Pathways to Psychology, a journey with many possibilities at your fingertips

Hello everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Dr Donna Stewart, Chartered Counselling Psychologist. Donna highlights how pursuing a career in Psychology may sometimes not seem the obvious choice, but if it resonated with you, it was well worth exploring.        Dr Donna Stewart Chartered              Counselling Psychologist I always say to others that I didn’t set out to become a psychologist, but I somehow ended up here!   In fact, I spent many years wondering what my purpose was and questioning, as many others do, what it is that I really wanted to do. I found school challenging for many reasons and went to a different school to all my friends, which led to feeling like an outsider. However, I left school with excellent GCSEs in English literature and language. I was also great at biological science and art, however I still didn’t really know what I ...

Hi everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Charlotte R, Trainee Forensic Psychologist. Charlotte shares the rollercoaster of training to becoming a Forensic Psychologist and the vital need for self care along the way. We hope reading about Charlotte will inspire your own journey towards becoming a Practitioner Psychologist.  Charlotte R GMBPsS Trainee Forensic Psychologist From around the age of fourteen years old, I have known I wanted to be a Forensic Psychologist working within forensic mental health. What I didn’t always know was how to get there, nor did I anticipate some of the challenges life was going to throw at me. As an undergraduate, I thought I would qualify as a Psychologist once I completed my BSc. I learnt very quickly, this was not the case. I had no idea how to gain experience within forensic settings or how to qualify. Fortunately, I have very supportive parents and my father who is retired from the polic...

 Hi everyone, Welcome to our next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Chelsea Richards, Trainee Counselling Psychologist. Chelsea shares a journey which was full of adversity and challenge, but has drawn on her experiences to becoming a compassionate and reflective Counselling Psychologist. We hope reading about Chelsea will highlight how every person, regardless of their background, could find their path to a successful career in the Psychology field.  Chelsea Richards: Trainee Counselling Psychologist From Dole to Doctor: My Journey into Counselling Psychology Growing up in a maisonette on a deprived council estate in Newport, wasn’t exactly the idyllic start to life that many would hope for. Mum passed away when we were young, and my sisters and I relied on the benefits system and the support of neighbours and friends to get us by. My early life experiences of adversity very quickly taught me that my childhood was going to look a little differe...

 Hi everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. We invite trainees and registered practitioner colleagues to write about their experiences, to inspire and support the next generation of colleagues contemplating a career in the Psychology field. Todat we hear from Dr Grace  Trundle, Principal Forensic Psychologist. Grace suggests her journey was uneventful and straightforward, but when you read the blog you will see the authenticity and effort shining through, propelling her to the successful career she has built.  Dr Grace Trundle Principal Forensic Psychologist Staying true to yourself  When I was thinking about what I could share with aspiring psychologists for this blog, I realised my pathway is not something particularly moving or inspiring. If anything, it’s about as straight forward of a route as you could take: a degree with placement year, doctorate, then into working life. I did a Psychology BSc at Aston University with my...

Hi everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Lucy Garrow, Trainee Health Psychologist (DHealthPsych). It is lovely to read about the work Lucy is doing in supporting people living with long-term health conditions. Working in the area of long-term health brings together the medical- and the psychological fields. As people face so many changes in their mental wellbeing alongside their physical symptoms, having psychological support is invaluable. Lucy brings a passion and compassion to her role, and we hope she can inspire others to follow in this specialist field.  Lucy Garrow Trainee Health Psychologist (DHealthPsych) My journey into Health Psychology (while it has felt uncertain and prolonged at times) has been unexpectedly linear.  During my final year of secondary school, I remained uncertain about which career path to pursue. I explored a wide range of possibilities—including veterinary medicine, marine biology, phar...

 Hello everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Dr Suzy Klein, HCPC (health and care professions council) Registered Counselling Psychologist, GMBPsS (graduate membership of the British Psychological Society). Suzy recently qualified as a Counselling Psychologist and we want to start off with a massive "Congratulations!" as completing Doctorate studies is no mean feat. Suzy followed a circuitous route to becoming a Counselling Psychologist, and all her life experience seems to feed into her strength as a qualified colleague. We hope reading about Suzy will inspire you to consider a role in the psychology profession as well.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-klein https://www.lavenderpsychology.co.uk/ My path to becoming a Counselling Psychologist has been very non-linear. This path starts in the US, where I first began exploring my career options when I was about sixteen years old. I knew that I wanted to pursue a hel...