Dr Lara Bennett 

I qualified from the Manchester Clinical Psychology course in 1998, and since qualifying, my clinical post has been in an Adult Mental Health Department at Wythenshawe Hospital (part of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust). The service offers psychological interventions in primary and secondary care, with clients experiencing moderate to severe and complex mental health difficulties. I am attached to a Community Mental Health Team and offer psychological input to clients referred to the team and also offer consultancy and / or supervision to members of staff.

Since training I have been interested in Cognitive Analytic Therapy and undertook the 2 year practitioner training course between 2000 and 2002. I continue to use CAT in my work with clients and advising staff. I am interested in supervising using a Cognitive Analytic approach and also teach CAT to first and third year trainee clinical psychologists.

I am interested in personality factors and implications for treatment, and am involved in local discussions regarding personality disorder services. In the last year along with colleagues, I conducted a study into the prevalence of personality disorders amongst an in-patient population.  I also wrote a chapter on the assessment of personality disorder for a book entitled Personality Disorder and Community Mental Health Teams.

I joined the course team as a clinical tutor in April 2005 and enjoy the two different but complimentary roles in my work.

• BSc(Hons) Psychology with Health Studies, University of Central Lancashire
• ClinPsyD Clinical Psychology training, University of Manchester
• Practitioner Training in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)