Autumn Lecture Series 2025: Here I stand with Gwen Adshead

(Monday 13th October 2025)

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Dr Gwen Adshead is a distinguished forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist with nearly three decades of experience in the NHS, including work in prisons and secure hospitals like Broadmoor. In her role as both a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, Professor Adshead has tried to understand the psychological mechanisms that give rise to violence and life-threatening behaviour toward others. She is a strong advocate for a more therapeutic, compassionate and rehabilitative approach to working with offenders, focusing on understanding the underlying psychological factors contributing to their behaviour rather than simply punitive measures. 

Gwen Adshead is deeply engaged in discussions about the ethical dilemmas faced by forensic psychiatrists, particularly regarding issues of responsibility, free will, and the balance between public protection and individual rights.  She has published over 100 academic works and holds an MA in Medical Law and Ethics, as well as an honorary doctorate from St George’s Hospital Medical School. A highly respected lecturer, she has been a visiting professor at Yale and Gresham College. In 2013, she received the Royal College of Psychiatry’s President’s Medal. She is also the co-author of the Sunday Times bestseller The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry. In 2024 she gave the BBC Reith Lectures.  

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