Co(l)laboratory Researcher Profiles
Project Title: Group dynamics and suicidality: a Social Identity Approach to resilience and risk mitigation
What were you doing before starting this PhD?
In 2020, I made the decision to leave a longstanding career as a primary school teacher to embark on a career in mental health. I then completed a MSc in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University on a part-time basis. Alongside this, I volunteered with a Mental Health and Suicide Prevention charity in Lincolnshire. For the past few months I have been working as a Healthcare Assistant with the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Nottingham as well as working as an ad-hoc research assistant on a project at the University of Nottingham.
What motivated you to apply for this specific PhD project?
After a difficult period in my life several years ago, I experienced difficulties with my own mental health; my own journey of resilience and hope motivated me to want to use my lived experience, skills, and empathy to provide meaningful change which can improve the lives of other people. I originally anticipated this change would be through a clinical route such as counselling, but during my MSc I realised that I could also make a real difference to people through research. The co(l)laboratory approach to undertaking a PhD will enable me to work with the local community, amplifying the voices of clients and staff to address real challenges faced by the community of Nottingham.
What difference do you hope to make in Nottingham through this research?
I hope to support Harmless to enhance the delivery of their services, though evidence-based research and meaningful changes which can improve people’s lives and enable them to flourish.
What do you hope to be doing in 5 years’ time? (personally and/or professionally)
In 5 years’ time I hope that I am working towards becoming an expert in my research field. I hope to be working in a setting in which I can continue to develop my knowledge and equally importantly which will enable me to share this knowledge and understanding with a range of stakeholders to have the maximum impact possible; this may be through a combination of working in an academic setting and in the community.