Welcome to the website of

mheap photo mheap text

BSc MSc MSc PhD

CLINICAL AND FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST

HUMANIST

SKEPTIC

My email address is mheap712@gmail.com.
I am also on Facebook.

PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS AND SPECIALITIES

I am a clinical and a forensic psychologist, now in retirement and no longer practising. I started out in clinical psychology in 1974. Before then, I worked (from 1970) as a research psychologist in a hospital for patients with brain damage. I have also held part-time teaching and lecturing posts at universities. In 2001 I qualified in forensic psychology and worked half-time as a consultant, and eventually lead, psychologist for over 10 years in a medium secure hospital.

My professional work involved the following areas of knowledge and expertise:

HUMANISM

I have undertaken Humanist UK's training in non-religious pastoral care and am a volunteer in the multi-faith chaplaincy at a university. In the past I have also volunteered in this capacity with psychiatric inpatients and at a day centre for people with life-limiting illnesses. I have undertaken Schools Speaker training courses with Humanists UK and give talks and lessons on humanism to religious education classes in schools. I am also able to give presentations on humanism to other groups.

SKEPTICISM

In 1997 some colleagues and I set up the Association for Skeptical Enquiry and I eventually became, for many years, its main organiser. Until 2023 ASKE was a society for members of the public from all walks of life who wish to promote rational thinking and enquiry, particularly concerning unusual phenomena, and who are opposed to the proliferation and misuse of irrational and unscientific ideas and practices. I was editor of ASKE's quarterly magazine The Skeptical Intelligencer, which ceased publication in 2023. ASKE still has a website at http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/ where back copies of the Skeptical Intelligencer and ASKE's newsletter, the Skeptical Adveraria may be accessed. In 2024 a Facebook account was opened to the public.

I am a co-founder and now main organiser of Sheffield Skeptics in the Pub. Since 2009, this group has held monthly meetings at which an invited speaker gives a presentation on his or her area of expertise. These talks and discussions, which are for lay audiences, include topics of skeptical interest, but they also cover up-to-date knowledge over a wider range of areas.

I enjoy giving talks to schools and other institutions and groups on my work and on skepticism, one common theme being 'Science and the Paranormal'.

Let me Help you Create your own Personal Philosophy

MPP logo

I manage a website that aims to help people develop their own personal philosophy by thinking about the big meaning-of-life questions, such as how the world, including human life, came about; what is our ultimate destiny; whether there's a purpose to it all; what being 'a good person' means to you; what makes the world 'a good place'; and so on. The website is called 'My Personal Philosophy' because it's all about what you yourself think and believe, although this may be based on existing religious and philosophical teachings. It is hoped that it will help you remain aware of and committed to those ideals and principles which are important to you, especially when meeting the ups and downs of everyday life, conflicts, uncertainty, moral and ethical challenges, and so on. I welcome comments, suggestions for improvements, and ideas for taking this further.

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THE NATURE OF HYPNOSIS

Most information about hypnosis that you read in books and on the internet and that is portrayed in the media is unreliable and misleading. I would not even recommend the entries in Wikipedia, which are of an indifferent quality. I have penned an account of hypnosis on this website in which I have tried to summarise what scientific enquiry into the subject is now telling us. I update this periodically to accommodate new findings and theorising.

THE TYRANNY OF THE PROFESSIONS

Is it reasonable to speak of a modern 'tyranny', one that is having a malign effect on our society, and which we may call 'the tyranny of the professions'? My current pipedream is to have a book published with that title. In fact, I seriously invite any reader who feels an immediate and strong affinity to this title to consider joining me in my enterprise. Click on the title above for my efforts so far.

WRITING PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORTS FOR THE COURTS AND OTHER AGENCIES

These are my reflections on 48 years of writing psychological reports, intially on patients within the health service and latterly on other individuals and cases - around 1,000 in all - for the civil and criminal courts and other agencies. Based on this experience and reading the reports of other psychologists I highlight what I consider to be good and not-so-good practice. My ideas, opinions and conclusions are open to criticism and correction and I welcome this.

LIST OF ALL OTHER ARTICLES ON THIS WEBSITE

Click on the title for a full list of papers accessible on this website, including articles on skepticism, alternative medicine and medicine in general, hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, psychiatry, and clinical psychology.

Recent Additions

Animal Farm
In celebration of an adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm in Shona in Zimbabwe. (Added October 2024)

Yet more sightings of unusual animals
Includes yet another appearance of 'the unsinkable rubber duck'. (Added October 2024)

Arguing from Etymology
What's wrong with the term 'Humanist Chaplain'? (Added October 2024)

Nicola Bulley
As a result of her unexplained disappearance, the family and community of Nicola Bulley were plagued by a host of self-styled investigators, psychics and conspiracy theorists. (Added November 2024)

The Journal of Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Medicine
Yet another dubious journal fooled by a spoof paper. (Added November 2024)

Big Pharma
'Valid criticism of the pharmaceutical industry often snowballs into demonization (Added December 2024)

UNIVERSAL AWARENESS: A THEORY OF THE SOUL

'Why was I born the person I am?' 'If the person I am had never been born, would I have been born as someone else?' 'What happens to me when I die?' 'Have I lived before?' In 2011 I published a book with the above title which takes the reader on a journey in search of answers to these and other profound questions about human existence. By means of a series of philosophical questions, logical puzzles and thought experiments, and with strict adherence to scientific knowledge, the reader is guided to clear answers to these questions. In 2022 I published a second edition of the book with some extensive revisions. Click on the above title for further details and a summary of the theory.