Prf Naomi Moller

Qualifications

PhD, CPsychol, MA, BSc, BA

Role

I am Professor of Psycology and Psychotherapy in the School of Psychology and Counselling at the Open University. I started at The Open University in July 2014 as a Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, becoming a Senior Lecturer in 2016 and Professor in 2021. My previous academic job was at the University of the West of England (UWE) where I was Associate Head of the Department of Psychology and latterly Associate Head of the Department of Health and Social Sciences. I have also previously worked (part-time) as Joint Head of Research (2016-2018) and a Research Consultant (2018-2020) for the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, a professional body for UK counsellors and psychotherapists. I completed my PhD in Counselling Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2006.

Professional affiliations

·         Society for Psychotherapy Research: Currently UK Chapter committee member; I was historically SPR UK Chapter Past President (until summer 2025) and elected UK Chapter President (2020-2023).

·         British Psychological Society - Chartered Psychologist and Member of Division of Counselling Psychology

·         British Association for Counselling and Psychotherpy - Registered Member

·         American Psychological Association - International member

Upcoming Publications 

A selection of my research publications can be viewed below, at The Open University's Open Research Online and through my ORCID profile.

 Most recent OU textbook, co-published with Sage:

Rost, F., Moller, N., Frances, T., McFaul, C., DiMalta, G., Ness, H. (2026). Counselling Knowledge and Skills for SCoPEd B: Diversity, Self-awareness, Assessment and Research. Sage. Publication date autumn 2025.

Research funding (since 2018)

2021  Project Title: Postive Digital Practices: a holistic approach to wellbeing for part-time, commuter and distance learning students. Funder: Office of Students. Principle Investigator: Kate Lister (Open University). Grant: £185,734; granted July 2021; two year grant.

2018   Project Title: ‘Before, During and After Adult Gender Identity Specialist Services: Improving the integration of care’ Funder: NIHR. Co-Investigators: Richard Holti (PI); Peter Keogh; Paul Walley. Grant: £711,854.80; granted August 2018; grant runs from March 2019. https://business-school.open.ac.uk/research/projects/icta

Doctoral supervision

I welcome enquiries from people interested in undertaking a PhD. I understand that different PhD candidates benefit from different kinds (or styles) of supervision and I talk openly with anyone working with me about what good supervision looks like from their perspective.

My view is that I provide the best supervision when the doctoral project focus is aligned with my own current research interests. I am interested in research on psychotherapy practice and current interests include: (1) online therapy/the impact of digital technologies on therapeutic practice and (2) equity in psychotherapy practice and therapy outcomes, in particular as related to practice with client groups experiencing discrimination. I also have a long-standing interest in relationship functioning, including couple and family therapy, relationship conflict and infidelity and the impact of digital technologies on relationships. A current interest is how to support partner relationships in older (age 65+) adults.

I usually supervise qualitative or mixed-methods research, and have specific expertise in Reflexive Thematic Analysis and story-completion methods.

I have supervised nine Professional Doctorate projects to completion and examined over 20 doctoral theses (PhD, DCounsPsy).

Current PhD students

‘Towards Modelling the Likelihood of Academic Success of Higher Education Students with Mental Ill Health: Understanding the retention and awarding gaps’ - Mychelle Pride. Co-supervisor Dr Tim Coughlan. The Open University.

Impact and engagement [selected outputs]

I am committed to ensuring that the research that I engage in is communicated to broader audiences and have a history of organizing research seminars and practitioner trainings as well as giving talks to mixed or non-academic audiences

Short courses and training materials for mental health professionals 

Moller, N. P., Vossler, A., Jones, R. 2026. Working to support emotional, physical and emotional intimacy in older adults.  This 3-hour CPD course was requested by the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists, the leading UK professional body for psychosexual and relational psychotherapists to support their members’ work with older adults. The training is available to members on a paid-for basis: https://www.cosrtlearn.org.uk/product/supporting-the-intimacy-needs-of-older-adults/

