Ray Owen
Dr Ray Owen is a consultant clinical psychologist and health psychologist with over 30 years experience of working in physical health settings within the NHS. He has substantial experience of teaching and supervision in a wide range of contexts, both within the Health Service and on a freelance basis. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and an accredited facilitator in the national Advanced Communication Skills Programme for senior cancer practitioners. He is also an Association of Contextual Behavioural Science Peer Reviewed Trainer.
In addition to his clinical and supervisory work, Ray is the author of several highly regarded books including Facing the Storm and Living with the Enemy, which explore how therapeutic approaches can be used to help people live well under difficult circumstances such as chronic illness and major life events. These two successful self-help books published by Routledge were both shortlisted for the BMA Popular Medicine Book of the Year Award. Ray’s writing is accessible, thoughtful, and rooted in real-world clinical experience—making him a valued voice in both the academic and practitioner communities.
With a foundation in evidence-based psychological practice and a deep commitment to compassionate, person-centred care, Ray has spent much of his career working in physical healthcare settings, particularly in palliative care, cancer care, long-term conditions, pain management and bereavement care. His clinical work is grounded in contextual behavioural science, and he is particularly known for integrating acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) into his practice.
As a supervisor, Ray brings a reflective, values-driven approach that supports practitioners to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and emotional demand in their work. Ray is an experienced clinical supervisor and trainer, having supervised psychologists, therapists, and multidisciplinary teams across a range of settings and countries. He is enthusiastic about supporting practitioners relatively new to ACT as well those wishing to take their established ACT practice further. He is especially skilled at supporting those working in emotionally challenging environments and is known for creating safe, insightful supervisory spaces that promote growth, resilience, and ethical practice. Ray is a warm and engaging supervisor and speaker who brings depth, clarity, and compassion to conversations about clinical supervision, practitioner wellbeing, and psychological care in demanding contexts.
