News, Information & Blogs

NEWS UPDATE         17th March 2008

Wishing the world all the very best of health on this St. Patrick's Day following a momentous Cheltenham Gold Cup Race Meeting last week! Kim and I are planning a new book to be published later this year!

NEWS UPDATE         1st January 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR and EVERY BEST WISH for a Successful and Prosperous 2008!

NEWS UPDATE          30th October 2007

Terribly sad news that Professor Anthony Clare died yesterday at the age of only 64 just weeks from retiring as Chair of Psychiatry at Trinity College.

NEWS UPDATE          15th October 2007

The Government's long awaited policy to introduce a new 'Talking Therapies' programme has been announced. Potential patients suffering stress, anxieties and depression can look forward to receiving Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy from university trained qualified Psychological Therapists and be able to steer clear of the mish-mash of inadequately educated and undertrained quacks currently holding out as experts in Hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom and Inner-Child therapists. Anyone seeking Psychological therapy should contact a Psychologist whose training allows them to practise the correct approach to alleviate their disabilities. We can direct people to locally qualified and licensed Psychologists if needed. Email apw@psy.org

NEWS UPDATE          6th October 2007

Sorry to see the inevitable departure from BBC tv of Peter Fincham following on from old school chum Paul Corley's resignation at GMTV after the Viewer Deception scandals. My experience of tv interviews is that this kind of 'spin' editing is endemic in the industry. On another note, however, the new BBC2 drama series 'The Tudors' looks like it's shaping up to be an excellent successor to 'Rome' (below).

NEWS UPDATE           7th September 2007

I had forgotten how excellent the BBC -HBO co-venture "ROME" actually was till I saw the re-runs on UKTV History channel. Fantastic acting from Polly Walker, Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, James Purefoy, Ciaran Hinds and Lindsay Duncan out of all the exceptional troupe. Brilliant casting by Nina Gold. More of these, please and less mindless so-called 'reality telly'. Click to view Inside Rome

NEWS UPDATE           20th August 2007

Hasn't Big Brother 8 finally died yet? If ever there was a case for telly euthanasia, this is it. Endemol must be really struggling to plumb the depths this low.

NEWS UPDATE            26th July 2007

The death was announced today of psychology pioneer Albert Ellis, (below left) whose contribution to cognitive and humanistic psychology and also sex-therapy was fundamental. The doyen of the American Psychological Association and founder of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy died of cancer at home in the USA at the age of 94.

NEWS UPDATE      14th July 2007

We're wishing all the very best of good fortune to Coventry band The Enemy having released their long-awaited debut album and performing in the Godiva Festival tonight. Next year - probably the NEC and Stadia throughout the UK and US

NEWS UPDATE      10th June 2007

Fantastic win in only his sixth and seventh Formula One motor-racing Grand Prix to Britain's 22 year old Lewis Hamilton as he takes the prime podium position in Canada and Indianapolis. All the pundits are acclaiming a rising star who should be a major contender to win the World Championship either this year or next at the latest. Watch out for him at next month's Silverstone British Grand Prix. Insights as to how Racing drivers think and perform can be found in the book I helped to write, "Inside The Mind of the Grand Prix Driver" available via our amazon link on the Books Page (click).

NEWS UPDATE      26th May 2007

Watched the world premiere of 'Taking Liberties' a film by Warwick University graduate Chris Atkins who was helped in this project by Kurt Engfehr (Fahrenheit 9/11). This is a 'Must See' film and is going to be on general release in early June at about 15 key cinemas around the UK. It documents with great humour and openness how in the past ten years under the New Labour government, our prized civil liberties going back to Magna Carta and Habeas Corpus have been systematically dismantled under the guise of anti-terrorism legislation. In 2007 we are now all presumed terrorists unless you can show otherwise. Anyone now daring to protest at government will be arrested under such laws. Is this really the Britain we grew up in? More info at www.noliberties.com

NEWS UPDATE      6th April 2007

Huge Congratulations to Melissa Walton (17 and my actress daughter) who has just landed her first television role playing opposite Julie Walters in new docu-drama; 'Filth - The Mary Whitehouse Story' filming next month. It is due to be aired on BBC2 in Summer 2008.

