Behind the clutter: perspectives on understanding hoarding

About this event

Join us for a panel discussion bringing together experts in psychology, social care, and individuals with lived experience to explore the complexities of hoarding. This event will delve into the latest scientific insights, therapeutic approaches, and practical strategies for supporting those affected by clutter and hoarding behaviours. Attendees can engage directly with professionals and hear personal stories, offering a holistic perspective on overcoming the challenges of hoarding and fostering positive change.

About our panel

The panel will be led by Sharon Morein-Zamir, Professor of Cognition and Mental Health at Anglia Ruskin University, where she chairs the Possessions and Hoarding Collective. Her research examines psychological difficulties relating to compulsivity and impulsivity, focusing on the conditions of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Hoarding Disorder.

Dr Jane Scott is a clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at ARU. She has worked clinically with people who hoard and also conducts research into the condition.

Stuart Brown is the team manager of the adult early help team in Cambridgeshire County Council which are the front team for adult social care, providing support for anyone from the age of 18. Stuart founded and leads the Cambridgeshire hoarding forum to help any professional who encounters clients who hoard. Together with those with lived experience he also leads the Declutter Together peer support group which meets regularly to support those living with excess clutter.

Kathy Jones is a peer trainer and tutor at the RCE wellbeing hub in Cambridge which is part of the NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation Trust (CPFT). Having experienced a lengthy period of mental health challenges including being a hoarder, she received support from a team at CPFT about 12 years ago and has been decluttering ever since! She now teaches classes such as ‘Let’s talk about Decluttering’ and ‘living well with Decluttering/hoarding’.

Event presented as part of the Cambridge Festival.