Autumn Lecture Series 2025: Here I stand with Gwen Adshead
(Monday 13th October 2025)
When watching live, you can increase the quality of the video to 720p by pressing the ‘settings cog’ button on the video menu. You can also unmute and change the volume.
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.
Please let us know what you thought of tonight’s lecture and submit any suggestions for future themes and speakers by following this link here.
You may also like
ChoralCast – Holy is the true light (Harris)
Soprano Victoria Meteyard introduces St Martin’s Voices singing ‘Holy is the true light’ by Harris.
ChoralCast – Give us the wings of faith (Whitbourn)
Bass Ben Tomlin introduces St Martin’s Voices singing ‘Give us the wings of faith’ by James Whitbourn.
Contemplative Prayer with Neil MacGregor, 16 May 2020
Nazareth Contemplative Prayer with Neil MacGregor and Revd Richard Carter from Regent’s Park.
ChoralCast – Angel voices ever singing
Daisy Walford, a soprano in St Martin’s Voices, introduces the group singing the hymn ‘Angel voices ever singing’.
Living God’s Future Now – Part 1
The first in a monthly series – part of the HeartEdge ‘Living God’s Future Now’ programme. A conversation between Dr Walter Brueggemann and Revd Dr Sam Wells.
ChoralCast – O God you search me and you know me (Farrell)
Tenor Chris Huggon introduces St Martin’s Voices singing Bernadette Farrell’s ‘O God you search me and you know me’.
Great Sacred Music 14.05.20
Great Sacred Music Podcast
Thursday 7 May 2020
Rivers
ChoralCast – Open thou mine eyes (Rutter)
Alto Sophie Timms returns to introduce St Martins Voices singing ‘Open thou mine eyes’ by John Rutter.
ChoralCast – To God be the glory
Soprano Choral Scholar, Alice Harberd introduces the final ChoralCast with our Choral Scholars, the triumphant hymn ‘To God be the glory’, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes.
ChoralCast – Christ is our corner-stone
Today’s ChoralCast features the hymn ‘Christ is our corner-stone ‘, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes and introduced by bass Choral Scholar, Adam Jarman.
Only Believe
Only Believe: A Sermon by Revd Richard Carter. John 14.1-14 1 & Peter 2.2-10.
ChoralCast – Ye that know the Lord is gracious
Today’s ChoralCast features the hymn ‘Ye that know the Lord is gracious’, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes and introduced by alto Choral Scholar, Lydia Ward.
Contemplative Prayer, 9 May 2020
Nazareth Contemplative Prayer with Revd Richard Carter from the River Thames in Westminster.
ChoralCast – Thy hand, O God, has guided
Today we mark VE Day with a ChoralCast introduced by tenor Choral Scholar, Rob Folkes, featuring the hymn ‘Thy hand, O God, has guided’, recently recording by the Choral Scholars from their own homes.
ChoralCast – The Lord’s my shepherd (Townend)
Soprano Choral Scholar, Rachel Haworth, introduces the beautiful ‘The Lord’s my shepherd’ by Stuart Townend, recently recorded by two of our singers from their own homes.
Great Sacred Music: I was glad 07.05.20
Great Sacred Music Podcast, Thursday 7 May, I was glad: Celebrating the Psalms
ChoralCast – I give you a new commandment
Alto Choral Scholar, Charlotte Bateman introduces ‘I give you a new commandment’ by Peter Aston, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes.
ChoralCast – Ye choirs of new Jerusalem
Today’s ChoralCast is the hymn ‘Ye choirs of new Jerusalem’, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes and introduced by tenor Choral Scholar, Jack Harberd.
ChoralCast – We have a gospel to proclaim
Today’s ChoralCast is the hymn ‘We have a gospel to proclaim’, recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes and introduced by soprano Choral Scholar, Ailsa Campbell.
ChoralCast – How sweet the name that Jesus sounds
Today’s ChoralCast is the hymn ‘How sweet the name that Jesus sounds’, introduced by soprano Choral Scholar, Bea Derrick, and recently recorded by the Choral Scholars from their own homes.