Digby Tantam is a British psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist, and author, known for his contributions to psychotherapy[1], autism research[2], and mental health policy. [3]He is currently Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sheffield and Visiting Professor at Middlesex University.[4] He is also known for formulating the concept of the interbrain, which describes a subliminal neurological connection enabling humans to understand others’ emotions, intentions, and attention without explicit communication.[5]
Tantam was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he received a BA in Animal Physiology in 1969, followed by an MA and BM, BCh in 1972. He trained as a psychiatrist in London and the United States, earning a Master of Public Health in Behavioral Sciences from Harvard University in 1977.[6] In 1986, he completed a PhD at the University of London for a study focused on adult autism and eccentricity.[7] His academic journey also includes studies at Yale, Stanford, Makerere University, and the Open University, where he earned a BA in Mathematics and Philosophy in 1984.[8]
Career
In clinical psychiatry, Tantam has served in numerous senior roles in both the UK and abroad. He was Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester and Professor of Psychotherapy at the University of Warwick, where he also served as Consultant Psychiatrist.[7] He spent several decades in the NHS as a psychotherapist and autism specialist, establishing in 1980 one of the first dedicated assessment services in the world for adults with autism spectrum conditions. [9]
He was Chair of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and founding Chair of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Service.[6] He co-chaired the European Training Standards Committee of the European Association of Psychotherapy and served as the first Treasurer of the Federation of Existential Therapists in Europe.[7] He is currently Treasurer of the Existential Movement and continues to be active in advancing standards in psychotherapy training and practice across Europe.[8]
Tantam is an honorary life member of the Universities Psychotherapy and Counselling Association, treasurer of the Existential Movement, chair of the Society of Psychotherapy, former registrar of the European Association of Psychotherapy, and former chair of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy.[13]
Research
Tantam’s research focused on the understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the lifespan, integrating clinical insight with theoretical and neuroscientific frameworks.[9] His 2012 book, Autism Spectrum Disorders Through the Life Span, offers an overview of the condition, drawing on his clinical experience and scholarship. [14]
Tantam’s theoretical contributions extend to the study of non-verbal communication and affective neuroscience.[15] His 2014 book, The Interbrain, explores the idea that humans are connected by a background neurological process that allows for emotional resonance and interpersonal intuition.[5] According to Tantam, the interbrain may function through subliminal micro-signals, including visual cues and olfactory signals, which the brain processes outside of conscious awareness. [16]He has argued that disruptions in this system help explain the communicative and relational challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.[17]
Tantam emphasizes the heterogeneity and developmental variability of ASD symptoms, highlighting how manifestations of the disorder evolve and interact with age. His analysis distinguishes the nuanced clinical presentations of Kanner syndrome, Asperger’s syndrome, and atypical Asperger’s syndrome across infancy, childhood, and adolescence. [18]
Throughout his career, Tantam has combined empirical investigation with clinical practice, publishing nearly 200 articles and books. [13]
Personal life
Tantam is married to Emmy van Deurzen, a philosopher and psychotherapist. Tantam has two children, Robert and Grace, and two stepchildren, Ben and Danny.[19]
Selected bibliography
Journals
Tantam, D.; Burns, B. J. (1979). "An international comparison of two systems of community mental health care". Psychological Medicine. 9 (3): 541–550. doi:10.1017/s0033291700032104. ISSN0033-2917. PMID482477.
Tantam, D.; Kalucy, R.; Brown, D. G. (1982). "Sleep, scratching and dreams in eczema. A new approach to alexithymia". Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 37 (1): 26–35. doi:10.1159/000287552. ISSN0033-3190. PMID7111618.
Goldberg, D.P. & Tantam, D. (eds.) (1990) The Public Health Impact of Mental Disorder, Hogrefe and Huber, Bern, 238pp
Greenberg, M., Shergill, S., Szmukler, G., Tantam, D. (2002) Narratives in Psychiatry, Jessica Kingsley
Greenberg, M., Szmukler, G & Tantam, D. (1986) Making Sense of Psychiatric Cases, Oxford: Oxford University Press
Strang, J., Donmall, M., Webster, A., Abbey, J., Tantam, D. (1991) A Bridge Not Far Enough: Community Drug Teams and Doctors in the North Western Region, ISDD Research Monograph 3. London: Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence
Tantam, D. (1988, 1991, 2000) A Mind of One's Own; National Autistic Society: London, 35pp, 1988. Polish translation 1996 in Autistic Child 4, 1, 4-19 and 4,2, 4-13, Japanese translation, Arabic translation 2005
Tantam, D. and Birchwood, M. (eds. 1994) College Seminars in Psychology and Social Sciences, London: Gaskell Press
Tantam, D., Duncan, A. and Appleby, L. (eds. 1996) Psychiatry for the Developing World, Gaskell Press
Tantam, D. (ed. 1998) Clinical Topics in Psychotherapy, Gaskell Press
Tantam, D. (2002) Psychotherapy and Counselling in Practice, Cambridge University Press
Tantam, D. (2012) Autism Spectrum Disorders Through the Life Span, Jessica Kingsley Publishers 550pp
Tantam, D. (2014) Emotional Well-being and Mental Health: A Guide for Counsellors & Psychotherapists, SAGE Publications Ltd
Tantam, Digby (2018). The interbrain: embodied connections versus common knowledge. London: Jessica Kingsley publishers. ISBN978-1-84905-476-8.
↑ Tantam, Digby; Girgis, Sobhi (2009). "Recognition and treatment of Asperger syndrome in the community". British Medical Bulletin. 89: 41–62. doi:10.1093/bmb/ldp006. ISSN1471-8391. PMID19240041.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
