Making a difference through psychology
It's Psychological Professions Week, and we're celebrating the dedicated colleagues across NHFT who support the mental health and wellbeing of people across Northamptonshire every day.
We'd like to raise awareness of the diverse range of roles within the Psychological Professions at our Trust. These range from Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, Forensic Psychologists, Art Psychotherapists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, and many more.
Psychological formulation and intervention can be a vital part of service users' journey to recovery, whether they have experienced mental health issues, physical illness, loss or significant life changes, or are supporting another person's recovery.
Our professionals work with multi-disciplinary (MDT) teams, helping to shape care, improve services and ensure support is person-centred and evidence based.
To mark Psychological Professions Week, run by the Psychological Professions Network (PPN), we spoke to colleagues from across the Trust about their roles and the difference they make.
Dr Grace Trundle, Principal Forensic Psychologist
Grace works in NHFT's Community Forensic Team and supports people transitioning from hospital back into community life:
"For me, the area I feel I make the most difference is by supporting people to reintegrate into the community after a long period in hospital. I am fortunate to be able to do in-reach work with service users as they prepare for discharge. I can advocate for them and offer psychological support throughout the transition into community living.
"This also involves working with colleagues to develop and understand relapse prevention and safety plans, so we can respond quickly if a service user needs additional support. I think its valuable to be able to be present through the discharge process and beyond, so people have a familiar face they can turn to for psychological support if community living becomes challenging."
Claire Shanks, Art Psychotherapist
Claire works at HMP Swinfen Hall, where creativity is used as a therapeutic tool:
"As an Art Psychotherapist, I use creativity and image-making to help people explore thoughts, feelings and experiences that can be difficult to put into words. Sometimes words alone are not enough, particularly when working with trauma, complex emotions or experiences that sit outside conscious awareness. Art psychotherapy can help people understand themselves better, develop healthier ways of coping, build meaningful relationships and improve their overall wellbeing. In the prison setting, this work can also support people to make positive changes in their lives and reduce the likelihood of reoffending."
Laura, Cognitive-Behavioural Therapist
Laura works in the Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Team:
"One of my favourite things about my work is being with someone in the moment they realise that something has changed, that they never thought could change. Often people who are seen by my team might have found it difficult to get the right support, so can be resigned to feeling the same way forever. These significant points of change can be really evident physically, and seeing the way that someone carries themselves outside of the therapy space is really powerful.
"I see myself as a supportive navigator on a patient's journey, helping people to identify and work through obstacles, while providing a supportive presence and guidance on skills to help them to do this."
Dr Axel Löfgren, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Axel works in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), supporting children, young people and their families:
"Many young people and families come to services feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unsure why they are struggling. Through assessment and formulation, we work together to understand what may be contributing to their difficulties and identify ways forward.
"Our role is not only to provide therapy but also to develop a shared understanding of a person's experiences and difficulties. Psychological perspectives help us understand not just symptoms, but the person behind them, their strengths, challenges, and life experiences."
Dr Stacie Mahoney, Principal Forensic Psychologist
Stacie tells us more about working in Medium and Low Secure Inpatient Services at William Wake House:
"Psychological professionals within Medium and Low Secure Inpatient Services provide a holistic approach to understanding complex mental health conditions and deliver evidenced based psychological therapies (both group and 1-to-1) to improve the quality of life for our patients and reduce risk. We make key contributions within multidisciplinary team working and our practice also upskills colleagues through offering teaching, supervision and opportunities for reflection.
"I believe my impact lies in helping patients to understand and make sense of their story, collaboratively. Supporting them to connect the dots of their experiences in a safe and trusting space.
"I am hugely motivated by supporting those who have faced adversity, helping them to overcome barriers and manage risk factors to ultimately reach their 'life worth living' and foster a safer community."
Martha Jasper, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner
Martha works for Northamptonshire Talking Therapies, supporting people experiencing low mood, stress and anxiety:
"We make a difference to patients and families through showing compassion, empathy and facilitating change through different therapies and techniques. We endeavour to build strong therapeutic relationships with everyone who comes through our door and ensure they feel listened to and supported appropriately, whether that is through treatment with us, or supported to find more appropriate support elsewhere in the county."
You can also hear directly from some of our Northamptonshire Talking Therapies therapists about the difference therapy can make in this short video:
Do I need mental health support?
Many people wonder whether they need support with their mental health. You might feel that what you're experiencing is not serious enough, or that you should be able to cope on your own. Seeking support is a positive step and an important part of looking after your wellbeing.
You do not need to be in crisis to ask for help. Support is available at every stage, whether you need advice, a listening ear or more specialist care.
If you're unsure where to start, call the 24/7 Mental Health Number on 0800 448 0828. Trained professionals can provide advice, support and signposting to services that may be able to help.