Staff Members
Prof Chris Cook, BSc MB BS MD MA PhD FRCPsych
(email at c.c.h.cook@durham.ac.uk)
Biography
I trained first in medicine, at St George’s Hospital Medical School in London, qualifying in 1981, and then specialised as a postgraduate in psychiatry at the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas’s, also in London. Following this, my clinical and academic interests in psychiatry have been largely in the field of addictive behaviour, and especially alcohol misuse. I have held positions as Lecturer at University College, London (1987 to 1990) and Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, London (1994 to 1997) as well as being Professor of the Psychiatry of Alcohol Misuse at the University of Kent from 1997 to 2003.
My academic work in psychiatry has been broad in scope. My doctoral thesis was on genetic effects upon the predisposition to alcohol misuse and dependence and was very biologically based. However, I have always also been interested in treatment approaches, including those based in the mutual help movement (of Alcoholics Anonymous and affiliated organisations) and those with religious roots, as well as those that are more medically based.
My own Christian faith has formed my approach to psychiatry since I was a student, and I gained an AKC at Kings College London (a theological qualification for “non-theologians”!) when studying medicine there in 1974 to 1976. However, I did not seriously embark upon academic study of theology until training for ordination as an Anglican priest much later in life. By this time, I was increasingly interested in inter-disciplinary issues between theology and psychiatry and my research publications have reflected this. I was ordained priest in Canterbury Cathedral in 2001.
Whilst studying for my MA in Applied Theology at the University of Kent (2002-2003) I undertook some more explicitly applied theological research around the subject of alcohol and addiction and this led to my writing a book on this subject (Alcohol, Addiction & Christian Ethics, CUP, 2006). In particular, this explores the way in which accounts of the “divided self” in the writings of St Paul and St Augustine of Hippo might inform and extend scientific accounts of addictive disorder. I remain broadly interested in the ways in which theological accounts of human behaviour may inform, challenge and extend scientific perspectives.
I came to Durham in 2003, initially as a College chaplain, but also in order to continue my academic work in applied theology in the University. I enjoy working with students here and think it an enormous privilege to live and work in this beautiful and spiritual place. There are few better places to read a theological text than in one of Durham’s many coffee shops!
I am Director of the Project for Spirituality, Theology & Health. This project is collaborative between the Department of Theology & Religion and the School for Medicine & Health. It has collaborative links with health service delivery and spiritual/pastoral care. In support of this, I am an honorary consultant psychiatrist with Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. I am interested broadly in Christian spirituality, as a spiritual director and as an Anglican priest, as well as from an academic perspective. I have taught on the north east England Spiritual Direction training course run jointly by Ushaw College & St Antony's Priory.
My most recent book, The Philokalia and the Inner Life, is concerned with theological and psychotherapeutic engagement with the nature of mental well-being. The Philokalia is an anthology of eastern Christian texts spanning the 4th to the 15th centuries. It offers important insights into the mental world of thoughts and prayer.
I enjoy teaching and supervising students at undergraduate and post-graduate level. I am Chair of the Executive Committee of the Special Interest Group in Spirituality & Psychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. I act as a consultant or adviser to various other charities in matters related to my academic and professional expertise.
Selected Publications
Books: authored
- Cook, C. C. H. (2011). The Philokalia and the Inner Life: On Passions and Prayer. Cambridge: James Clarke.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2010). Finding God in a Holy Place: Explorations of Prayer in Durham Cathedral. London: Continuum.
Books: edited
- Cook, C. C. H., Powell, A. & Sims, A. (2009). Spirituality and Psychiatry. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists Press.
Books: sections
- Louth, A. & Cook, C. C. H. (2012). Healing, Psychotherapy, and the Philokalia. In The Philokalia: Exploring the Classic Text of Orthodox Spirituality. Bingaman, B. & Nassif, B. Oxford Oxford University Press. 230-239.
- Moss, R. & Cook, C. C. H. (2011). Maintenance and Relapse Prevention. In Foundations of Addictions Counseling. Capuzzi, D. & Stauffer, M. D. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. 260-277.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2011). Spirituality, mental health-substance use. In Developing Services in Mental Health-Substance Use. Cooper, D. B. Milton Keynes: Radcliffe. 171-180.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2010). Sexuality and Spirituality. In Sexual Issues: Understanding and Advising in a Christian Context. Greer, J. M. & Geary, B. Stowmarket: Kevin Mayhew. 381-408.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2010). Spiritual and Religious Issues in Treatment. In The Treatment of Drinking Problems: A Guide to the Helping Professions. Marshall, E. J., Humphreys, K. & Ball, D. M. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 227-235.