NEWS UPDATE         17th March 2007

A Warm and Sincere Welcome to All around the World from Coventry on this St. Patrick's Day. Tremendously bad luck for the Ireland XV to have been pipped by France for the Six Nations Rugby Championship. Well played everyone!

NEWS UPDATE         23rd February 2007

The disreputable British Psychological Society, thought by a large number of practising psychologists (and lawyers) to be riven through with self-serving unelected corrupt cronies in its higher etchelons, is to be stripped of its regulatory powers. The Government intends to bring all regulatory and registration functions under the auspices of the Health Professions Council. As it is now likely that the Government will follow European precedent, it will mean the demise of the 'Chartered Psychologist' who are mandatorily and compulsorily tied into the BPS. Expect to see the introduction of 'Registered Psychologist' as the new qualification of professional status. The White Paper announced today is a timely smack in the face for the self-aggrandized zeroes currently administering the 'Talking Professions' including the spurious bladders of hot air in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy whose membership can now escape its yoke and Quisling collaboration with the BPS too.  The White Paper published today states:    " The Government’s view is that most new professions should be regulated by the Health Professions Council which was designed for this purpose and has the most expertise in bringing new professions into statutory regulation and also in regulating a wide range of professions within a common system. Exceptionally, a particular profession may be considered for regulation by another existing statutory regulator, but this will be considered on a case-by -case basis where a particular advantage, outweighing those described above, can be demonstrated. With the exception of the new arrangements for the regulation of pharmacy, the Government will not establish any new statutory regulators. Psychologists, psychotherapists and counsellors will be regulated by the Health Professions Council, following that Council’s rigorous process of assessing their regulatory needs and ensuring that its system is capable of accommodating them. This will be the first priority for future regulation."
 

NEWS UPDATE         22nd February 2007 

Following on from the story below (5th January2007) readers might like to click this story about a reporter's experiences in The Priory Rehab Clinic. http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2007080630,00.html  Anyone needing individual help in this regard should read our Residential Option on the Psychotherapy & Counselling page.

NEWS UPDATE          28th January 2007

Congratulations to Bollywood's sexiest starlet Shilpa Shetty on winning CBB 2007. Probably the best choice....                                                                                                                                           

NEWS UPDATE        26th January 2007

The Big Brother controversy rumbles on, but we're not convinced about political allegations of rabid racism by in-mates. 'Racism' has become the modern 'heresy' where agitators with disruptive agendas can point a finger at anyone who dares to express an opinion. No, it's unedifying social conflict. It's challenging and confrontational. It'll also blow over the moment the girls all become mates again as we see so often with (usually) female spats of this sort. But racist it just ain't. If you want to see racist, watch a few documentaries on History Channel about the Nazis. CBB is really just a marionette theatre with strings pulled by cynical Channel 4 producers aided and abetted by psychologists under the auspices of The British Psychological Society, who really should be held accountable for this television Bedlam.

NEWS UPDATE        18th January 2007

We're wishing all the best to scally model, on/off WAG  Danielle Lloyd who entered Endemol's awful Celebrity Big Brother household. We know that she knows her time is up. Not such a great coup from agent Ang deFouw. However, she's a survivor. I most feel sorry for Jo O'Meara, who has undoubtedly been seriously detrimentally affected by the whole episode. She might consider joining other (non-celebrity) BB housemates who are complaining about the professional British Psychological Society chartered psychologists tasked with ensuring their psychological well-being.

NEWS UPDATE       5th January 2007

Happy New Year, especially to former Busted popstar Matt Willis who gave us the best story of the year so far, at the considerable expense of 'Lord' Chai Patel's Priory Rehab Clinic. Totally inappropriately, he was given EMDR therapy for his dope dependence. When I worked for Priory, the real pros knew it as RUNT (Rolled-Up Newspaper Therapy) i.e. one could expect a similar therapeutic outcome by whacking the patient around the head with a RUN.... So glad MTV eyecandy Emma Griffiths  has sorted him out since! Click here for the story courtesy of The Sun (who else?)

NEWS UPDATE        24th August 2006

Congratulations to all our A level and GCSE students. One in particular deserves special mention, my daughter Melissa who, juggling amateur and professional dramatics, first-team netball and being a Footballer's WAG managed a staggering 10 A*  grades in the 10 subjects she took! Fantastic!

NEWS UPDATE        19th June 2006

Lord Richard Layard's proposal that the 1 in 6 adults in the UK suffering debilitating Stress and Depression should be treated to Talking Therapies by 10,000 newly Government trained psychologists received a cool reply from Rosie Winterton, spinster minister at the Department of Health. He reckons the costs of training can be covered by savings from the payment of Incapacity Benefit to those unable to work caused by their suffering. He also reckons that 15 sessions should sort out the majority! Needless to say the Government plan to do it on the cheap by co-opting some underused Heath Workers eg Health Visitors to deliver the therapy. The mercenary grubbers at the British Psychological Society have added their two-penn'thworth by calling on the Government to expand training for Clinical Psychologists. Actually, they're the least competent to deliver such a 'Life-Changing' service. Clinical Psychologists are simply mental diagnosticians who spend a lot of their time researching in Universities and have next to no therapeutic skills. Counselling Psychologists, on the other hand, (a totally different animal) are far more equipped to deliver  person-to-person talking therapy and have much better training for that role. I believe the Government should expand training for Counselling Psychologists and register them under the Health Professions Council to cut out the interfering busybodies in the BPS. Click to listen to the discussion from BBC's Today programme.

NEWS UPDATE            14th March 2006

Amusing to read that Priory Hospitals supremo, Dr. Chai Patel is blowing the whistle on the 'loans for peerages' scandal. Apparently, he 'lent' the Labour Party 1.5 million and was promptly put forward by premier Tony Blair for a peerage. However Dr. Patel has recently been investigated by the General Medical Council for running sub-standard nursing homes in his old company, Westminster plc and his aspirations to the Lords were rejected by the Review Panel. Priory are not much better run and staff disaffection is considerable. I can't imagine him having had anything to say had he been ennobled.

NEWS UPDATE       19th January 2006

Very good luck to ex-Coventry City FC skipper Steve Staunton, as he takes on the role of  Manager to the Republic of Ireland football squad in preparation for the World Cup.

NEWS UPDATE         25th December 2005

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to ONE and ALL !! We are Pleased to Announce our New Affiliation with World-Renowned Television Hypnotist, Paul McKenna and supply all his Hypnosis Materials including DVDs; CDs; Books & Guides etc.

NEWS UPDATE       8th November 2005                    

Congratulations to Irish band The Corrs on being awarded honorary MBE's by HM The Queen for their unsung charity work

NEWS UPDATE       6th November 2005

The disturbing revelations surrounding the misfortunes of former Big Brother contestant Lesley Sanderson, published in the Daily Mirror and The Sun this week miss out on some very interesting but ignored facts regarding the Psychologists hired in for the program's credibility because the real failure of BB contestants is the Shrinks body, The British Psychological Society. The professional group that regulates Psychologists today stands accused of gross negligence and a catastrophic failure to protect the public by whitewashing previous complaints and concerns surrounding the tv show Big Brother.

The Channel 4 show which catapulted celebrity Psychologist Dr. Linda Papadopoulos into a media career, raised the worries of some members, over five years’ ago.

Dr. David Miller of Sterling University complained to the BPS that the show was potentially harmful to contestants. He questioned the ethics of those psychologists including two Professors, one from Oxford University, who had appeared in the programme, in effect lending it legitimacy. He was supported in this concern by Dr. Mark Griffiths of Nottingham University.

But after a brief investigation headed by the then President Tommy Mackay, the BPS dismissed their concerns and closed ranks behind their television colleagues, effectively whitewashing the issues they raised.

Andrew Walton, Principal Counselling Psychologist of the Coventry based private sector group Andrew Walton & Associates, an Associate Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Health said that the case of Lesley Sanderson, whose recent alleged rape and chain of disasters happened to her after appearing on the show, as reported in The Sun newspaper pointed to Gross Negligence on the part of BPS whose Royal Charter mandates it to protect the public.

