Isabel Clarke

Understanding the universal and persistent importance of religious and spiritual ideas and experience is central to my endeavour. It is a theme of both “Psychosis and Spirituality” and “Madness, Mystery and the Survival of God”, and I have presented at a number of conferences organised by faith organisations.

There is a powerful body of research demonstrating that the way in which someone makes sense of anomalous experiences has real impact on how they successfully or otherwise they navigate the experiences. Medical explanations come off badly in this comparison.

e.g. Brett, C., Heriot-Maitland, C., McGuire, P., et al (2014) Predictors of distress associated with psychotic-like anomalous experiences in clinical and non-clinical populations. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53, 213-27.

and Heriot-Maitland, C., Knight, M. & Peters, E. (2012) A qualitative comparison of psychotic-like phenomena in clinical and non-clinical populations. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51, 37-53.

I have been a founder member of the Spiritual Crisis Network since 2005. The Network provides support for an alternative narrative through its online response service and through facilitated peer support groups.

Book Chapters

  • Clarke, I., Mottram, K., Taylor, S. & Pegg, H. (2016): Narratives of transformation in psychosis. In C.H.Cook, A.Powell & A.Sims (Eds.) Spirituality and Narrative in Psychiatric Practice. Stories of Mind and Soul. Royal College of Psychiatrists Publications: London.
  • Clarke, I., Powell, J. A. & JH. (2021) Voices, visions and the spiritual journey. In S. Aris, H. Garroway & H. Gilbert (Eds.) Mental Health, Spirituality and Wellbeing: A Handbook for Health and Social Care Professionals, Service Users and Carers. Pavilion Publishing: Shoreham by Sea.
  • Clarke, I. & Tilda (2023) Conflicted Stories. A case of expanded reality. In J. A. Diaz-Garrido et al. (Eds.) Psychological Interventions for Psychosis. Towards a paradigm shift. Springer: Switzerland.

Bringing Transcendence into the Fold

Science and Transcendence: squaring the circle. Paper presented at a meeting of the reconvened Epiphany Philosophers, 09.01.19, Cambridge.

Two papers published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Spirituality Special Interest Group:

Beyond the God Spot: Article on Spirituality and the Brain
Download

Clarke, I. (2014). Beyond the God Spot. Transcendence and the Brain. The Way. A review of Christian Spirituality published by the British Jesuits. 53, 49-55.

Conference Presentations

Psychosis and Spirituality: Inner Journeys in a time of Transition

10th November, 2011. A conference around “Psychosis and Spirituality: consolidating the new paradigm” jointly presented by Spiritual Crisis Network and ISPS and Liverpool John Moores University.
See my presentation as MS Powerpoint.

Spirituality and Mental Health Sharing Good Practice Conference

6th July-8th July 2011 at St John’s College, Durham.
See Programme for more information.

Continuing the Journey 2010

The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire: 3rd-7th May 2010.
See: CTJ Publicity leaflet 2010

Quaker Dialogues 3

Saturday 27th September 2008.
See: Quaker Dialogues 3

Bridge Pastoral Foundation Annual Conference 2008

28th July – 1st August. Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire. I gave 3 keynote talks: Encounter with the Threshold, Crossing the Threshold, and Managing the Threshold.

Confer Conference – Spiritual Narratives in Psychotherapy

London, 30th-31st May 2008.

Seminar at University of Oxford

See: “A cognitive perspective on spirituality – with a little help from psychosis”

ISPSS-UK Conference: Spirituality and Psychosis

London, 28th April 2006.
See: Report of conference for The Friend magazine
Continuity and Discontinuity: Cognitive Science and Psychotherapeutic perspectives

Quaker Universalists Gathering

Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham. April 1st 2006.
See: Text

BPS Conference 2005 – Theory of Mind Symposium

See: Text

There is a Crack in Everything

“Ways of Knowing” Conference, Winchester, 2nd-4th September 2005.
See: Powerpoint Presentation