This month’s event at The Weekend University will be ‘A Day on Behaviour Change.’
In this series of talks, we’ll explore evidence-based approaches to behaviour change from psychotherapy, addiction treatment and existential positive psychology, to help you make changes that last in 2019.
Attendees will learn:
- Psychotherapy, Goals & Behaviour Change; the latest research on effective goal setting in counselling and psychotherapy. How do you set the right goals? And what approaches are most effective for achieving them?
- The Psychology of Changing Habits; what can we learn about behaviour change from the frontlines of addiction treatment in clinical, community and prison settings? And how can you apply these insights to make sustainable changes in your own life?
- Positive Psychology, Existentialism & Behaviour Change; what does the new science of positive psychology reveal about how to make changes that last? And can combining these ideas with existential philosophy increase your chances of success?
Ahead of the event, each speaker has recommended some books to help attendees prepare for their lectures.
In this post, we cover their top picks.

Psychotherapy, Goals & Behaviour Change
Professor Mick Cooper is an internationally recognised author, trainer and consultant in the field of humanistic, existential and pluralistic therapies. He is a Chartered Psychologist, and Professor of Counselling Psychology at the University of Roehampton. Mick has facilitated workshops and lectures around the world, including Australia, Lithuania and Florida. In 2014, Mick received the Carmi Harari Mid-Career Award from Division 32 of the American Psychological Association. He is a Fellow of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Academy of Social Sciences. You can follow him on twitter: @mickcooper77.
To prepare for his lecture, Mick recommends:
- Cooper, M. (2018). The psychology of goals: A practice-friendly review. In M. Cooper & D. Law (Eds.), Working with goals in counselling and psychotherapy (pp. 35-71). Oxford: Oxford University.
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Cooper, M. (in press). Integrating counselling and psychotherapy: Directionality, synergy, and social change. London: Sage.
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Aarts, H., & Elliot, A. J. (Eds.). (2012). Goal-directed behavior. New York: Psychology Press.
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Ryan, R. M. (2012). The Oxford handbook of human motivation. New York: Oxford University Press.

The Psychology of Changing Habits – Shahroo Izadi
Shahroo Izadi is an author and Behavioural Change Specialist in private practice. Her therapeutic approach is influenced by the experience she gained working in various roles across frontline addiction treatment in clinical, community and prison settings. She has since been dedicated to highlighting what those in long-term recovery from substance misuse can teach the general population about motivation, resilience and self-awareness.
Shahroo’s work has been featured on BBC Radio, Psychologies Magazine, The Telegraph, Marie Claire, and the Evening Standard. Her first book: ‘The Kindness Method’, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2018, and she is currently writing her second. You can keep up to date with Shahroo’s work on her website: shahrooizadi.co.uk.
To prepare for her lecture, Shahroo recommends:
- The Kindness Method: Changing Habits for Good – Shahroo Izadi

Positive Psychology, Existentialism & Behaviour Change – Yannick Jacob
Yannick Jacob is an Existential Coach, Positive Psychologist, Coach, Trainer & Supervisor, Mediator and the FMR Programme Leader of the MSc Coaching Psychology at the University of East London. He works with coaches and leaders to help them gain clarity, make difficult choices, build resilience and navigate their life.
For over a decade Yannick, has studied optimal human functioning and all things wellbeing, as well as the depths and complexities of the human condition. His first book, An Introduction to Existential Coaching, will be published by Routledge in early 2019. Learn more about Yannick’s work and philosophy at www.existential.coach.
To prepare for his talk, Yannick recommends the following:
For more information on the event and a full breakdown of the talks, please see the event page.
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