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Dr Kaye Richards

School of Psychology

Faculty of Health

Email: K.E.Richards@ljmu.ac.uk

Telephone: 0151 231 5248

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Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society and Outdoor Therapy Specialist.

Co-Chair of the Institute for Health Research (IHR) Green Spaces Specialist Group at Liverpool John Moores University
Chair of the Association for Outdoor Therapy (UK)

Dr Richards research and applied scholarship practice is across outdoor therapy, nature and mental health, outdoor activities and physical activity, health and wellbeing, positive psychology, counselling and psychotherapy, and outdoor learning. Her research and professional activity in outdoor therapy and counselling and psychotherapy has set national standards of practice that have directly informed national policy and frameworks of practice adopted by leading professional bodies. She has developed and written national practice guidance in outdoor therapy and informed practitioner toolkits for enhancing the quality of nature for mental health interventions, alongside a range of other research on the outdoors and wellbeing, physical activity and sport campaigns, and counselling and psychotherapy. She has also contributed to International Adventure Therapy, including developing an International Position Statement on Adventure Therapy and leading national developments in outdoor therapy in the UK.

She currently leads and teaches the professional careers and work-based learning components of the BSc (Hons) Psychology, with a focus on building career readiness for psychology students. She is also part of the teaching and research supervision team of the MSc Positive Psychology and Wellbeing at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Her current PhD supervision areas relate to green prescribing and nature for mental health, psychology of outdoor adventure experiences, therapeutic processes and practices, and the professional Doctorate in Health Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Having previously led a BSc (Hons) in Outdoor Education at LJMU, she has wide range of experience in training outdoor learning professionals, teaching National Governing Body Outdoor Leadership qualifications, and training outdoor learning practitioners in outdoor therapy.

In recognition of her contributions to nature, mental health and outdoor adventure therapy she was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in 2020. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a qualified teacher, a qualified leader across a range of outdoor activities, and has trained in gestalt therapy. She has also been awarded LJMU Vice Chancellor and Pro-Vice Chancellor Awards for excellence in teaching and learning in Higher Education.

Degrees

2014, Liverpool John Moores University (School of Sports Science), United Kingdom, MSc Sport Psychology (BPS Accredited)
2009, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD (Adventure Therapy), A feminist analysis of developing an adventure therapy intervention for the treatment of eating disorders in women
1998, Liverpool John Moores University (School of Psychology), United Kingdom, MSc Psychology of Human Potential
1995, Liverpool John Moores University (School of Education), United Kingdom, BEd (Hons), Outdoor and Science Education

Academic appointments

Senior Lecturer in Outdoor Education (Specialisms Outdoor Adventure Leadership, Adventure and Outdoor Therapy, Psychology of Outdoor Learning), Liverpool John Moores University, 2009 - 2020
Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy Research (Part-Time), University of Leicester, 2007 - 2009
Research Facilitator, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2005 - 2009
Visiting Fellow, Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, 2003 - 2005
Research Leader (Outdoor Learning & Youth Development), Brathay Hall Trust Ambleside, 2001 - 2005
Lecturer: MA Development Training (Lead in Adventure and Outdoor Therapy), University of Cumbria, 2001 - 2005
Lecturer in Outdoor Education and Adventure Recreation, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University, 2000 - 2001
Part-Time Lecturer in Outdoor Education, Liverpool John Moores University, 1996 - 2000

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