Dr Gina Di Malta

Professional biography

I am a Chartered Counselling Psychologist accredited with the British Psychological Society, Senior Lecturer in psychotherapy and counselling, Editor-in-Chief of the international peer-reviewed journal Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, and past Editor of the BPS Division of Counselling Psychology's peer-reviewed publication Counselling Psychology Review. My research is aimed at the developments of psychotherapy and counselling.

Prior to joining the OU, I was a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Associate Lecturer at the University of Roehampton and the Existential Academy. I conducted psychotherapy research with the Centre for Research in Social and Psychological Transformation (CREST), and taught and supervised students on Counselling Psychology doctorate programmes. 

I have practiced as a Counselling Psychologist in a range of clinical settings including NHS Increasing Access for Psychological Therapies (IAPT), NHS primary and secondary care, University counselling services, and charity sectors.

Qualifications

2016. Doctor of Counselling Psychology (PsychD, awarded May 2017), Department of Psychology, University of Roehampton, UK

2013. MA in Clinical/Counselling Psychology (Valedictorian), Department of Psychology, La Salle University, USA

2010. MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK

2009. BA in Psychology (Distinction), Department of Psychology, Empire State College, USA

Professional Memberships

Health Care Profession Council - HCPC registred (since July 2017, PYL34509)

British Psychological Society - Chartered Psychologist (248376)

Higher Education Academy - Associate Fellow (since Oct 2017, PR135330)

BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Steering Committee - Member (2021-present)

Award

Society for Psychotherapy Research UK Early Career Award

Research interests

My research interest sits in the study of psychotherapy processes and how these can be enhanced to facilitate impact on client outcomes. Research topics I work on include patient choice, goal-oriented practices, preferences in psychotherapy, relational depth, and pluralism in research and practice. More recently, I have expanded my interest to explore the impact of connectedness on wellbeing in communities. 

Selected articles

Di Malta, G., Cooper, M., Bond, J., Raymond-Barker, B., Oza, M., & Pauli, R. (2023). The Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale: Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess the Helpfulness of Using Measures in Psychological Treatment. Assessment, https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911231195837 Impact Factor: 3.8

Di Malta, G., Bond, Smith, K., J. Conroy, D., Moller, N. (2022). Distance education students’ mental health, connectedness and academic performance during COVID-19: A mixed-methods study. Distance Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2022.202935 Impact Factor: 3.1

Di Malta, G., Evans, C., Cooper, M. (2020). Development and validation of the relational depth frequency scale. Psychotherapy Research.  https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2019.1585590 Impact Factor: 2.984

Teaching interests

• Person-centred theory and practice
• Pluralistic theory and practice
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Psychological assessment and formulation
• Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy and third wave approaches

Open University Teaching

2024/25. D230 Module production

2023/24. D230 Module Production Block Lead 'Assessment in Counselling and Psychotherapy'

2022/23. DD310 Module Chair; Short course production co-lead 'Advanced Therapeutic Relationship'

2021/22. DD310 Module Chair; D241 team member

2020/21. DD310 Module Chair; D241 team member

2020/21. D241 Module team member

2019/20. D241 Module production

2019/20. DD310 Module team member

Invited Talks and Lectures

2022.    SPR series Workshop: Working with client preferences

2019.    Pluralistic therapy in context. DPsych, City University, UK.

2019.    Qualitative Research methods. Whole module (online), DPsych, New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling (NSPC), Middlesex University, UK

2019.    Clinical supervision. Whole module (online), DPsych, NSPC, UK

2019.    Focussing/ Emotion Focussed Therapy. PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2018/19. Person-centred skills practice. Whole module, PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2018/19. Professional Practice Group. Whole module, PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2018.    Quantitative research methods (online). Whole module, DPsych, NSPC, UK

2018.    Person-centred theory: The necessary and sufficient conditions. PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2018.    Psychological contact and relational depth. PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2018.    Person-centred theory: Active client-active therapist. PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2017/18. Collaborative Assessment. PsychD, University of Roehampton, UK

2017.    The Identity of a Counselling Psychologist. DPsych, NSPC, UK

2017.    Counselling in a Higher Education Setting. DPsych, NSPC, UK