Mr Alfonso Pezzella

DoP(Mental Health)/Senior Lecturer in Mental Health

Alfonso Pezzella

  • School Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education

  • Department Mental Health & Social Work

  • Location London

Research activities

  • Mental Health and wellbeing
  • Culturally competent compassion
  • Sexual identity, Sexuality and Gender and LGBT
  • The effects of Stress on health and wellbeing
  • Clinical and Health Psychology
  • Counselling Psychology, Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

    • Current Teaching

    Director of Programmes 

  • MSc Mental Health Studies
  • MSc/PGDip Advanced Clinical Practice
  • MSc Mental Health and Substance Use (Dual Diagnosis) 
  • PGDip Mental Health Practice
  • Various CPD modules

    • Programme Leadership

  • MSc Mental Health Studies
  • MSc/PGDip Advanced Clinical Practice

    • Module Leadership

  • NSA4050 - Developing Research Capabilities
  • MHR4001 - Mental Health Awareness: From Prevention to Recovery
  • MHR4707 - Physical Health Skills for Mental Health Professionals 
  • NUR1800 - Foundations of Expansive Learning (Mental Health)
  • MHR2000 - Developing and Understanding in Mental Health
  • NIP3331 – Nursing Practice Enquiry
  • MHR4608 – Planning and Delivering Care in Practice

    • Teaching Interests

  • LGBT, Gender and Sexual Identity
  • Mental Health
  • Cultural CompetenceCompassion
  • Psychology
  • Research Methods, Quantitative and Qualitative
  • SPSS


    • Biography

    Alfonso Pezzella is Director of Programmes for Mental Health (post-reg and CPD), Director of Programmes for Step Up to Social Work, and Senior Lecturer in Mental Health at Middlesex University. Alfonso joined Middlesex University in 2012 and currently works in Department of Mental Health, Social Work and Integrative Medicine within the School of Health and Education. 

    Within the Department of Mental Health and Social Work, Alfonso holds the role of Learning and Quality Lead. He is also Programme Lead for the MSc Mental Health Studies, Postgraduate Diploma in Mental Health Practice, and MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Mental Health). 

    Alfonso teaches on a variety of topics including research methods, SPSS, mental health, LGBT+ issues and transcultural issues in health.

    Alfonso is currently leading a European project (IENE-LGBT). The project aims to develop teaching and learning tools to be used by health and social care educators/trainers in order to improve their own knowledge and confidence in teaching LGBT+ issues, to develop the knowledge of health and social care professionals on how to support LGBT+ patients and meet their healthcare needs and to produce best practice guides on how to develop an LGBT+ inclusive curriculum.

    You can find out more about the project, visit https://www.iene-lgbt.com.

    Alfonso is chair of Sexuality and the Social Work International Interest Group. The group encourages international collaborations in social work research, education and practice developments in the field of gender, sexuality, sexual identity and LGBT+ issues.

    Alfonso is also the secretary of the European Transcultural Nursing Association (ETNA).

    Alfonso has a professional Twitter feed @AlfPezzella where he enjoys bringing the community together and discussing topics regarding mental health, LGBT, psychology and education. You can also follow Alfonso on ResearchGate for his latest publications.

    Creating an LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Curriculum

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    External activities

  • EU expert assessor project for Horizon , EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, 2023
  • External Examiner , University College London, 2022
  • Chair, International Sexuality and Social Work Association, 2018
  • Secretary , European Transcultural Nursing Association, 2013

    • Publications

    View publications