He claims that its failure undermines public confidence in the profession, that the BPS Council and Presidents of 2000 & 2002 Tommy Mackay and Vicky Bruce are all culpable of bringing the profession into disrepute, and that they should be rigorously and thoroughly independently investigated and charged by the Privy Council, and if found guilty, be stripped of its responsibilities, its Royal Charter and be replaced by a Statutory body such as the Health Professions Council.

'The BPS hierarchy is certainly guilty of gross hypocrisy and has the reputation among its members and some lawyers as being an undemocratic cabal of cronies only concerned with protecting themselves at the expense of the public interest'., he said. 'They were prepared to sacrifice the careers of a few inconspicuous graduate members on trivial trumped up charges but turn a blind eye to more serious misdemeanours committed by the high-profile Chartered Psychologists who only constitute 20 % of the Society.'

'I think the BPS should be disbanded and a new untainted Association created. It would be the best thing for the profession in the UK.'

 Ref; http://staff.stir.ac.uk/david.miller/news/SoS-July-2000.html

 NEWS UPDATE         24th October 2005

The clowns at The British Psychological Society have suspended one of their NHS Clinical Psychologists from practising for a whole 3 years after admitting having sex with a fee-paying private patient numerous times over a lengthy period in car parks and at his home. He also made her obtain a sex-aid. Lucky he didn't give her tea and biscuits, I say!

NEWS UPDATE        19th October 2005

Andrew Walton has decided to part company with the General Hypnotherapy Register and Standards Council. It has become increasingly eccentricly administered from its Sway headquarters engaging in intrusively perverse censorship activities as well as being influenced by ill-educated and bogus quasi-academics believing in Past-life Regression, Inner child deprivation and similar absurdities. The prospect of it ever fulfilling its ambition of being a single unified democratic organisation representing the profession is fast receding.

NEWS UPDATE       19th May 2005

Andrew has qualified as a Commercial Mediator after attending a cutting-edge training course in Fareham. He, together with eleven colleagues from around the country will form a new national network for the purpose of resolving work-place disputes before or instead of them escalating into costly and emotionally draining employment tribunals.

NEWS UPDATE       17th March 2005

NEWS UPDATE         17th January 2005

Hello to fellow psychologist Jay Campbell now in practice in Queensland's Sunshine Coast in Australia as a Bowen Therapist.         

NEWS UPDATE        25th December 2004   Happy Christmas!!

NEWS UPDATE        5th November 2004

Another fabulous concert from The Corrs at Birmingham's NEC Arena last night on their Borrowed Heaven tour. Congratulations to Caroline Corr on the birth of a daughter last week.

NEWS UPDATE          30th October 2004

More deserved humiliation for the British Psychological Society as it tries to inveigle the Government into granting it Statutory Powers, (which must never be permitted) as one of its Associate Fellows stands trial in Crown Court (not a BPS Disciplinary Tribunal) and is convicted of six counts of Indecent Assault while working as Head of Clinical Psychology at a Manchester NHS hospital. Funny how it took nearly twenty years to come to light, though. Could this be due to the bizarre activities of the BPS hierarchy such as happened in the Britton case, details below? Click here for the whole sordid tale courtesy of The Sun.

NEWS UPDATE           31st August 2004

A fascinating, but not altogether surprising revelation slipped out on tonight's BBC Radio 4 medical programme 'Case Notes' presented by Dr. Mark Porter. The giant drug companies like Glaxo Smith-Kline 'massage' the research regarding the efficacy of anti-depressant drugs by controlling its publication. In other words, if the research doesn't support their drugs, the papers are rejected by the 'professional journals'. Amazing! The cat was let out of the bag by Dr. Tim Kendal, deputy president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Once all the research is viewed, the evidence of clinical effectiveness of the range of anti-depressant medication is equivocal. Indeed, a study in the U.S. suggests that a combination of psychological therapy with some medication is far superior in terms of clinical outcome. This backs up what I have always told my depressed clients:- drugs will only bleach the dark canvas on which you are painting your impression of your world. Its the psychologist's job to help you choose a more extensive palette from which to paint. Sadly, the predictable unquestioningly blindly obedient and sycophantic support for the mono-amine stimulating drugs currently being prescribed at the rate of 27 million a year by advertising-bombarded GPs came from Dr. (Gresham Professor) Raj Persaud who could hardly contain his enthusiasm for these mind-benders. "They're clean and non-addictive." he blathered. Tell that to the patients who are dependent on Prozac or who've reacted badly to Seroxat. Interestingly, the Committee on Safety of Medicines has banned their prescription for children. Now, why is that, I wonder....?. However, Mark - better not call non-prescriptive clinical support, 'placebo'. That's what counsellors do, isn't it? Click to listen www.bbc.co.uk/radio4