 Moller, N. and Hope, S. 2026. Working therapeutically with trans (including non-binary) adults: What does ‘good’ look like? This 8-hour CPD course for counsellors was developed as an output of NIHR funded research on the healthcare experiences of trans (including non-binary) people in the UK. Course link: https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=8653

 Moller, N. P. & Vossler, A. Working with Infidelity, 2020. This 12-hour online CPD course for practitioners was developed with Relate, the national relationship counselling charity. Course link: https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=4496

 Moller, N. P. & Vossler, A. How to do counselling online: A coronavirus primer, 2020. This 8-hour online CPD was produced with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and in record time as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This output was nominated for a Times Higher Education Education Award in the category ‘Knowledge Exchange / Transfer Initiative of the Year’. The course was closed in 2023, having had almost 30,000 users.

Short courses, websites and animations for the public

Change Your Mind, Change your Self, 4-part BBC series screened in May 2025 to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, co-hosted by Matt and Emma Willis, and featuring filmed therapy between clients and 4 UK psychotherapists from different traditions. I was a consultant on this series (with colleague Andreas Vossler) and produced an interactive to accompany the series, offering guidance for people thinking about starting therapy as a client, and those considering training to become a therapist. Interactive link: https://connect.open.ac.uk/society-psychology-and-criminology/change-your-mind-change-your-life/  

 Directors: Haider Zafar; Sas Amoah, with OU academics Dr Phillipa Waterhouse and Professor Naomi Moller and OU students Christine Lyle and Kyle Andrews. At a crossroads: navigating work and/or family alongside study. OpenLearn, The Open University.  An interactive designed to support student wellbeing; output from Office of Students funded project. This output was nominated for a Learning on Screen Award 2023 in the Online Educational Resource section. https://www.open.edu/openlearn/crossroads:

 Baker, R., Stuflesser, A. & Moller, N. Panic Attacks: What they are and what to do about them, 2019.  This short course on OpenLearn was designed to provide education and support to people experiencing panic attacks and their families and friends. A course advert was also made to attract additional interest. Course link: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/panic-attacks-what-they-are-and-what-do-about-them/content-section-0 

Invited talks, keynotes, panels and workshops:

Moller, N. & Vossler, A. Invited keynote Infidelity in wartime: Risk, digital intimacy, and implications for couples’ therapy International Conference «Current issues in evidence-based practice in psychology and psychotherapy», in person and online at the Ukraine Sigmund Freud University, Kyiv, May 23-24^th 2026.

 Reeves, A., Barkham, M., Charura, D., Gabriel, Lynne, McLeod, J., Moller, N., Smith, K. (2024). Invited panellist: The role of BACP in maximising the potential of counselling and psychotherapy research in the UK. Panel at British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Research conference in Birmingham, May 17-18 2024.

 April 24-26  2024  Moller, N. Invited workshop on Thematic Analysis at EU/UK Chapters of the Society for Psychotherapy Research psychotherapy research training workshop series in Valencia, Spain. Also involved as co-organiser.

 March 8 2024    Moller, N. How to do research that makes a difference. Keynote at Metanoia Institute Research Conference, online.

 June 17-17 2023   Moller, N. ‘Methodology, technology and psychology: Looking to the future with hope and critique.‘ Keynote at Division of Counselling Psychology annual conference, at York St John University in York.

 June 2-3 2023  Moller, N and Smith, K. ‘Online Therapy – What we need to know.’ Keynote at 6^th Annual International Conference on Pluralistic Counselling and Psychotherapy online conference.

 Professional magazine articles

Moller, N. (October 10, 2025). OUPsychology blog: World Mental Health Day 2025: The impact of global emergencies and catastrophes. https://oupsychology.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/world-mental-health-day-2025/

Roddy, J., Moller, N., Full, W. & Vossler, A. (April 2024). Video counselling: What we know now. Therapy Today (magazine of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). https://www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journals/therapy-today/2024/may-2024/articles/best-practice/