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Dr Penny Furness

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  4. Dr Penny Furness

Dr Penny Furness PhD, CPsychol, MBPS, MBACP (Accred), PGDHCE, FHEA

Senior Lecturer in Psychology

Summary

I teach Counselling Skills and Theory, Qualitative Methods and Social / Health Psychology. I am a qualified, accredited and practising Integrative Counsellor and Psychotherapist. I conduct qualitative and mixed methods research into the experience of and care for chronic pain and illness, health applications of virtual reality technology, psychotherapy and the therapeutic relationship.  

Penny Furness

About

I have worked in academia for over 20 years, since 2001. My main teaching interests currently lie in Counselling and Psychotherapy practice, theory and professional issues. I also teach Social Psychology, Qualitative Methods and Health Psychology.

I am an experienced researcher and focus on qualitative or mixed methods approaches. My work has included small scale and larger, collaborative projects, experiential work, feasibility and evaluation studies, interviews, focus groups, thematic and interpretive approaches, and creative approaches.

My research focuses broadly on topics related to health and well-being.  Examples include the experience of autism, unexplained medical symptoms, burns, chronic illness and pain, virtual reality interventions in healthcare, interprofessional learning in the health sciences, overweight in pregnancy, the lived experience of disfiguring injury and chronic illness, community history, happiness, psychotherapy interventions and the therapeutic relationship.

Prior to teaching and research posts, I worked in healthcare, having completed my nurse training and qualifications in 1994. I worked for some years as a staff nurse in the care of burns and re-constructive surgery patients. A strong interest in the psychology of health, illness and recovery led me to undertake a Masters' degree in Psychology at Ï㽶ÊÓƵ and then between 2001 and 2005 a PhD at Nottingham University (medical school). I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

More recently I completed a 4-year part-time Professional Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Academy SPACE in Sheffield, and qualified in 2021. During and since my training I have worked as a therapist in a range of voluntary organisations. I have worked as in private practice since qualification. I am accredited by the BACP. My integrative approach is based on person-centred, relational and existential principles and ideas.

My areas of interest are:

  • Chronic illness;
  • Traditional and critical approaches to Health Psychology;
  • Health applications of Virtual Reality;
  • Happiness and Wellbeing;
  • Social Relationships;
  • Self-presentation.

Teaching

Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Projects

Varied, focusing on
Virtual Reality interventions,
The experience and care of chronic pain and illness
Happiness and well-being
The Therapeutic relationship 

Subject Area

Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics
Psychology

Courses taught 

BSc Psychology
MSc Psychology
MSc Developmental Psychology

Modules taught 

Varied, focusing on Counselling and Psychotherapy

Ï㽶ÊÓƵ

Please see list of recent publications below

Collaborators

  • Colleagues in ACES,
  • Biomedical Sciences,
  • Clinical Practice at University of Sheffield.

Funders

  • MRC Confidence in Concept;
  • Polly Fogs Fibromyalgia Ï㽶ÊÓƵ UK.

Publications

Journal articles

Partridge, B., Abbott, R., & Furness, P. (2025). . Omega: Journal of Death and Dying.

Phelan, I., Carrion-Plaza, A., Furness, P., Parker, J., Nicolaou, N., & Dimitri, P. (2025). . Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.

Rose, S., & Furness, P. (2024). . Qualitative Ï㽶ÊÓƵ in Psychology, 21 (4), 578-609.

Furness, P., Shelton, T., Beresford, R., Lawson, K., Taylor, S., & Haywood-Small, S. (2023). . Journal of Pain Management, 15 (4).

Furness, P., Shelton, T., Beresford, R., Lawson, K., Taylor, S., & Haywood-Small, S. (2023). . Journal of Pain Management, 15 (4).

Wai Chau, W.M., & Furness, P. (2023). . American Journal of Qualitative Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 7 (1), 168-190.

Phelan, I., Carrion-Plaza, A., & Furness, P. (2023). . Virtual Reality, 27 (4), 3505-3520.

Machaka, R., Barley, R., Serrant, L., Furness, P., & Dunham, M. (2021). . Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 2264-2275.

Phelan, I., Furness, P., Matsangidou, M., Babiker, N., Fehily, O., Thompson, A., ... Lindley, S. (2021). . Virtual Reality.

Phelan, I., Furness, P., Dunn, H., Carrion-Plaza, A., Matsangidou, M., Dimitri, P., & Lindley, S. (2021). . Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.

Phelan, I., Furness, P., Matsangidou, M., Carrion-Plaza, A., Dunn, H., Dimitri, P., & Lindley, S. (2021). . Virtual Reality.

Taylor, S., Furness, P., Ashe, S., Haywood-Small, S., & Lawson, K. (2021). . Western Journal of Nursing Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 43 (2), 115-122.

Phelan, I., Furness, P., Fehily, O., Thompson, A., Babiker, N., Lamb, M., & Lindley, S. (2019). . Journal of Burn Care & Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 40 (1), 85-90.

Furness, P. (2019). . Pain and Rehabilitation - the Journal of Physiotherapy Pain Association, 2020 (48), 37-47.