NEWS UPDATE           21st June 2004

Congratulations and Good Luck to colleague Linda Papadopoulos on her latest book published today. "Mirror Mirror" addresses issues of body image and self-esteem. It is on Hodder & Stoughton and will be available to purchase via our own Book Reviews portal to amazon.co.uk.

NEWS UPDATE              16th May 2004

Yet another Eurovision Song Contest Spectacular, this time from Istanbul. Congratulations Ruslana and Ukraine, for winning the Eurovision Thong Contest with 'Wild Dances'. The deserving should-be winner was of course, Sweden with 'It Hurts' sung by princess of pop, Lena Philipsson, (eternally 25 but really 37). But the most remarkable thing - apart from punk rock finally reaching Turkey?? -The number of tattoos on both boys and girls was reminiscent of Bank Holiday Monday at Southend-on-Sea!! I hope Robbie Williams will set up a charitable fund for failed pop stars to help get them lasered off in a few years' time. And next year, can we have some independent monitors to ensure legit voting, please??

NEWS UPDATE            1st May 2004

Welcome to all the new countries joining the E.U. Most of these already have psychological societies belonging to EFPA.

NEWS UPDATE     17th March 2004

Wishing everyone a fine St. Patrick's Day throughout the world, especially: Coventry, Dublin and Chicago.                                 

NEWS UPDATE     22nd January 2004

Andrew has been interviewed by 'Men's Fitness' magazine regarding the increasing trend for male cosmetic surgery. This edition will be published in April.

NEWS UPDATE     7th December 2003

Shamrock Congratulations to Rosanna Davison, 'Miss Ireland' and the new 'Miss World'.

NEWS UPDATE    23rd August 2003

The British Association of Sports Psychology has appointed Andrew to the highest grade (Level 5) Sports Psychologist in the UK.

NEWS UPDATE      31st July 2003

Andrew has been interviewed by Liz Edwards for The Sunday Times about the Fear of Flying courses now available and also by Sam Humphries for "MAXIM" magazine about Sport Psychology in the Office. Assistant Psychologist Kimberly Maher will be a judge at the "Miss England 2003" contest in London, this autumn. The winner goes forward to 'Miss World'. Following the success of the introduction of personality assessment criteria into these contests, their popularity has seen a significant rise. Click onto www.andrewwalton.co.uk/pm.htm for more info.

NEWS UPDATE     4th July 2003

Andrew has been completing a new tutorial for Sony PlayStation's new Formula 1 2003 game together with Chris Hilton with whom he joined for "Inside the Mind of the Grand Prix Driver." This game is being launched very shortly. Today he was at 'Max Power Live' at NEC Birmingham.  More about the new PS2 game click http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2001310000-2003330618,00.html

NEWS UPDATE     3rd June 2003

A new Intensive 'Fear of Flying' course is being launched for this summer. It will include not only psychological techniques and approaches to understanding & overcoming this often debilitating phobia, but also an actual flight in a jet airliner to any one of a number of E.U.destinations such as: Berlin; Dublin; Paris; Brussels and Rome among others. Click here for more details.    

