Health psychologist in the making… and beyond

My mixed white British and Indo-Caribbean ethnicity, and being the eldest and only girl among four siblings, enhanced my sensitivity to diverse attitudes and behaviours. Physical issues such as myopia and a dislocated knee took me into the world of those who see the world differently, or who have to navigate a world generally not designed with them in mind. My love of astronomy enhanced awareness of what lies beneath the surfaces of planets, just as psychologists explore hidden layers to thoughts, emotions and behaviour. So it was perhaps no surprise that after getting my GCSEs, I aspired to explore my interests in the mind and human behaviours by completing A-levels in the biological sciences, social science and humanities.

Through a highly supportive psychology teacher, I became increasingly interested in studying the subject at university. I secured a place on a British Psychological Society accredited BSc (Hons) Psychology with Clinical Psychology at the University of Kent. Undergraduate supervision from a Professor of Health Psychology reinforced my interests in a career as a practitioner psychologist.

I began the first stage of my health psychology training by completing a BPS-accredited MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Westminster, selected primarily because the evening part-time course also allowed me to undertake assistant psychologist and research assistant roles in two NHS mental health services. Co-facilitating recovery groups with clinical psychologists gave me some idea of the multifaceted and multidisciplinary work undertaken by psychologists.

Towards the latter half of my MSc I developed increasing interests in research. Having obtained the required Merit in my MSc to progress onto the final Stage 2 qualification, I applied for and completed an ESRC-accredited MSc in Research Methods in Psychology at University College London. Shortly after I got an ESRC CASE PhD in Community Care scholarship with the University of Kent and Care Quality Commission.

Interests in diversity led me to complete a PhD thesis exploring cultural diversity sensitivity in care homes, service quality and quality-of-life outcomes encountered by minority ethnic adults with learning disabilities and minority ethnic older people. During the extension year of my PhD, I worked as a Research Assistant/Associate in Health Psychology at the BPS Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness at UCL. Following extensive research roles, I conducted supportive and therapeutic roles alongside a distance learning postgraduate certificate in clinical applications in psychology at Newman University College.

After obtaining my PhD, I worked as a research fellow specialising in dementia, and also as a research assistant, interviewing clients for service evaluation of NHS primary care mental health recovery roles. I combined these roles with volunteering to support a health psychologist at a Diabetes Psychology Service, and working as a visiting lecturer.

Alongside all this experience and study, I still desperately wanted to complete Stage 2 training. However, I was increasingly disillusioned and discouraged by expensive doctoral fees and difficulties finding appropriate placements. I later discovered the NHS Stage 2 trainee health psychologist programme, in which, Health Psychologists in Training (HPiT) are jointly funded by NES and NHS Health Boards in order to complete BPS Stage 2 training requirements while assisting NHS Boards to meet identified local and national health improvement targets. Last year, I successfully obtained a HPiT post with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, incorporating work on smoking cessation in mental health inpatient settings and alcohol brief interventions in priority settings.

My journey has incorporated rewarding and multifaceted roles. I've developed interventions, conducted research, and taught and consulted within a mental health and physical health multimorbidity specialism. One of my proudest moments was obtaining my PhD in Community Care – resilience, perseverance, tenacity, determination and hard work can pay off!

The low points include managing uncontrollable and unpredictable events, alongside self-doubt and 'impostor syndrome'! Furthermore, managing financial demands associated with postgraduate training threw up considerable challenges, which perhaps motivates my pursuit of fully funded postgraduate pathways. With increasing postgraduate fees and our times of austerity, I'm hoping more can be done to ensure the psychology profession becomes accessible to people from varied backgrounds, including people from deprived groups.   

By managing multiple roles, I strive to reframe tricky events into learning prospects to tolerate anxiety and stress. Over the years, using mindfulness, thinking positively, setting boundaries, utilising supervision and socialising with peers has helped to maintain self-care, prevent burnout and cope with numerous low points and challenges. In order to withstand multiple pressures and demands, in my spare time, I intend to continue listening to classical music, performing as a flautist and singer and hiking across hills and coastal paths to develop continued appreciation for nature, fresh air, the environment and the bigger picture.

I look forward to working within an increasingly developing and innovative career path and contributing to illuminating unique selling points offered by health psychology.

A 2024 update… 

My new roles are as a Lecturer in Psychology, Health Psychologist and Strategic Board member Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) with the British Psychological Society (BPS). I'm also studying for a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership, specialising in the role of leadership in supporting care experienced students in Higher Education.

