Dr Laurence Spurling
BA (Cantab) Social Science, Ph.D. (Manchester) Philosophy
Senior Lecturer in Psychosocial Studies (0.5)
Admissions Tutor for MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling
Contact details
Room 508
30 Russell Square
Department of Psychosocial Studies
Birkbeck College, University of London
London WC1B 5DT
Tel: 020 7631 6395
Email: l.spurling@bbk.ac.uk
Profile
Academic background
- Laurence Spurling joined Birkbeck in 1986 as a tutor on what was then the Department of Extra-Mural Studies, teaching on the Diploma in Adult Counselling. In 1994 he became a Lecturer in Counselling in the School of Psychology. He is now Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psycho-social Studies, with overall responsibility for the counselling and psychotherapy provision within the department. He is Programme Director of the MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy, where he teaches in the third year, and of the Foundation Degree in Short-term Dynamic Counselling and CBT.
- He works part-time at Birkbeck, and combines his academic career with a part-time clinical post as a Consultant Adult Psychotherapist in the NHS, as well as working in private practice as a psychoanalytic psychotherapist.
Research and teaching
Research interests
- Psychoanalytic theory and technique
- Combining psychoanalytic practice with other therapies
- Psychoanalysis in public settings
Teaching
- Theoretical and clinical seminars on the MSc in Psychodynamic Counselling & Psychotherapy
Supervision
- M.A., Professional Doctorate and Ph.D students in Psychoanalytic studies
Publications
Books
- 2009: 2nd edition of An Introduction to Psychodynamic Counselling, with one new chapter (20 pages) and revisions
- 2004: Spurling, L. An Introduction to Psychodynamic Counselling, Palgrave/MacMillan 156 pages
- 1977: Phenomenology and the Social World: Routledge
Journal articles
- Spurling, L (2012) ‘Characters in interpersonal and psychoanalytic therapy: a comparison’, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, vol.26, no.3, 230-244
- Spurling, L. (2010) 'Can there be an analytic practice of a non-analytic therapy?' Psychodynamic Practice vol.16, no.1. 45-59.
- Spurling, L. (2008). 'Is there still a place for the concept of therapeutic regression in psychoanalysis?', International Journal of Psychoanalysis, vol.89, no.3:523-540(translated as 'Gibt as in der Psychoanalyse noch einen Platz fur das Koncept der “therapeutischen Regression”?' in Internationale Psychoanalyse 2009, ed. A.Mauss-Hanke, Psychosozial Verlag)
- Spurling, L. (2005). 'Combined therapy with Borderline patients'. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 21(4), 543-558
- Spurling, L. (2003). 'Transference with the Borderline client: Some implications for training psychodynamic counsellors'. Psychodynamic Practice, 9(1), 25-42
- Spurling, L. (2003).'On the therapeutic value of not offering Psychotherapy: An account of an extended asssessment'. Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy,17(1), 1-17
- Spurling, L. (2003). 'On Psychoanalytic figures as transference objects', International Journal of Psychoanalysis, vol.84: 31-43
Professional membership and awards
Professional membership
- Senior Member, London Centre for Psychotherapy