Furness, P., Phelan, I., Babiker, N., Fehily, O., Thompson, A., & Lindley, S. (2019). . Journal of Burn Care & Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 40 (6), 878-885.

Taylor, S., Steer, M., Ashe, S., Furness, P., Haywood-Small, S., & Lawson, K. (2018). . Scandinavian Journal of Pain.

Twells, A., Furness, P., Bhanbhro, S., & Gregory, M. (2018). . People, place and policy online, 12 (1), 8-28.

Furness, P., Vogt, K., Ashe, S., Taylor, S., Haywood-Small, S., & Lawson, K. (2018). . Health Psychology Open, 5 (2).

Dean, J., Furness, P., Verrier, D., Lennon, H., Bennett, C., & Spencer, S. (2018). . Qualitative Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 18 (3), 273-289.

Nieto-Rucian, V., & Furness, P. (2018). . Qualitative Psychology.

Ashe, S., Furness, P., Taylor, S., Haywood-Small, S., & Lawson, K. (2017). . Health Psychology Open, 4 (2), 1-12.

Stenberg, N., & Furness, P. (2017). . Qualitative Health Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 27 (4), 547-558.

Ashe, S., Furness, P., Taylor, S., Haywood-Small, S., & Lawson, K. (2016). . The European Health Psychologist, 18 (Supp), 695.

Morgan, J., Abbott, R., Furness, P., & Ramsay, J. (2016). . International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 55, 103-113.

Soltani, H., Duxbury, A., Arden, M., Dearden, A., Furness, P., & Garland, C. (2015). . Journal of Obesity, 111 (5 pt.2), 1-10.

Furness, P., Arden, M., Duxbury, A., Hampshaw, S., Wardle, C., & Soltani, H. (2015). . Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 5 (2), 89.

Soltani, H., Duxbury, A.M.S., Arden, M.A., Dearden, A., Furness, P.J., & Garland, C. (2015). Maternal Obesity Management Using Mobile Technology: A Feasibility Study to Evaluate a Text Messaging Based Complex Intervention during Pregnancy. Journal of obesity, 2015, 814830.

Soltani, H., Furness, P., Mcseveny, K., Arden, M., Garland, C., Sustar, H., & Dearden, A. (2012). . Journal of Obesity.

Furness, P., Armitage, H., & Pitt, R. (2012). . International Journal of Medical Education, 3, 83-91.

Abduljalil, K., Furness, P., Johnson, T.N., Rostami-Hodjegan, A., & Soltani, H. (2012). . Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 51 (6), 365-396.

Furness, P., Armitage, H., & Pitt, R. (2012). . Nursing Reports, 2 (1).

Abduljalil, K., Furness, P., Johnson, T.N., Rostami-Hodjegan, A., & Soltani, H. (2012). Anatomical, physiological and metabolic changes with gestational age during normal pregnancy: A database for parameters required in physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling. Clinical Pharmacokinetics, 51 (6), 365-396.

Furness, P., Armitage, H., & Pitt, R. (2011). . Journal of Interprofessional Care, 25 (1), 46-52.

Furness, P.J., McSeveny, K., Arden, M., Garland, C., Dearden, A., & Soltani, H. (2011). . BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 11 (69).

Furness, P., & Garrud, P. (2010). . Qualitative Health Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, 20 (2), 262-272.

Glazebrook, C., Furness, P., Tay, J., Abbas, K., & Slaveska-Hollis, K. (2009). . Child And Adolescent Mental Health, 14 (2), 104-108.

Furness, P.J., Glazebrook, C., Tay, J., Abbas, K., & Slaveska - Hollis, K. (2009). . Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 14 (4), 575-587.

Furness, P., Faulder, A., Garrud, P., & Swift, J. (2006). . Journal of Health Psychology, 11 (3), 453-466.

Furness, P. (2005). . British Journal of Nursing, 14 (12), 641-645.

Furness, P. (2005). . British journal of nursing.

Furness, P. (2003). . The Psychologist, 16 (10), 538-540.

Furness, P.J. (2003). Facing the future. Psychologist, 16 (10), 538-540.

Conference papers

Morgan, J., Abbott, R., Furness, P., & Webster-Spriggs, S. (2013). . In Dadashi, N., Scott, A., Wilson, J.R., & Mills, A. (Eds.) Rail human factors : supporting reliability, safety and cost reduction, (pp. 445-452). London: CRC Press

Book chapters

Morgan, J., Abbott, R., Furness, P., & Webster-Spriggs, S. (2013). . In Dadashi, N., Scott, A., Wilson, J.R., & Mills, A. (Eds.) Rail human factors : supporting reliability, safety and cost reduction. (pp. 445-452). Leiden, Netherlands: CRC/Balkena:

Theses / Dissertations

Partridge, B.J. (2024). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Abbott, R., & Furness, P.

Halpin, J.G. (2014). . (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Hodge, N., & Furness, P.

Other activities

Peer reviewer for various Health and Psychology journals

 

Postgraduate supervision

Five current supervisions and five completions.
Qualitative projects on a range of topics related to my research interests.

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