People

Dr John Green

Dr John Green is a Clinical Psychologist and Co-Director of CAST. After qualifying he specialised in psychological and behavioural aspects of infectious diseases, co-editing the first textbook in the world on the clinical management of AIDS and heading a national training unit for AIDS/HIV counselling. He carried out consultancies overseas on AIDS and other infectious diseases on behalf of international agencies and developed an interest in the broader management of major health emergencies and disasters. For many years he was Chief Psychologist for an NHS Trust as well as Clinical Director for five IAPT (NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression) services as well as being an active researcher. He coordinated the NHS mental health response to the Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash and was Clinical Director for mental health for the Grenfell Tower Fire response. He has recently been particularly interested in how cross-agency partnerships can provide effective help to people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma spectrum disorders especially after disasters, at a time when human and financial resources are stretched in the UK and overseas. Much of his recent work has been with forced migrants.   

Email: [email protected]  

Dr Jai Shree Adhyaru  

Dr Jai Shree Adhyaru is a Counselling Psychologist and Co-Director of CAST. After qualifying she specialised in working with children in forensic, community and youth work contexts. She was involved in the first randomised controlled trial in the UK of the gold-standard Multisystemic Therapy (MST) model; an intervention focusing on a social-ecological approach to mental health and wellbeing. Dr Jai developed MST teams in Birmingham and London to work with children showing high-risk behaviours such as suicidal ideation, violence, and responses to traumatic events in a home-based treatment model. Bringing together evidenced-based treatment approaches with robust service implementation approaches led to Dr Jai’s specialism in designing services for populations that do not typically access or benefit from ‘business as usual’ services.

 Dr Jai has developed several specialist crisis response services including the Grenfell Health & Wellbeing Service for Children and Young People, operationalising a staff vaccination centre during the COVID-19 pandemic, and designed and delivered several mental health screening programmes for refugees fleeing conflict, most recently including people arriving to England from Afghanistan and Ukraine.  

In addition to her role as a Consultant Psychologist in the NHS, Dr Jai works in private practice and is also an approved Media Psychologist supporting media productions and delivers training for the United Nations (UN).

Dr Jai has a keen interest in digital health. She completed the Digital Pioneer Fellowship with Digital Health London in 2021 and offers guidance on the use of apps, virtual reality and augmented reality in clinical work. Dr Jai currently works as an Advisory Board member and Lead Psychologist for Hidden Strength, an app-based therapy platform for children and young people. Dr Jai also guest lectures at the University of East London and has honorary roles with Cardiff University and Kingston University. 

Email: [email protected]  

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dradhyaru

Ms Ankita Guchait. QMHP(USA) MBPsS(UK)

Ankita is a mental heath practitioner, clinical data analyst and a CAST Associate. She has extensive expertise in supporting refugees and neurodiverse children. She conducts trauma screenings and provides mental health support to refugees, helping them adapt to new environments. Additionally, Ankita works in the NHS extensively with children with learning disabilities, offering specialised assessments and interventions.

Originally from India, Ankita completed her undergraduate in the USA. Ankita’s professional experience includes working in inpatient services for substance misuse, a homeless shelter for children, and supporting survivors of sexual violence. She then moved to the UK to pursue a postgraduate degree which provided a strong foundation in research-driven psychology, offering students the opportunity to engage in advanced research projects and placements within local schools, hospitals, and clinics.

Alongside her clinical work, Ankita contributes to mental health research, serving as an informational reviewer at Epilepsy Action UK. She is also a media representative for epilepsy organisations in the UK, where she uses her platform to raise awareness, break down stigma, and educate the public about epilepsy.

Her career is deeply informed by her global perspective, having worked in the U.S., UK, Russia, and India, and is driven by a deep commitment to humanitarian work and improving lives across diverse communities.

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/takenbybrain/