Professor Ernesto Spinelli has wide experience of teaching psychotherapists and supervisors, most recently as a Senior Fellow at Regent’s College School of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology. In addition to his academic work he also maintains a private practice as a psychotherapist, executive coach and supervisor.
Ernesto is an existential psychotherapist, a Chartered Counselling Psychologist and Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Ernesto’s other academic awards include BA, MSc and PhD.
For the Grove Practice, he teaches existential approaches to supervision on our 12-day CPD training course: Diploma in Integrative Supervision of Individuals and Groups.
Professor Ernesto Spinelli was Chair of the Society for Existential Analysis between 1993 and 1999 and is a Life Member of the Society.
His writings, lectures and seminars focus on the application of existential phenomenology to the arenas of therapy, psychology, and executive coaching. He is a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS) as well as an APECS accredited executive coach and coaching supervisor.
In 1999, Ernesto was awarded a Personal Chair as Professor of Psychotherapy, Counselling and Counselling Psychology. In 2000, he was the Recipient of the BPS Division of Counselling Psychology Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Profession. And in 2019, Ernesto received the BPS Award for Distinguished Contribution to Practice.
His most recent therapy book, Practising Existential Therapy: The Relational World 2nd edition (Sage, 2015) has been widely praised as a major contribution to the advancement of existential theory and practice.
His previous books include: The Interpreted World: an introduction to phenomenological psychology, 2nd ed (Sage, 2005); Demystifying Therapy (PCCS, 2006); Tales of Un-Knowing (PCCS, 2006); and The Mirror and The Hammer: challenging therapeutic orthodoxies (Sage, 2001).
Living up to the existential dictum that life is absurd, Ernesto is also the author of an on-going series of Private Eye novels. His most recent standalone novel, Moments: A Greek Island Tale, a tale set in the 1960s, was published in August, 2025.
Friday 11 September 2026
12:30–17:30 in person (London) | 13:00–17:00 online
A half-day of live learning, real connection and focused CPD to deepen your clinical practice. If you value thoughtful, clinically grounded CPD in a warm, professional community, this afternoon is for you. This conference is designed for practitioners who want to keep their work sharp, ethical and alive.
Register now