One of the key privileges of working as a Lecturer in Psychology involves supporting or supervising Trainee Health Psychologists enrolled on a Doctorate (DPsych) in Health Psychology programme, which includes invaluable direct opportunities to help enhance the career journeys of future Practitioner Psychologists. My direct involvement with Trainee Health Psychologists also enables fantastic opportunities to support the Chair of the Division of Health Psychology Professor Aimee Aubeeluck's requests for the world to have more Health Psychologists! 

I love to see how future Practitioner Psychologists continually demonstrate tenacity, resilience, flexibility and adaptability, despite setbacks, challenges and adversity. My BPS EDI roles further enable fascinating opportunities to contribute to leadership priorities in supporting aspiring psychologists, personnel with psychological specialisms and wider society. 

My active EDI roles within the BPS, university and external organisations, further cultivates a sense of belonging, connection, and collegiality with other people from traditionally unrepresented groups. Moreover, my joint identifies as a female Lecturer from a minority ethnic group with knee vulnerabilities conveys lived experiences of how gender, race and other components 'intersect' lived experiences, thereby resonating with concepts of intersectionality. I have learnt to be proud of my diverse identities and experiences, particularly as they seem to be invaluable to my current experiences as a Health Psychologist working in academia. 

My pursuits in education as an academic, student, Lecturer, Health Psychologist, alongside psychology experiences in practice, have required a broad appreciation of how psychological experiences could be shaped and influenced by broader cultural and societal dynamics beyond the individual. I therefore have acquired interests in psychological theories or approaches that encapsulate psychological experiences at the individual, social, organisation, cultural and societal level as shown by ecological approaches in psychology. Furthermore, my appreciation for the impact of power influencing psychological experiences and subsequent critical health psychological approaches, further enables opportunities to enhance the psychology curriculum and contribute to alternative diverse perspectives in psychology. 

As a Lecturer in Psychology / Health Psychologist from a minority ethnic group, I have occasionally encountered experiences of hypervisibility and 'feeling different'. However, working alongside people from various backgrounds, I have learnt to appreciate diverse interpretations of psychological principles and insights into comparable shared experiences, regardless of ethnicity classifications. Through my academic and BPS roles, I also hope to represent a group of Practitioner Psychologists from non-traditional backgrounds, which I hope provides some inspiration and encouragement for people that may feel that the psychology profession is not represented by people from non-traditional backgrounds.  

Over the last few years, my continued interests in continuous professional development in Higher Education, alongside my ongoing interests in diversity, has led me to my current EdD in educational leadership studies. As I approach the final stages of my EdD studies, I have learnt about the importance of sensitivity to individual differences and equity in Higher Education, particularly among some of the most underrepresented groups in Higher Education, such as care experienced students. Moreover, the unique challenges of care-experienced students have highlighted the importance of tolerant, compassionate and personable approaches, alongside the value of inclusive or compassionate leaderships approaches in Higher Education. 

The low points include cultivating time to contribute to multiple priorities alongside time or pragmatic constraints. Furthermore, by specialising in EDI in my academic, BPS and health psychology roles, this occasionally involves additional challenges of engaging with accounts or shared experiences that have the potential to evoke re-traumatisation of prior experiences of disadvantage associated with belonging to multiple minority groups. I also have encountered occasional feelings of disappointment in observing how some people from traditionally marginalised populations, seem to be particularly susceptible to uncontrollable, unforeseen barriers that may limit progression. 

I strive to engage in daily activities which allow for escapism or connection with others both within and outside of psychology; to actively protect my time outside of work or study, enabling opportunities to prioritise self-care and psychological wellbeing. I also aspire to further develop and increase professional connections and supportive spaces to continue with my ongoing professional interests in EDI and inclusive leadership approaches in Higher Education and beyond. My experiences of engaging with emotionally challenging or potentially revisiting uncomfortable shared prior historical experiences, has highlighted the importance of additional psychological support practices and supervision to cope with any psychologically challenging situations. Moreover, my earlier Trainee Health Psychologist reflections above, of learning to positively reframe setbacks as learning opportunities, continue to help me navigate through unforeseen challenges or setbacks in Higher Education and psychological practice. 

Overall, I remain incredibly grateful for the various people within the psychology profession and academia that have enabled me to continue to explore my interests in EDI within Higher Education, health psychology, the BPS and wider society. Increasing leadership directions which prioritise the importance of EDI, cultivate a sense of optimism and hope for future of the psychology profession and academia.