A passion for supporting people living with physical health conditions- Lucy's story

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, pharmacy, education, and the arts—but none felt like the right fit. What I did recognise was the desire to help others and a genuine interest in the sciences. That said, my tendency to faint at the sight of blood made traditional healthcare roles, such as nursing, less suitable. My first introduction to psychology came during secondary school, when I chose it as one of my higher-level subjects. I was immediately captivated by the way psychology—and the social sciences more broadly—offered insights into human behaviour and the world around us. Although I was still exploring other potential career paths at the time, I ultimately decided to pursue my undergraduate degree in Psychology with Forensic Biology at Abertay University - with the idea to thereafter apply for a diploma in education to pursue primary or secondary teaching...which you may have guessed did not happen.

I first came across Health Psychology as a speciality in my final year of undergraduate study at Abertay. Whilst I found Health Psychology an interesting area, there were other branches of psychology I wanted to consider such as Clinical Psychology and Educational Psychology. After much deliberation and pros and cons lists I decided to apply for the Master’s in Health Psychology at the University of Aberdeen and was lucky enough to secure a place there. I thoroughly enjoyed my Master’s and for the first time I looked forward to completing assignments. Health Psychology felt like a perfect combination of my interests in psychology and healthcare. 

Thereafter, I was faced with the decision of what to do next. If I wanted to become a Health Psychologist, I knew that further training would be essential and that there were different routes available to achieve this. Once again, I turned to a pros and cons list, carefully weighing up each pathway toward accreditation. Ultimately, I was fortunate to secure a place at Glasgow Caledonian University on the Doctorate programme in Health Psychology allowing me to take the next step in my professional journey.

Throughout my training, I have developed experience supporting individuals with a wide range of chronic health conditions, including those related to the chest, heart, and stroke recovery with charity organisation Chest, Heart, and Stroke Scotland. Through this role I provided one-to-one therapeutic interventions using Person Centred therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. More recently, I have had the privilege of working within cancer support through my role as a Trainee Health Psychologist at Maggie's and as a Dietetic Support Worker in Oncology within the NHS. These combined experiences have been extremely rewarding and stepping into the role of a Dietetic Support Worker I recognise the valuable role Health Psychologists could play in supporting patients with the significant adjustments that can occur before, during, and after cancer treatment. 

Although I didn't initially set out to become a Health Psychologist, I have discovered great joy and excitement within this field - particularly in recent years, as I’ve had further opportunities to apply my expertise contributing meaningfully to healthcare services and supporting individuals living with long-term health conditions. 

Thank you so much Lucy for sharing your journey into Health Psychology, and especially in working with people living with long-term health needs. The work you are doing is vital and we wish you every success moving forward.

Perhaps reading about Lucy has reminded you about your own journey in establishing a career in Psychology- we wecome trainees and Practitioner colleagues to write for the blog. Get in touch to add your own entry.

Kind regards,

The Pathways Team.