What is the Sutherland Trust, and what is our purpose?

The Sutherland Trust exists to stimulate thinking about psychodynamic approaches to health, social care and education.
Our premise is that human-relations ideas and theories which have their origin in psychodynamic thinking can be profoundly helpful to those involved in the delivery of human services. The successful application of theory to practice can lead individuals at all levels of organisation to become better engaged in, and to derive more satisfaction from their work. In turn this can lead to individuals, organisations and groups becoming more productive and effective.
How do we work?
The Sutherland Trust seeks to promote a better understanding of the place of psychodynamic theory in contemporary public services and civic life, and to stimulate discourse about the contemporary relevance of psychodynamically based human-relations theory. It achieves this aim through the provision of learning and sharing opportunities. The Trust organises lectures and seminars and provides bursaries to individuals.
What is psychodynamic theory?
Psychodynamically based human relations theory has at its core an interest in developing insights about the impact on relationships of internal world representations, an inner emotional life, unconscious defences against anxiety and unconscious group processes.