Recent Publications

  • Deurzen, E. van and Adams, M. (2016) Second Edition Skills in Existential Counselling and Psychotherapy (2nd. edition) London: Sage.  
  • Deurzen, E. van  and Tantam, D. (2016)  Creating the First World Congress for Existential Therapy, in Schulenberg, S.E. Clarifying and Furthering Existential Psychotherapy, Switzerland: Springer Publications, pp 145-157.
  • Deurzen, E. van  (2016) , Structural Existential Analysis (SEA): A Phenomenological Method for Therapeutic Work  in Schulenberg, S.E. Clarifying and Furthering Existential Psychotherapy, Switzerland: Springer Publications
  • Larson, F. V., Wagner, A. P., Jones, P. B., Tantam, D., Lai, M.-C., Baron-Cohen, S., & Holland, A. J. (2017). Psychosis in autism: Comparison of the features of both conditions in a dually affected cohort. British Journal Of Psychiatry, 210(4), 269-275. doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.116.187682
  • Background There is limited information on the presentation and characteristics of psychotic illness experienced by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).AimsTo describe autistic and psychotic phenomenology in a group of individuals with comorbid ASD and psychosis (ASD–P) and compare this group with populations affected by either, alone.MethodWe studied 116 individuals with ASD–P. We compared features of their ASD with people with ASD and no comorbid psychosis (ASD–NP), and clinical characteristics of psychosis in ASD–P with people with psychosis only.ResultsIndividuals with ASD–P had more diagnoses of atypical psychosis and fewer of schizophrenia compared with individuals with psychosis only. People with ASD–P had fewer stereotyped interests/behaviours compared with those with ASD–NP.ConclusionsOur data show there may be a specific subtype of ASD linked to comorbid psychosis. The results support findings that psychosis in people with ASD is often atypical, particularly regarding affective disturbance.
  • Tantam, D.(2017)  Is positive psychology compatible with freedom? In: (Eds.) Brown, M., Lomas, T., Eiroa-Orosa, F. International Handbook of Critical Positive Psychology. London: Routledge
  • Deursen, E. van  (2017) Existential Therapy  In Feltham, C., Hanley, T., and Winter, L The Sage Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 4th. edition.
  • Gibson, N. and Tantam, D. The best medicine? The meaning of humour  and its significance to the process of psychotherapy. Existential Analysis, 28(2) , 272-287, 2017
  • Tantam, D (2017) Psychopharmacology In Feltham, C., Hanley, T., and Winter, L The Sage Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 4th. edition.
  • Deurzen, E. van and Arnold-Baker, C. (2018)  Distinctive Features of Existential Therapy, with Claire Arnold-Baker, London: Routledge
  • Larson, F. V., Arrand, J. R., Tantam, D., Jones, P. B., & Holland, A. J. (2018). Copy number variants in people with autism spectrum disorders and co-morbid psychosis. European Journal of Medical Genetics, 61(4), 230-234. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejmg.2017.12.005
  • The genetic association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia is complicated and mirrors the clinical overlap between these conditions to some degree. However, no studies to date have examined the genetics of individuals dually diagnosed with both ASD and psychosis. In this study, we present findings of copy number variants (CNVs) from a study of 116 well-characterised individuals with this dual diagnosis. DNA was extracted and arrayed using the Affymetrix CytoScan HD 2.8M array or the Affymetrix Cytogenetics arrays and compared with existing samples from the Database of Genomic Variants and the Simons Simplex Collection of CNVs from individuals with ASD and their families. Twenty-seven novel CNVs ≥20k base pairs were identified in the sample, most occurring in only a single individual, although two were found in two female participants. Forty-nine rare CNVs (<1.5% rate in general population) were also found at significantly higher frequencies than expected. The findings may provide evidence for areas of further study in the understanding of the development of both ASD and psychosis due to the number of affected genetic regions that have not previously been linked to these conditions.
  • Gibson, N. and Tantam, D. The best medicine? Psychotherapists’ experience of the impact of humour on the process of psychotherapy. Existential Analysis, 29(1), 64-73, 2018
  • Although afforded very little, if any, attention in formal psychotherapy training and literature, humour is a ubiquitous and central existential expression; a powerful and fundamental relational phenomenon significant to the practice of psychotherapy. We report a qualitative study on the use of humour in therapy. The findings confirm the double-edged nature of humour that emerged in our study of the humour literature (Gibson &amp; Tantam, 2017). Used judiciously in practice, humour can reveal and help develop an existential maturity, a tragi-comic attitude in which a creative acceptance of limitations and paradox is possible. But if the timing is off, or the therapist uses humour defensively, it can inhibit the psychotherapeutic process.
  • Tantam, D. (2018) The Interbrain. Jessica Kingsley, London.