- Verhagen, P. J. & Cook, C. C. H. (2009). Epilogue: Proposal for a World Psychiatric Association Consensus or Position Statement on Spirituality and Religion in Psychiatry. In Religion and Psychiatry: Beyond Boundaries. Verhagen, P. J., Van Praag, H. M., Lopez-Ibor Jr., J. J., Cox, J. L. & Moussaoui, D. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell. 615-631.
- Sims, A. & Cook, C. C. H. (2009). Spirituality in Psychiatry. In Spirituality and Psychiatry. Cook, C. C. H., Powell, A. & Sims, A. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists Press. 1-15.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2009). Substance Misuse. In Spirituality and Psychiatry. Cook, C. C. H., Powell, A. & Sims, A. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists Press. 139-168.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2009). The Christian Handbook of Alcohol and Other Addictions. In Stowmarket: Kevin Mayhew. 56.
- Cook C. C. H. (2008). Alcohol and Other Addictions. In The Christian Handbook of Abuse, Addiction & Difficult Behaviour. Geary, B. & Bryan, J. Stowmarket: Kevin Mayhew. 83-111.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2008). Spirituality and Alcohol Dependence. In Identification and Treatment of Alcohol Dependency. Martin, C. R. Keswick: M & K Update. 289-302.
- Moss, R., Cook, C. C. H. & Sandoz, J (2007). Maintenance and Relapse Prevention. In Foundations of Addiction Counseling. Capuzzi, D. & Stauffer, M. D. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Journal papers: academic
- Barber, J. M., Parkes, M., Parsons, H. & Cook, C. C. H. (2012). Importance of Spiritual Well-Being in Assessment of Recovery: The Service-User Recovery Evaluation (SeRvE) Scale. The Psychiatrist 36(12): 444-450.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2012). Psychiatry in scripture: sacred texts and psychopathology. The Psychiatrist 36(6): 225-229.
- Dein, S., Cook, C. C. H. & Koenig, H. (2012). Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health: Current Controversies and Future Directions. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 200(10): 852-855.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2012). Self-belief: holistic psychiatry in a secular age. Commentary on. Holistic Psychiatry without the whole self. The Psychiatrist 36(3): 101-103
- Pool, R. & Cook, C. C. H. (2011). Praying with a patient constitutes a breach of professional boundaries in psychiatric practice. The British Journal of Psychiatry 199(2): 94-98.
- Cook, C. C. H., Powell, A. E., Sims, A. & Eagger, S. (2011). Spirituality and Secularity: Professional Boundaries in Psychiatry. Mental Health, Religion and Culture 14(1): 35-42.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2011). The Faith of the Psychiatrist. Mental Health, Religion and Culture 14(1): 9-17.
- Dein, S., Cook, C. C. H., Powell, A. E. & Eagger, S. (2010). Religion, Spirituality and Mental Health. The Psychiatrist 34(2): 63-64.
- Cook, C. C. H. (2010). Spirituality, secularity and religion in psychiatric practice: Commentary on. Spirituality and religion in psychiatric practice. The Psychiatrist 34(5): 193-195.
- : Thomson, A. D., Cook, C. C. H., Guerrini, I., Sheedy, D., Harper, C. & Marshall, E. J. (2008). Wernicke's Encephalopathy revisted: Translation of the case history section of the original manuscript by Carl Wernicke ‘Lehrbuch der Gehirnkrankheiten fur Aerzte and Studirende’ (1881) with a commentary. Alcohol & Alcoholism 43(2): 174-179.
- Thomson, A. D., Cook, C. C. H., Guerrini, I., Sheedy, D., Harper, C. & Marshall, E. J. (2008). Wernicke's Encephalopathy: 'plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose'. Alcohol & Alcoholism 43(2): 180-186.
Journal papers: professional
- Cook, C. C. H., Breckon, J., Jay, C., Renwick, L. & Walker, P. (2012). Pathway to accommodate patients' spiritual needs. Nursing Management 19(2): 33-37.
Monographs
- Cook, C. C. H. (2006). Alcohol, Addiction and Christian Ethics. Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
Reports: official
- Cook, C. C. H. (2011). Recommendations for Psychiatrists on Spirituality and Religion. London, Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Theses: PhD
- Cook, C. C. H. (2010). The Philokalia and Mental Wellbeing. Theology and Religion. Durham, Durham University. PhD.
Research Groups
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Theology: Spirituality, theology & mental health
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Spirituality, theology & mental health
- Health & Welfare: Spirituality, theology & mental health
- Drink & drugs: Spirituality, theology & mental health
- Medical and health research topics: Spirituality, theology & mental health