Why Did I Become a Psychologist?

I have wanted to become a psychologist since I was a teenager. I have always been fascinated by why people behave the way they do, how relationships develop and change, and why people can respond so differently to similar experiences.

My own path into psychology, however, was not a straightforward one. For many years, family, children, work, moving and the many changes that life brings took priority. Later, I had the opportunity to return to that original dream and study psychology.

To this day, I am fascinated by working with people. I enjoy exploring connections together, understanding patterns that may have become deeply established, and discovering new perspectives. Sometimes this work really does feel a little like detective work: together, we look for the pieces of the puzzle that can help make sense of what is happening in your life.

I Have Sought Psychological Support Myself

Yes.

I believe it is entirely normal to seek support during difficult or challenging periods in life. There have also been times in my own life when an outside perspective was helpful.

Those experiences strengthened my belief in how valuable it can be to have someone alongside you who listens, asks questions and helps you see things from a different perspective.

Which Book Has Particularly Influenced Me?

Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy.

I read this book as a young psychology student in the United States. At the time, I was full of idealism and fairly convinced that I knew what was right and what was wrong.

The book challenged me to question my own beliefs and blind spots. One insight has stayed with me ever since: it is easy to recognise the judgements and prejudices of others – it is much harder to recognise our own.

Perhaps this is where my curiosity about different perspectives comes from, along with my desire to understand people before judging them.

What Do I Love About Dogs?

What fascinates me most about dogs is their loyalty and their capacity for trust.

Through living with rescue dogs in particular, I have seen how experiences can leave their mark – and, at the same time, how trust can gradually grow again through safety, patience and many small steps.

My dogs continually remind me that growth takes time and cannot be forced. That is a lesson that has shaped me as a person as well.

Where Do I Recharge?

Preferably outdoors in nature with my dogs. I also love reading and travelling. Experiencing different countries, cultures and ways of life broadens my perspective and reminds me that there is often more than one right way of doing things.

And at the moment, I am trying my hand at gardening. More than anything, it is teaching me patience: plants don't grow any faster just because you keep watching them. Perhaps the same can be said for some of the changes and developments in our own lives.