Acknowledgements

I found these acknowledgements surprisingly stressful to write. I wrote and rewrote them, acutely aware of the plethora of people I wanted to thank – and the ensuing dangers of this section itself becoming a chapter of the book if I did. I was troubled by the question of how I could possibly acknowledge all who have spoken to me candidly about their personal experiences accessing or delivering therapy. These conversations with colleagues, friends, and strangers – at parties, during taxi rides, after seminars, and so on – have been deeply impactful and truly appreciated.

In the end, I found myself pressing the delete key on my initial efforts. Instead, I am electing to put forward a generalised Thank You. To the many clinicians who offered up spaces in packed schedules for interviews or more informal conversations about their work, and who spoke thoughtfully about the care they sought to provide and the constraints through which it is configured. To the patients, survivors, activists, advocates, and carers who have asked probing questions of my research – and of me, personally – and surfaced issues that contoured my approach to the sociology of psychological praxis. To the politicians, policymakers, and advisers who have given me much food for thought in relation to the realpolitik of national healthcare, in ways that have shaped and sometimes sharpened some of my critique. To the academics who offered insight on work-in-progress, including my manuscript reviewers for offering generous and valuable commentary on a prior iteration of this book, and of course the co-workers who have become mentors, supporters, and friends. To colleagues working in HR, finance, research governance, and grant administration within the University of Edinburgh, as well as the Wellcome Trust and the NHS, who collectively made this research possible. To everyone at Cambridge University Press for their faith in me and this book project, and the expertise they provided. And, most of all, to my family, to whom I owe everything. Thank you all so very, very much.

This book is based primarily on research undertaken through grants awarded by the Wellcome Trust (principally WT094205MA as well as WT106612MA; 209519/Z/17/Z; 209519/Z/17/A; 223615/Z/21/Z). It also draws on elements of the research and engagements I undertook through sponsorship by the British Academy (EN160164) and UKRI (AH/W011417/1ES/S013873/1; ES/G041415/1; MR/S035818/1; MC_PC_MR/R01910X/1). I am enormously appreciative of these funders for enabling my work.

Chapters 2, 3, and 4 were developed, respectively, from the following articles, revised and expanded for this book: