One on one with clinical psychologist Dr Michelle Hacking

Tell me about your background and what spurred your interest in psychology?

I have always been fascinated by people and how their behaviour is influenced by their experiences. I have a strong feeling of empathy and compassion for others and this definitely influenced my path in life.
 
I grew up in an area that was impacted by poverty and this influenced my sense of social justice. I saw that there were groups of people who faced multiple disadvantages in life, and that their opportunities were limited by society. Clinical psychologists are in a unique position to improve the lives of individual clients, but also to influence wider societal change. 

What drew you to clinical psychology?

Psychology was always my favourite subject, and this is why I chose to study it at university. I am curious about the human mind and love the idea that we can build a detailed understanding of what influences our behaviour.
 
For a few years, I worked with an incredible clinical psychologist called Dr Chantal Basson, who really influenced me. I aspired to take a systemic approach with an emphasis on reflective practice. During that time, my mum became unwell and she was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's disease, aged 55. 

This impacted hugely on our lives and was a very dark time. I will never forget the kindness and compassion that was shown to us, and the support that the psychologist offered to my mum. I remember being aware of the intense privilege of supporting people in the toughest of circumstances.
 
I had my two children when I was fairly young, and I think this also spurred me on to demonstrate the importance of pursuing your passions and working hard to achieve your aspirations. My eldest son is now due to start his training as a student nurse in September!

You work both in the NHS and in private practice - can you tell me a bit about your roles?

I have been working within the NHS since 2006, when I started as a support worker. I very quickly found my niche in supporting autistic young people and those with learning disabilities and their families. I adore this work, and this continues to be my specialism. 
In my private practice, I work with autistic children and adults, or those who would benefit from a neurodivergent way of working. My private practice also allows me to get involved in exciting projects, and offering teaching, training and clinical supervision. 
 
I have an interest in social justice and advocating for equality in mental health care, and to this end, I work three days a week within the NHS supporting homeless people with co-occurring mental health, alcohol and drug use. This allows me to influence change and encourage psychologically informed ways of working within services.

You're trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR); can you tell me about this?

This has introduced me to a whole new way of supporting people to process their adverse experiences. During the training I was astounded by how effective it was in reducing distress. 
 
This is a therapy which can be used to process traumatic experiences so that they no longer impact on every aspect of the person's life. Learning EMDR led to me developing my private practice, so that I could use this to benefit others. I have also found it to be effective in supporting autistic people with sensory trauma and burnout.

What spurred your interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders? 

This has been my special interest for many years and I am constantly learning and developing my knowledge in this area. I love working with neurodivergent people and working in a person-centred way to tailor therapeutic approaches. Supporting young people is especially rewarding, due to their sense of humour and honesty.

Tell me about your experience of working with autistic children and young people and those with learning disabilities.

I started off working as a transitions practitioner, supporting young people with Learning Disabilities to work towards their aspirations in adult life, through person-centred planning. I then worked with learning disability nurses, social workers and specialist nursery nurses to support children from birth-18. This was an amazing role and allowed me to learn so much about all aspects of child development and to work closely with families, schools and carers. 
 
Later, I worked at Oldham, and then Manchester Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) as part of the specialist Learning Disability and Autism team. My most recent work has been with autistic young people, struggling with mental health difficulties.

What do you enjoy most about your job role(s) and what do you find most challenging?

In my NHS role, I love the team that I work with, I admire their passion for the job and how much they will fight for the rights of our clients. The challenges tend to be around the political landscape and how services are funded or stretched beyond capacity. I also hear very graphic descriptions of trauma, which can feel both distressing and incredibly humbling.
 
At Kingfisher Psychology, I enjoy the variety of practice, the ability to work creatively and to support others on their learning journey. The challenges tend to be around working alone, and it is important to have a strong network around to support me.

Can you share a piece of work or research that has really changed or shaped your practice?

One of my roles was working within a family therapy team and I feel this approach really influenced my working practice. I learnt about reflective practice, and being aware of my own feelings within the therapy room.
 
I am currently excited about the Oliver McGowan Training on Learning Disabilities and Autism, which is now mandatory within health care. Oliver's mother is now campaigning to roll this out in schools. I believe this is desperately needed, and the training is powerful.

What advice would you give to others that are interested in pursuing a career in clinical psychology?

I would advise people to follow their passions first and foremost. I feel that if you are working in an area which interests you, and you are continuing to learn and develop, then the clinical title itself is not the main focus. 
 
I built up my experience over many years in the NHS, before applying for clinical training. This learning has been invaluable throughout my career, and I would not change my journey. I would also say that it is important to have a life beyond your career goal, and don't delay life just because you want to succeed in this area. I waited until my children were old enough to understand my decision making before taking the leap into clinical psychology, and that was right for me and my family.

Dr Michelle Hacking is a Clinical Psychologist at Kingfisher Psychology, and also works in the NHS within the Salford Dual Diagnosis Homeless Team. Michelle graduated from the University of Liverpool with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2018, and has since set-up her own private practice, working with autistic children and young people. Michelle is trained in Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), which is an evidence-based intervention, commonly used to treat trauma.

Fauzia Khan is a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society. She currently works as an Assistant Psychologist within the NHS, whilst completing her Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

On Twitter: Fauzia = @itsFauziaKhan / Michelle = @KingfisherPsych