One-on-one with Elena Coria

Can you tell me a bit about your background and journey, and what led you to ultimately pursue a career in psychology?

When some important life challenges and detours happened, they felt unfair, forced and cruel, and in many ways they were; however they all led to this point and I would choose this career all over again. I once was a medical student dreaming to become a surgeon. After my third year, my parents became unwell and passed away and I had to give up my dream to work and sustain myself. After that, I worked in education as a cover supervisor at a primary school in a disadvantaged area of the South West, and, alongside my job, in 2011 I went back to higher education and pursued my BSc in Psychology with the Open University. I must admit that psychology, at the time, felt like a plan B, as I was a single parent by then and could not go back to medicine, but one that I was hopeful would be stimulating and equally important as a medical career. It did not disappoint! 

Why clinical psychology?

While working with primary school children who faced innumerable challenges and yet were expected to perform academically as their more advantaged peers, I realised that my passion was in helping them and their families overcome difficulties, understand intergenerational patterns and create opportunities to change, rather than focus on shaping their academic profiles. Clinical psychology gives me opportunities to work across the lifespan, across settings and to support people contending with a variety of difficulties. My special interest is around supporting young people, and their families, overcome eating disorders. I feel this maintains a link with my medical background. 

What were your experiences before getting onto the doctorate?

After completing my BSc in Psychology, I left my role at school and I obtained a training post as a trainee children's wellbeing practitioner in an IAPT service with the University of Exeter. Once I completed my diploma in low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy, I remained in an IAPT for two more years before applying to the Dclin and, at the same time, to my first and only AP post. Not getting on to training until the following year gave me the opportunity to work with a fantastic CAMHS eating disorder service in Devon, an experience that solidified my passion for the field and for which I will forever be grateful. 

What has your experience of navigating the doctorate as a mature student been like?

I would say an extremely positive one. There is not a perfect or better age to be a trainee (although certainly there is a more 'typical' one, as mature aspiring psychologists constitute only a quarter of all applicants each year in the UK), and all trainees reach this stage equipped with transferrable personal and professional skills coming from their own unique journey. However, I am very grateful for how life before training helped me learn how I navigate challenges, sit with uncertainty, how I bounce back when things go wrong, and where to pluck the confidence to 'give things a go', how to be a parent and keep growing and developing. I know myself, my boundaries, my passions and my needs more now than I did in my 20s. 

Have you experienced any challenges?

Not necessarily course-related challenges. Moving to the Midlands from Devon has been difficult, on an emotional and practical level, and sometimes coordinating my commitments with my adult children's ones can be difficult. Probably knowing that I wish to return to working in the field of eating disorders can sometimes dampen the excitement about exploring other fields while on training, but this does not take anything away from the learning opportunities that the course offers. 

What does a typical week as a trainee clinical psychologist look like for you?

I am now in the second year, which will look fairly similar to the first year. We start the academic year with a teaching block, in which we are full time students and attend lectures five days a week. When we are not in a teaching block, we are usually in lectures one or two days a week and on placement the rest of the week. Independent study days are built into our schedule and at times we welcome the odd additional one when lectures are cancelled. I tend to start my day early at the gym and, after lectures or placement, end the day out in fields with my dog, as both things are an integral part of my self-care needs. I'd like to say I only work and/or study within working hours, but evenings and weekends are not always free, especially around deadlines. 

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

While working in a family therapy clinic in my AP post in CAMHS eating disorders, we, as a team, reflected on an old article by Mason, B. (1993), titled 'Towards positions of safe uncertainty', and it has really stayed with me since and informs my practice, whichever clinical population and difficulties I work with. It explores the role of therapy in accompanying clients on their journey, while helping them tolerate the uncertainty of some parts of their recovery and around discharge. I find that it also helps psychological practitioners navigate the concept of safe uncertainty, managing expectations of therapy goals and serving as a reminder of the importance of clients' empowerment. 

What advice would you give to other aspiring psychologists who may be interested in pursuing a career within psychology as a mature student?

I wholeheartedly recommend avoiding comparisons with younger counterparts and their journey. We are all unique, no matter our age, and the fact that more mature aspiring psychologists are fewer than more typical demographics does not mean you do not have what it takes to be a fantastic trainee and become an accomplished and respected psychologist. I found that the issue for mature aspiring psychologists is the lack of visibility and representation, not the lack of skills or ability, that career changes and life detours usually generously teach.

So, another piece of advice would be to find your tribe, talk to other mature aspiring psychologists, listen to other voices, trust that yours is important. Nearly three years ago, I founded the OCPC (Older Clinical Psychology Community) to help increase visibility and offer a shared space for aspiring psychologists, training and qualified psychologists who identify as mature and/or career changers. We meet virtually every six weeks and we provide mentoring schemes and other opportunities dedicated to mature applicants. You can find OCPC on X (@OCPC_) and Facebook (OCPC page). 

Author biography

Fauzia Khan is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society and host of the 'Fauzia Khan interviews…' series. She is currently working in the NHS. You can read her collection of interviews on the BPS website. 

Twitter: Fauzia = @itsFauziaKhan