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

Hello everyone We have the pleasure of a second blog post today! Ashley Brown, Trainee Counselling Psychologist, is paving a way through reflection, connection, and speaking up for Black women, mental health, and stigma-an area which deserves much more attention and support. What an inspiring read!   "Finding My Place in Counselling       Psychology: An International   Journey to the Doctorate” -                              Ashley Brown,  Trainee Counselling Psychologist My journey toward training as a Counselling Psychologist didn’t begin in a classroom; it began at home. When I was a child, my parents became foster carers. Growing up in a fostering household meant I was exposed early to the realities of trauma, instability, resilience, and emotional complexity. I saw how differently children responded to hardship and how behaviour often held a deeper story un...

Hello everyone  Welcome to the next installment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Dr. Angelina Archer CPsychol AFBPsS, Counselling Psychologist. Angelina never imagined a career in the psychology field, but her focus to understand and support people paved the way. Here she reflects on the pathway she followed, where reflection and humility shine through.      Dr. Angelina Archer CPsychol AFBPsS, Counselling Psychologist From Medical Secretary to Counselling Psychologist: Lessons Learned by Jumping in the Deep End When I finished my Counselling Psychology doctoral training, I found myself thinking about something a medical secretarial colleague had said right at the beginning, just after I received an acceptance letter from my university: “You’re jumping in the deep end. Are you sure you haven’t lost your marbles?” At the time, I laughed. Many people had questioned whether I was “punching above my weight” by moving from a long career a...

Hi everyone and welcome to the next installment of the Pathways to Psychology blog. Today we hear from Dr Bobby Singh, a Counselling Psychologist who found his career journey to be circuitous and challenging, but ultimately rewarding.                  Dr Bobby Singh          Counselling Psychologist I am Dr.Bobby Singh a Counselling Psychologist based in London, with a specialist interest in supporting marginalised populations. I currently work in the NHS with individuals with learning disabilities and autism, alongside my private practice where I have a specialist interest in LGBTQ+ mental health. My doctoral research explored barriers to help-seeking among gay men who are survivors of intimate partner violence.  My interest in a helping role as a profession began at the age of 15. I first started volunteering in various hospital roles, volunteering on the wards. My role was to assist the nursing sta...

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...