Meg John Barker

Updated on Oct 12, 2024

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Full Name Meg-John Barker Years active 2003–present		Nationality British

Born 23 June 1974 (age 42) ( 1974-06-23 ) Hull, England Occupation author, academic, activist and psychotherapist Known for leading academic on open non-monogamy, bisexuality, non-binary gender, and BDSM Website rewriting-the-rules.com People also search for Jacqui Gabb, Julia Scheele, Justin Hancock Education University of Nottingham, University of Sheffield Books Rewriting the Rules: An Integr, The Secrets of Enduring, Sexuality and Gender fo, Mindful Counselling & Psychot, Introductory Psychology: History - T

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Meg-John Barker (born 23 June 1974) is an author, academic, activist and psychotherapist. A Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Open University in the United Kingdom, Barker holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Nottingham, and is also a UKCP accredited psychotherapist specializing in sex therapy and relationship counseling.

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Barker has written and/or edited some of the first academic collections on open non-monogamy, bisexuality, non-binary gender and BDSM. Barker was editor of the journal Psychology & Sexuality from 2010 to 2017, the lead author of The Bisexuality Report and the writer of the anti self-help book and blog on relationships Rewriting the Rules.

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Barker prefers to be addressed with the pronouns they/them/their.

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Early life and education

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Barker was born in Hull, England, on 23 June 1974, grew up in Bradford, and holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Nottingham. After teaching at a number of higher education institutions Barker settled at the Open University in 2008, having also qualified with a MA in Psychotherapy from the University of Sheffield and trained at the major NHS sexual and relationship clinic at Guy's Hospital for several years.

Recent career

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Barker's main area of research is human sexuality, gender and romantic relationships, with a focus on the experiences of people in sexual, gender and relationship communities located outside the mainstream – particularly polyamorous, kink, non-binary and bisexual communities. Theoretically their work draws on social constructionism, existentialism and Buddhist philosophy. Barker, with co-author Darren Langdridge, has published two edited collections on sadomasochism and on non-monogamy. and a recent book for mental health professionals (co-authored with Christina Richards). Barker founded the journal of Psychology & Sexuality together with Langdridge in 2010, and they co-edited it until 2017. Barker co-organizes a number of seminar series and conferences, notably the Critical Sexology series, an interdisciplinary project co-organized with Lisa Downing and Robert Gillett; BiReCon (a biennial research conference which takes place prior to the annual BiCon event) and the Pornified and Sense About Sex Projects.

Psychotherapy

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Barker leads the Open University module Counselling: Exploring Fear and Sadness and writing for the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapy journal (COSRT, the main UK organisation for Sex and Relationship Therapists)). Barker practices Sexual & Relationship Therapy at London Friend . Barker practices existential psychotherapy and mindfulness with books on the latter developing the approaches of social mindfulness therapy and mindful sex and relationship therapy (MSRT).

Activism

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Barker's activism in the area of LGBT&Q rights has been recognized by placement in the top 40 of The Independent on Sunday newspaper's Pink List, and Rainbow List. Barker was one of the founder members of BiUK, the organization for bisexual research and activism. This group wrote the international guidelines for academics studying bisexuality (published in Journal of Bisexuality) and produced The Bisexuality Report which informs UK policy and practice regarding bisexuality based on the evidence regarding biphobia, bisexual invisibility, and mental health In 2013, Barker took home an Erotic Award in the academic category from Times Higher Education, for the book Rewriting the Rules.

Books (as author)

Barker, M. (2003) Introductory Psychology: History, Themes and Perspectives. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. ISBN 978-1903337172

Barker, M. (2012) Rewriting The Rules: An Integrative Guide To Love, Sex and Relationships. London: Routledge ISBN 978-0415517638

Richards, C & Barker, M. (2013) Sexuality and Gender for Counsellors, Psychologists and Health Professionals: A Practical Guide. London: Sage. ISBN 978-0857028433

Barker, M. (2013) Mindfulness in Counselling & Psychotherapy: Practising Mindfully Across Approaches and Issues. London: Sage. ISBN 978-1446211113

Barker, M.-J. & Gabb, J. (2016) The Secrets of Enduring Love: How to Make Relationships Last. London: Penguin RandomHouse. ISBN 978-1785040238

Barker, M.-J. & Scheele, J. (2016) Queer: A Graphic History. London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-1785780714

Barker, M.-J. & Hancock, J. (2017) "Enjoy Sex (How, When and If You Want To): A Practical and Inclusive Guide". London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-1785780806

Books (as editor)

Langdridge, D. & Barker M. (2007) Safe, Sane and Consensual: Contemporary Perspectives on Sadomasochism, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0230517745

Barker, M., Vossler, A. & Langdridge, D. (Eds.) (2010) Understanding Counselling and Psychotherapy. London: Sage. ISBN 978-1849204767

Langdridge, D. & Barker M. (Eds.) (2010) Understanding Non-monogamies. New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0415800556

Brotto, L. & Barker, M. (Eds.) (2014) Mindfulness in Sexual and Relationship Therapy. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0415736961

Richards, C. & Barker, M. (Eds.) (2015) The Palgrave Handbook of the Psychology of Sexuality & Gender. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 978-1137345882

Reports

Barker, M., Richards, C., Jones, R., Bowes-Catton, H., & Plowman, T. (2012). The Bisexuality Report: Bisexual Inclusion in LGBT equality and diversity. Milton Keynes: The Open University, Centre for Citizenship, Identity and Governance. ISBN 978-0415517638

Shaw, L., Butler, C. Langdridge, D., Gibson, S., Barker, M., Lenihan, P., Nair R., & Richards, C. (2012). Guidelines for psychologists working therapeutically with sexual and gender minority clients. Leicester: British Psychological Society.

Attwood, F., Bale, C. & Barker, M. (Eds.) (2013). The Sexualization Report. Funded by The Wellcome Trust.

Selected articles and book chapters

Barker, M. (2005). This is my partner, and this is my… partner’s partner: Constructing a polyamorous identity in a monogamous world.Journal of Constructivist Psycholog 18: 75-88.

Ritchie, A. & Barker, M. (2006). ‘There aren’t words for what we do or how we feel so we have to make them up’: Constructing polyamorous languages in a culture of compulsory monogamy. Sexualities 9: 584-601.

Barker, M. (2007). Heteronormativity and the exclusion of bisexuality in psychology. In V. Clarke & E. Peel (Eds.) Out in Psychology: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives. pp. 95–117. Chichester: Wiley

Barker, M. & Langdridge, D. (2010). Whatever happened to non-monogamies? Critical reflections on recent research and theory. Sexualities 13: 748-772.

Journal editorships

Psychology & Sexuality. Taylor & Francis ISSN 1941-9899

References

Meg-John Barker Wikipedia

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