My father, Nick Heather, who died at the age of 86, was a clinical psychologist with an international reputation in alcohol and addiction research, and published more than 500 articles and more than 20 books. He was tireless and uncompromising in his efforts to advance an understanding and treatment of alcohol problems, especially in challenging the addiction model.
Perhaps his most important contribution was a pioneer “Summary interventions” (Short counseling sessions), now a major element in the efforts used by medical professionals to reduce alcohol problems all over the world. He conducted the first monitoring random experience in 1985, and continued to enhance their theoretical understanding and practical application for many years.
He was born in northern London, was baptized, but he was always called Nick by his parents, Edward Heather, director of an external green green car, and Mary (Ni McDirmot). Nick raising him from the working class to leave the 16 -year -old Latronton School in Edmonton, and find a written work in London. In 1957, he made a national service with the British Royal Air Force, spent time in Germany as a signal operator, and on the return of a series of jobs while studying his levels of correspondence.
It was accepted by the University of London College in the Psychology Course, and graduated in 1965.
He was the first clinical psychologist at the South Manchester University Hospital for two years. Then he took a clinical job in Dundy, where he also worked in prisons and the institutions of the young perpetrator. This was the place where he began interested in addiction, especially alcohol use, obtained a doctorate, and completed it in 1979. His first book was published, radical perspectives in psychology, in 1976.
In 1987, he was appointed as the founding director of the Center for Narcotics and National Lower Research at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and was a key to his pioneering position on the world. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1994 to create a center of alcohol and drug studies in Newcastle.
In “retirement”, in 2003, he obtained a honorary chair at the University of Northomia, Newcastle on Tine, and continued to spread papers and books. He was awarded the Jellinek Memorial Award in 2017, in the same year that his book addiction and his choice appeared. He published his last book, where he evaluated the encephalopathy model, in 2022, 84 years old.
Outside of work, Nick had many feelings including music, football, cake and chess. He had a fixed commitment to the Crossing Grudian word every Saturday morning.
Nick I marriage in 1970 ended with Megan Jones, with divorce after five years. They had two sons, Robert and Adam. He got married to Jean Forseth, a teacher of mathematics, and he has two sons, Stewart and I, in 1984. Their first son, Nicholas, died as a baby.
Jean, four children, and six grandchildren survive.