Beyond My Psychology Degree – Blog post 5, by Sophie Rozanski

Beyond My Psychology Degree – Blog post 5, by Sophie Rozanski

Last term we invited all Y3 Psychology students to write a blog post about their psychology-related work experience, here you can read our last blog, written by Sophie Rozanski. Congratulations Sophie!

Sophie Rozanski

Beyond My Psychology Degree

 

Last summer, I completed a placement at Mind in my local borough, Brent. I worked closely alongside the coordinator of the charity’s Youth Services, who provide mental health services to individuals aged 13-25 in the local area. I spent time volunteering at their local shop, and got the opportunity to observe, partake in and co-run weekly support groups for five to eight young people. Each week a different theme was discussed, for example everyday anxieties and things the young people were looking forward to. Some of these discussion topics were offered by the attendees. As my time progressed at Mind, I was given the responsibility of dealing with individual worries and queries that young people did not want to share with the group. For example, one group member received the exciting news that they had obtained a job at a local school, but was conscious that this clashed with the weekly support group at Mind. Although they valued the group immensely, the realisation that it was time to move on, which occurred whilst talking to me, was very rewarding. In my final week at the organisation I was asked to run my own support group and decided to discuss the appropriate topic of ‘change’. I really felt a part of the Mind organisation whilst working there and really valued the experience.

I have also worked with young people in a range of other environments, an experience which has enhanced my desire to work in child and adolescent mental health in the future. I currently work within Royal Holloway’s Disability and Dyslexia Department as both a note taker and student helper. Through this role I have worked with students with a range of additional learning needs, taking notes in lectures and providing general support around campus. This has been beneficial because each student I have worked alongside has taught me something unique and provided me with a completely different experience.

Further to this, last year I also carried out a placement (which contributes to the placement award I will receive on my final degree transcript) at a local sixth-form as a psychology mentor alongside three other psychology students, and Dr Alana James. We worked with a group of A-Level psychology students who were unsure what they wanted to do after sixth-form. Across seven weeks we ran a variety of after-school workshops which included revision and teaching sessions, a toolkit on writing a good CV and personal statement, and advice for applying for and attending university. I thoroughly enjoyed this role as I was able to work in a small group with adolescents of a similar age to me who required a different type of guidance to what I had been required to give in previous roles.

I have also been able to enhance my research skills through a research placement with Dr. Danijela Serbic researching moral-related emotions (such as guilt) in sufferers of chronic pain. For this role, I was involved in extracting information from both qualitative and quantitative studies for a large systematic review which was being carried out. I found this placement fitted particularly well with academic requirements of my degree, for example I drew upon the many skills I had gained on this placement during my final year research project. I am very grateful for all the practical experience I have been involved in throughout my degree and feel it has made my university experience.