QUALIFICATIONS
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- BSc, MAppSci, PhD, DSc(Med), CPsychol, CSci, FBPsS, FRSM, FAASM. These are all the fancy letters!
- I started off doing psychology as an undergraduate (1974-1978) and have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. I then completed my clinical training in 1980, which was then a Master’s in Clinical Psychology. I worked on research from the start and completed my PhD in Sleep Disorders in 1987. In 2013, I was awarded a Doctor of Science (Medicine) by the University of Glasgow on the basis of my published research work over the years
- In terms of license to practice, I am a Chartered Psychologist and Chartered Scientist of the British Psychological Society; and a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical, Health), registered under the Health & Care Professions Council, UK [Reg. No. PYL04849]
PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTION
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- I am very proud to be a Fellow of the British Psychological Society, the Royal Society of Medicine, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and to have been awarded Honorary Fellowship of the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies)
- Equally, I was very humbled to be recognised by awards named in honour of two absolutely outstanding sleep researchers. I received the Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award from the Sleep Research Society in 2017, and the Peter Hauri Career Distinguished Achievement Award from the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine (SBSM) in 2021
- I was privileged to be a Founding Member of the SBSM in the USA, and one of the first clinicians to complete the European Sleep Research Society Examination for Sleep Experts. Very proud of holding Certificate No: 019 (!) and delighted to see how sleep medicine is progressing internationally
- I also enjoy involvement with professional societies, and currently serve as Deputy Editor of Journal of Sleep Research, on the editorial board of Sleep Medicine Reviews, and on the ESRS Sleep Education Committee.
- I recently served on the Transitional Committee which helped establish the World Sleep Society, drafted the Insomnia Disorders section for the
- World Health Organisation ICD-11 Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines for Sleep-Wake Disorders (due 2022), and was an expert adviser to Public Health England’s Evidence Review on Sleep & Health
FIND ME
WEBSITES
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- Colin Espie: NDCN, University of Oxford
- Colin Espie: Somerville College, Oxford
- Colin Espie: Big Health
- I qualified in 1980, as a Clinical Psychologist working in Scotland’s National Health Service. Wow, that’s over 40 years ago – where did all that time go?
- I first became interested in sleep and sleep disorders out of clinical curiosity after a GP asked me “could you not do anything to help those folks with insomnia?”. I’ve spent the best part of my career trying to answer that question!
- I’m especially interested in the relationship between insomnia and mental health & wellbeing. I believe that our sleep is nature’s main provision for our emotional health. Sleep is a need to have, not just a nice to have!
- As a proud Scot, I have always lived in Scotland, though my career has taken me far afield. Difficulty sleeping is a truly ubiquitous problem, and I’m grateful to have had so many wonderful and inspiring colleagues near home and from all over the world
- For about 15 years I worked as a clinician and a Clinical Director of NHS services, and in research as a university lecturer. I have always felt that research and practice need to be intimately linked. Treatments need to have strong scientific evidence, otherwise they are a waste of time and effort. Mental health needs to be taken seriously, and cognitive and behavioural therapeutics (CBTx) are the best evidenced non-drug treatments
- In 1995 I was honoured to be appointed Professor of Clinical Psychology and Course Director (of clinical psychology training) at Glasgow University. I have always loved teaching, training and mentoring young professionals. They have been the lifeblood of my career
- Along the way, I was privileged to found the University of Glasgow Affiliated Programme in Learning Disabilities, now UCEDD. Back then, I conducted research on epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities. Such rewarding work with wonderful people, families and colleagues
- I also founded the University of Glasgow Sleep Centre, based at what was the Southern General Hospital, now QEUH. It was at the Sleep Centre that much of my work on insomnia came to fruition. I will be forever grateful to my very special UGSC team
- After 17 very happy years Glasgow University, including a couple of stints as Head of Department of Psychological Medicine, it was time for a new chapter, but no plans to leave my beloved Scotland! or sleep research!
- The University of Oxford invited me to help establish the Sleep & Circadian Neuroscience Institute, and since 2013, I have been proud to be their Professor of Sleep Medicine. I’m thrilled that the world’s top-ranked medical university regards sleep as a priority!
- I have two main roles at Oxford, leading fabulous team members as Director of the Experimental & Clinical Sleep Medicine research programme, and Clinical Director of the Oxford Online Programme in Sleep Medicine which we set up a few years ago. Thanks to the team I really feel we are making a difference!
- I am also extremely proud to be a Senior Research Fellow at Somerville College, one of Oxford’s finest and most welcoming colleges, and a Senior Research Fellow in Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry
- One important part of my journey led me to co-found Big Health: SleepioTM to make CBTx for insomnia as widely available as sleeping pills. CBT is the clinical guideline recommended treatment (not drugs), so we developed digital CBT (dCBT) – to the surprise of my children and even my grandchildren. I’m no tech expert … but I know people who are!