TLP Conference: speaker bios

 

Ben West

“In 2018, very unexpectedly, my younger brother Sam died from suicide at the age of just 15 years old. I was 17 at the time. It was the most horrific experience I can imagine and in an instant my world fell apart. I realised quite quickly after Sam’s death that I didn’t want what happened to Sam to happen to anyone else ever again. So, I got to work.” 

Ben West is one of the UK’s most prominent mental health campaigners. Following the suicide of his younger brother, Ben channelled his grief into action, campaigning for greater awareness, suicide prevention, and change in how mental health is addressed in schools. In 2022, he published This Book Could Save Your Life – Breaking the Silence Around the Mental Health Emergency. In this powerful and deeply personal work, he shares his journey so far, from navigating grief to offering practical insights on how we can support those struggling with their mental health.

 

Dr Gwen Adshead

Dr Gwen Adshead is a leading forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist with over 30 years’ experience working in secure mental health care and prisons. Her clinical and research work focuses on trauma, attachment, and the psychology of violence.

She is the co-author of the Sunday Times bestselling book The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry (2021), which explores her work with patients through powerful case studies. In 2024, she delivered the prestigious BBC Reith Lectures, a landmark series where she explored the theme of violence in ‘Four Questions about Violence’.

Widely regarded as a compassionate and authoritative voice in her field, Gwen has been a Consultant Volunteer for The Listening Place since the very beginning of the organisation in 2016.

 

James Longman

James Longman is an award-winning journalist and foreign correspondent for ABC News. Formerly with the BBC, he has reported extensively from conflict zones across the Middle East and Europe, covering major stories from the war in Syria to the Arab Spring and the war in Ukraine. Alongside his international reporting, James is a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility and mental health awareness, often drawing on his own experiences to raise understanding.

In January 2025, he published The Inherited Mind, a moving memoir that explores his struggles with depression and the impact of suicide in his family across three generations. Through this deeply personal work, James offers an incisive and compassionate reflection on mental illness, loss, and resilience.