City, Psychology, Place: An Urban Psychology Summit

On Thursday 27th June 2019 major speakers from across the world converged on the University of Liverpool in London for Europe’s first conference considering the interaction between urban life and mental health.

City, Psychology, Place: An Urban Psychology Summit was organised by the University of Liverpool’s Heseltine Institute of Public Policy, Practice and Place, in partnership with Chris Murray and Charles Landry.

The summit was called in response to significant evidence – such as rapidly rising prescription rates – that suggests mental health is worsening, particularly in some population groups and particularly in cities; and that this has an economic as well as social effect.

The programme saw contributions from co-organiser, Charles Landry, fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin and international authority on the use of imagination and creativity in urban change; Helena Marujo of the World Happiness Summit and Lisbon University; Cambridge University Professor of Economic Geography, Ron Martin; CEO of Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and Jon Rouse CBE.

The event was chaired by the CEO of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP), Professor Sarah Niblock.

The keynote address was delivered by Mindy Thompson Fullilove, Professor of Urban Policy & Health at The New School, New York.

The closing keynote was delivered by Dr Tim Kendall, the National Clinical Director for Mental Health at NHS England.

Presentations

• Why urban psychology, why now?
  Chris Murray, CEO, Core Cities UK and Charles Landry, Founder, Comedia
  
  
• Understanding Cities and Mental Health: A Biopsychosocial Approach
  Professor Mindy Thompson Fullilove, Professor of Urban Policy & Health, The New School, New York
  
  
• Health, Integration and Place
  Jon Rouse CBE, CEO, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership
  
  
• Personality & Economy
  Professor Ron Martin, University of Cambridge
  
  
• Places, Mental Health and Wellbeing
  Professor Rhiannon Corcoran, University of Liverpool & What Works Wellbeing Centre
  
  
• Vital Spaces in the City
  Professor Paula Reavey, Professor of Psychology & Mental Health, London South Bank University
  Professor Steve Brown, Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology, Open University
  
  
• The future of Urban Mental Health; Can Communities be Therapeutic?
  Professor Tim Kendall, National Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS England

Video footage from the day

• Chris Murray and Charles Landry
  
• Professor Mindy Thompson Fullilove
• Panel discussion one: How can psychology help address urban challenges?
  
• Jon Rouse CBE
  
• Araceli Camargo
  
• Professor Ron Martin
  
• Professor Rhiannon Corcoran
  
• Professor Paula Reavey and Professor Steve Brown
  
• Panel discussion two: The Evidence and the Gaps
  
• Panel discussion three: Feedback and Plenary. Where next? The potential for Urban Psychology and how to realise it
  
• Professor Tim Kendall
  

• Reflections on the day from Helena Marujo, World Happiness Summit & Lisbon University
• Reflections on the day from Kathy McArdle, Director, UK and Cities, British Council

Chris Murray, Mark Boyle and Sue Jarvis have written a conversation piece based on the Urban Psychology summit which can be found here.