London calls and GCU’s Department of Psychology certainly answer
All roads led to London earlier this month for students, staff and graduates taking part in the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Counselling Psychology (DCoP) Annual Conference.
A 15-strong team from GCU’s Department of Psychology took the trip down south, giving them the opportunity to shine a light on their cutting-edge research through a keynote speech, two symposia, three oral presentations and three poster presentations.
The DCoP Conference took place at the Royal College of Physicians on the 15th and 16th of July, with speakers addressing this year’s theme, ‘Edge of Awareness?’.
Among those involved was DPsych Counselling Psychology student Leandra Egge, who presented: ‘Value not just tolerate: Social class in applied psychology training in the UK’.
We caught up with Leandra, who’s originally from Germany, to find out more about her research and experience in London.
Just for a bit of background to start us off, how did you come to study at GCU?
“I completed my Undergraduate degree in Aberdeen, so I’ve been in Scotland for six years now and I wanted to stay here because I love this country. The Doctorate in Psychology isn’t something that many universities offer, with GCU being the only one in Scotland.”
“GCU’s mission for the Common Good really resonated with me; not many universities have such an open and clear commitment to their values. All of this made me apply and I’m really glad to be here.”
How did this opportunity at the conference all come about?
“It was primarily through my supervisor Tasim Martin; she’s very advanced in research and activism. She encouraged me and other students to submit abstracts and put together a symposium, which is basically a collection of research on a similar project that’s presented together. I’m so glad that she provided that support and pushed us to submit.
“I had already completed the research for my first-year dissertation and Tasim was really keen I shared it with others – as was I.”
Tell me about your research?
“During my Undergraduate, I wrote an essay that focused on the discipline of counselling psychology and found that it wasn't really a profession that considered the needs of working class people. I didn’t get a very good mark for that essay, and I always wondered if it was because of my writing or because they didn’t like the conclusions. I found that really interesting because I felt it meant something could maybe change within our profession.
“When it came to choosing projects, my thoughts immediately went back to that. I proposed a study where I gathered responses from psychology students all over the UK and their experience of social class in their professional and personal life, as well as their clinical work.
“It’s important that we continue to develop as a profession – we can always do better in terms of social justice and diversity.”
Why did you want to get involved in the conference?
“I felt it was a unique opportunity for me to meet other people from other parts of the UK who are really passionate about what they’re doing.
“I also liked the idea of going down there with the others from GCU. It was amazing and exciting that people seemed really impressed by the amount of us that were there - it made me quite proud to be part of it.”
So, how did your presentation go?
“I barely remember because of the adrenaline! I couldn’t even tell you what I said; I’m just hoping it sounded the same as when I practiced it.
“I spoke for about 20 minutes and there was the opportunity for discussion at the end. I think the talk went well and quite a few people approached me to chat about my findings.
“There is a real interest and need for my research because university in general isn’t accessible for everyone – that’s important to bear in mind when we talk about those who enter the discipline and the barriers potentially stopping others.”
Any other particular highlights from your trip?
“My highlight would probably be the other symposium I went to. My colleagues conducted research on LGBTQIA+ matters.
“The discussion afterwards was amazing. It was great to just hear people talking openly and critically, but in such a supportive environment - no-one was trying to make you stumble. It made me realise that this profession has a lot to offer, and I have a lot to offer it as well.”
How else has this experience benefitted you?
“It definitely gave me a boost in confidence and my ability to speak publicly. It was great to create a connection with professionals and have that understanding that we can make a difference and help shape this discipline. I think that made me realise that I have a place in counselling psychology, which is a really positive feeling I’ll carry with me for a long time.”
By Ross Clark
Got an SHLS or GSBS story? Email me at Ross.Clark@gcu.ac.uk or message me on Twitter