Birmingham Newman University Academic Wins Prestigious National Counselling Research Award

Birmingham Newman University’s Kathryn Broome has been awarded the 2025 Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB) Research Award, a national recognition for outstanding work with practical impact on the counselling profession.

Kathryn who lectures in Counselling as part of her Master of Research (MRes) degree, explored how individuals may behave in online environments, a phenomenon known as the online disinhibition effect.

Her study focused on how counsellors experienced and made sense of the online disinhibition effect when counselling clients via video-conferencing, a practice that has become increasingly widespread since the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I’m delighted and honoured to receive this award,” Kathryn said. “I believe counselling and psychotherapy research should have direct relevance to practice and be written in a way that is easily accessible and understood.”

Her research stands out for addressing a significant gap in the field. While the online disinhibition effect is a recognised concept, how counsellors make sense of this when counselling clients via video-conferencing has not been explored. Kathryn’s findings offer valuable insights for practising counsellors, supervisors, and training providers as they adapt to the growing demand for online therapy.

Kathryn expressed her gratitude to Dr Mark Holland, Programme Lead, and Dr Steve Roberts, her research supervisor, for their guidance and support throughout the project.

She formally received the award at the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Annual Research Conference, where Kathryn also presented her study to other delegates.

First launched in 2015, the CPCAB Research Award is presented annually to research that demonstrates clear practical relevance and accessibility, with a particular focus on reaching wider audiences through innovative formats, including video interviews.