Dr Hugh Palmer is a systemic psychotherapist, academic, and author with over three decades of experience in mental health and systemic practice. Based in Pocklington, UK, he is the Systemic Lead for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Hull. Hugh’s work integrates Gregory Bateson’s systemic thinking and William Blake’s Fourfold Vision into an ecological, relational framework, integrating appreciation of immanence and connection in therapeutic and wider contexts. A keen photographer, Hugh combines his professional expertise with a deep personal commitment to exploring interconnectedness and the sacred unity of life.

Paul Andrews is a Family and Systemic Psychotherapist based in North

Lancashire. He has been working in the area of Child and family mental health services for 25 years. He has worked in a number of different settings both statutory and in the voluntary sector, based mainly within the north of England.

Pauls many experiences include working with parents and families affected by trauma, loss, ill health and coping with significant life events. He has worked in residential care settings as well as an inpatient adolescent unit as a systemic practitioner. Following his qualifying course in family therapy he has worked in CAMHS services as well as palliative care based in a bereavement team at a nearby Hospice. During his career he has often worked in the outdoor environment initially working for the Outward Bound Trust prior to his professional training. He has since developed his interest in working systemically in the outdoors with individuals, families and groups. He has a particular interest in narrative approaches to his work in the outdoors. He is passionate about his therapeutic work in the outdoor environment and is keen to share his knowledge and skills with others new to this approach. As both a Quaker and activist he believes in adopting an environmental approach to both his personal and professional life.

Gemma is a relational psychotherapist and clinical supervisor with a special interest in working in outdoor spaces and with nature to support mental health and wellbeing. Based in South Wales, Gemma works in a specialist NHS service for military veterans, often working with trauma and moral injury. Much of this work is carried outdoors, where developing meaningful relationships with nature complements and enhances evidence based practice.

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Alongside this, Gemma runs a small private practice and is a lecturer at the University of South Wales, where she co-wrote and delivers the Working Therapeutically in and with Nature module on the Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy. As a consultative supervisor in both NHS and private practice, Gemma offers nature-based supervision, supporting practitioners in integrating outdoor environments into their therapeutic work and fostering deeper connections with the natural world.

Charlie works as a family and systemic psychotherapist for a local authority children's services therapeutic team in South Wales.  She has a commitment to supporting families and individuals to find a closer connection to each other and to their natural environment.  She offers outdoor family sessions and walk and talk to families and colleagues.  She is an eco-systemic voice in the Cymru branch of the Association for Family Therapy and is due to deliver eco-systemic training on a systemic training foundation course in 2025. 

Charlie has historic family connections to Quakers.  She has a hope to progress the work of her grandfather and support both an outdoor meeting space for people and the natural diversity of a place where her ancestors convened.  She is a keen walker, amateur gardener and a summer season wild-swimmer!

I started my professional employment as a youth worker however I have worked in Outdoor and Environmental Education for over 34 years. I am lucky to have worked outdoors in the UK, Europe and North America. Currently, I am the Programme Leader for a degree called Outdoor Adventure & Environmental Studies and I teach on the MA for Outdoor Experiential Learning at the University of Cumbria, based in Ambleside. Often people perceive my work is solely fun, where we go out and just enjoy ourselves. I do not deny some of that, but I do challenge the students’ ideas about the places, people and environments they encounter. As an ecologist, I want to inspire the students to learn both positively, about numerous incredible relationships and critically, regarding local or global challenges in environmental degradation, injustices and power imbalances: ecology is cultural, social and political. The students study ways that the outdoors could be a therapeutic environment but keep a critical perspective on how environments (in its widest sense) impinge on our own health and well-being.

One of my privileges has been that I work with and develop students over three years and beyond. As such I have presented my experiences and insights via talks and workshops at outdoor related conferences, some international. I find working outdoors offers serendipity, challenge and humility: it reminds me of our fundamental needs. My personal outdoor passions are activities that involve journeys: cycling, sea kayaking and mountaineering.

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