States of Mind
Product details
- ISBN 9781041083702
- Weight: 550g
- Dimensions: 174 x 246mm
- Publication Date: 19 May 2026
- Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
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States of Mind critiques the traditional paradigms that shape our mental health and school systems, from diagnostic labels to high-stakes assessment, unravelling what they are, how they came into being, and why they need to evolve to better serve young people.
The book reconceptualises these systems and shows that, by embracing a different worldview, we can work with young people in a way that fosters belonging, personal growth and collective action. With a focus on meaningful change, it introduces approaches which place young people at the centre as active participants, working alongside adults on complex problems, generating outcomes and co-constructing solutions. These include critiquing and re-imagining school evaluation; designing whole-school policies to promote staff and student wellbeing; and developing programmes to explore our states of mind to support individuals and communities to flourish. Case studies, provocations and examples of inspirational people and organisations are included to empower the reader to rethink their own practices.
Education should support us, both individually and collectively, to co-construct ways of being, thinking and acting authentically. States of Mind is essential reading for teachers, educational psychologists, advocacy organisations, thinktanks, and all those wishing to create more hopeful, humane mental health and education systems.
Chris Bagley is a lecturer and research supervisor at University College London, Director of Research at States of Mind CIC and Co-Director at Square Peg CIC. Chris started in education as a secondary school teacher and later trained as an Educational Psychologist. He mostly works with marginalised young people and families in school and community settings. Chris. His core interest is collaborating with young people, families, professionals and other innovators to build systems that support young people and those working with them to thrive.
Bea Herbert is a Psychosynthesis Psychologist and Founder of States of Mind CIC. Bea has spent her professional career working alongside young people to co-develop alternatives to the medicalised model of mental health care at an individual, community and systems level. Her work has included the development of Selfology, a therapeutic programme for young people in schools, supported housing and community contexts, together with the Wellbeing Ambassadors Programme, a whole-school approach to designing psychological solutions in school settings. She is dedicated to the application of psychological theory and practice for the development of truly holistic and democratic approaches to systems change.