NEWSFLASH      1st March 2003

As the new academic term approaches, we will be able to offer Psychology students some useful unpaid work-experience at the practice. This can involve reception duties, answering the telephone etc. Occasional accompanied visits for Critical Incident Debriefs and where confidentiality and client permission allows, you may be invited into the consulting-room to witness sessions in progress. Other duties could include researching and collating information in response to e-mail virtual counselling / therapy enquiries. If you are interested in these opportunities, please e-mail your c.v. together with a recent photograph(s) and brief introductory message with subject: "Work-Experience" to apw@psy.org

NEWS UPDATE        22nd November 2002
Look out for some interesting developments in e-learning with the announcement of NHSU a new internet based University for the National Health Service. A large amount of medical training and compliancy procedures are being earmarked for this new delivery platform. A new International Virtual Medical School (IVIMEDS) is now also in an advanced planning stage. Andrew Walton & Associates (EU) are currently engaged in partnership with e-learning development providers.

NEWS UPDATE       3rd November 2002

The British Psychological Society shows the world how it makes up the rules as it goes along in the Paul Britton case. Click for The Guardian's story.  Click here for the real story c/o The Observer

NEWS UPDATE      10th July  2002

Andrew is also being interviewed by jounalist Vicky Pemberton for 'Fitness First' magazine on the uses of sport psychology in everyday workout routines.

NEWS UPDATE      28th May  2002   

Andrew Walton has been interviewed in top girls' magazine ZEST regarding his approach to overcoming a Fear of Flying. This edition will be published in August.

NEWS UPDATE     18th November 2001

"Inside The Mind of the Grand Prix Driver" is now available in bookshops and via our Amazon.co.uk link on the book-review page at £4.00 off list price.

NEWS UPDATE     15th September 2001

Andrew Walton has been involved in the Critical Incident debriefing of American Airlines' flight crews following the Terrorist assault on the World Trade Center on September 11.

NEWS UPDATE    6th March 2001

Well-known Motor Sports writer Christopher Hilton has asked Andrew to contribute in his role of Sport Psychologist to a new book on Formula 1 racing. "Inside The Mind of the Grand Prix Driver" is due to be published later this year.

NEWS UPDATE    20th November 2000

Statutory Registration of Psychologists in Ireland moves much closer. The Psychological Society of Ireland's web-site goes live very soon.Visit this site for Europe's (not Britain's) English language voice for professional applied psychology. Its url is http://www.psihq.ie

NEWS UPDATE    20th October 2000

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NEWS UPDATE    8th October 2000

Congratulations to Michelle Walker, 'Miss Merseyside' who is now 'Miss England 2000'. All our best wishes for more success in 'Miss World' (Channel 5 tv) on November 30th. Very well done to all the Regional Titleholder contestants who took part. Andrew Walton was one of the judges at last night's "Miss England" beauty pageant at the Cafe Royal in London. As a mark of the movement away from reliance solely on physical looks, the new requirement for personality and intelligence merited his acceptance of the appointment. All five judges (even the Gladiator) agreed that it was one of the toughest jobs we'd ever been asked to do. Click Here for additional info.

NEWS UPDATE    1st August 2000

Andrew Walton appears today on BBC 1 television's "KILROY" show as the studio psychologist dealing with 'Phobias'. Among the various difficulties discussed are; musophobia (fear of mice); thanatophobia (fear of dying); phagophobia (fear of choking) and of course, arachnophobia (fear of spiders)!

NEWS UPDATE    7th July 2000

Andrew Walton has completed the University of Warwick's Certificate in Complementary Healthcare. This has provided us with an unequalled insight into the underpinning philosophies of Alternative Medicines worldwide, including Chinese (acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbalism), Japanese (Shiatsu), Indian (Ayurvedic), Homoeopathy - (Germany), Medical Herbalism-(England), Aromatherapy-(France), Reflextherapy, Bowen Massage-(Australia), Meditation, Louise Hay approaches and many others. This has been an exceptionally valuable training program. Many thanks to course director Nicky Lewis PhD.

NEWS UPDATE    30th June 2000

The Psychological Society of Ireland Registered Qualification is now accepted as equivalent to the B.P.S. Chartered Psychologist status by principal Private Medical Insurers, BUPA and P.P.P.

NEWS UPDATE    20th October 1999

Andrew Walton has been involved in the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing of emergency service workers in the aftermath of the Paddington Rail Disaster last week. Research suggests that emergency personnel who do not receive this assistance are at greater risk of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mood disturbances, Nightmares and Stress-related absenteeism. They are also more likely to turn to alcohol and be more accident-prone themselves.