As Pride month 2026 comes to an end, I think it is useful to reflect on what Pride means and why Pride month remains relevant and necessary now and in the future.

A brief history of Pride

Pride began as a protest. A key event in its history was the Stonewall riots which began on the 28^th June 1969, when the patrons of the Stonewall inn in New York fought back against a police raid. At the time police raids on LGBTQ+ venues were not unusual as prejudice and discrimination were commonplace. However, 1969 marked a turning point when LGBTQ+ people fought back. The Stonewall riots are credited as the start of the Gay liberation movement (GLM) in the USA, although there were activist groups operating before this time.

The GLM in the UK began in 1970, this was only three years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967, although prejudice and discrimination against gay people were common. The first UK Pride march took place on the 1^st July 1972 in London. During the 1970’s most Pride events took place in London and were not held every year.

With the emergency of the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1980’s and the introduction of Section 28 in 1988 Pride provided a focus for activism and protest against widespread prejudice and discrimination.

Pride month was officially recognised by the US government in 1999 when President Bill Clinton declared June to be Gay and Lesbian Pride month commemorating the original Stonewall Riots. President Barak Obama expanded the recognition to include Bisexual and Transgender People in 2011.

From 2010 Pride events became much more common in the UK with many towns and cities holding annual Pride events supported by the local councils. Pride also became about celebration, community and resilience although protest remains a part of Pride.

Pride Month 2026

Whilst Pride month is in June nationally, Pride events are held at various points throughout the year, and many LGBTQ+ people will visit more than one Pride event as a form of celebrating identity as well as making and maintaining community connections. What has been noticeable for me this year is how Pride has continued to show resilience even when it appears that some social institutions have withdrawn their support. The activism and protest element of Pride has remained visible in these circumstances as has the celebratory aspects of these events.

Pride is still needed, and whilst not all LGBTQ+ people want to engage in Pride events, Pride continues to provide a place where people can come together to find community and acceptance. Pride has also evolved to celebrate specific aspects of the wider LGBTQ+ community, for example Trans Pride and Silver Pride (for those over 50). What remains common is how these events provide a focal point for celebration and engagement with social discourses that affect LGBTQ+ communities.

Uncertain times for LGBTQ+ people

The channel 4 programme ‘Tip Toe’ perhaps highlights another element as to why Pride continues to be needed. Many people in the LGBTQ+ continue to experience prejudice, discrimination and hate. Some sections of the community actively feel under threat. The themes addressed in Tip Toe could be applied to many marginalised communities where prejudice and a lack of social acceptance can lead to abuse, hate and violence.

Visibility is an important aspect of social acceptance but is also important to tackle prejudice. Having positive LGBTQ+ representation is important for young people particularly who might not have had access to role models, or relationship education that reflects their own identities. Living with a lack of representation and facing prejudice are contributory factors to higher rates of mental health problems in LGBTQ+ people. To be clear, LGBTQ+ people do not have higher rates of mental health problems because they are LGBTQ+, the higher rates are accounted for because of issues such as lack of social acceptance, experiences of prejudice, and minority stress.

Visibility and acceptance are also important for older LGBTQ+ people. To give another example, the Netflix series ‘Heart Stopper’ based on the graphic novels by Alice Oseman received critical acclaim for its positive representation of LGBTQ+ relationships. Yet, for many older LGBTQ+ people the series brought up complicated feelings of loss and grief at not having had the opportunities to see and experience this form of representation in their own youth.

Working as a psychotherapist with LGBTQ+ people

What I have commonly experienced in my work as a therapist when working with LGBTQ+ people, and as a gay man myself, is how wider social issues impact on LGBTQ+ people. Social discourses that portray Trans people as a threat are particularly problematic and many Trans people are worried about lack of acceptance in society and by social institutions. Many older gay people worry about whether the current social discourses about Trans people represent a potential rolling back of rights of the wider LGBTQ+ population. All these concerns come into the therapy room, yet I continue to be amazed at the strength, endurance and resilience of LGBTQ+ communities in facing these concerns.

Pride beyond 2026

As we leave Pride month 2026 I wonder what Pride month 2027 will bring. I hope that the theme of celebration will continue and that events will continue to grow in their representation. I think that most of all I hope that society will become more inclusive and accepting of marginalised and minoritised groups. We will only stop needing Pride when LGBTQ+ people can live in society where their lives are represented authentically, without fear of prejudice, discrimination and hate.

Sources:

For a history of Pride see

House of Lord Library https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/pride-in-the-uk-50-years/

People History Museum https://phm.org.uk/blogposts/a-history-of-uk-hiv-activism/

Stonewall Hate crime | Stonewall UK

For research on LGBTQ mental health see

Allen, M. 2022 “In a Romantic Way, Not Just a Friend Way!”: Exploring the Developmental Implications of Positive Depictions of Bisexuality in Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper. Journal of Bisexuality. 23 (2) 197-228

Jadva, V., Guasp, A., Bradlow, J.H., Bower-Brown, S., & Foley, S 2023 Predictors of self-harm and suicide in LGBT youth: The role of gender, socio-economic status, bullying and school experience. Journal of Public Health. 45 (1) 102-108

Tinlin-Dixon, R., Bechlem, B., Stevenson-Young, L., Hunter, R., & Falcon-Legaz, P. 2024. Community, belonging and acceptance; is this the antidote to shame and societal discrimination? An exploration of LGBTQ+ individuals attendance at pride and their mental health. Psychology and Sexuality. 16 (1) 206-219

Frost, D.M., Meyer, I.H. 2023. Minority stress theory: Application, critique, and continued relevance. Current Opinion in Psychology. DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101579

Interesting articles on LGBTQ+ representation in popular media

Cragg, D 2022 Why Netflix’s Heartstopper is the positive representation the LGBTQ+ community needs. Why Netflix’s Heartstopper is the positive representation the LGBTQ+ community needs – Your Bristol Story

For sources of support

Sunderland University wellbeing services Wellbeing support | University of Sunderland

LGBT Foundation Home - LGBT Foundation

TransActual Sources of support – TransActual

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Vanessa formerly worked in the School of Psychology and is the Academic Development Partner in the Centre for Teaching Excellence. She has been teaching Cyberpsychology for the past 10 years.

Alice is a PhD researcher in Cyberpsychology, where her doctoral work has developed and validated a psychometric scale to measure Social Media Surveillance.

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Have you ever heard of social media? Chances are quite high that you have, particularly as you’re accessing this blog on the social media platform Substack...!

Have you ever been stuck in a scroll hole on social media, just watching whatever video or post came next? Have you ever checked social media on your phone when watching TV or during a conversation? Have you had to instigate a ‘no phones’ rule at the dinner table or when you’re out with friends? Has your mood shifted up or down after you’ve been using social media? Do you find yourself itching to check social media when you’re bored? Do you go to social media to find things that make you feel better? Do you check in on your social media accounts just to see what’s happening?

If you answered no to all of these, then you’re probably now in a minority as social media becomes every more ubiquitous and varied in our lives. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, BlueSky, X, Snapchat, and so on; there are dozens of social media platforms out there, and all of them are engineered to keep users engaged through a variety of tricks that play on how humans develop habits, experience reward and social interactions.

The Psychology of how Social Media makes us want that little bit more.

Social media platforms are not accidentally engaging; they are deliberately designed around psychological processes known to shape attention, reward, and habit formation. Features such as infinite scroll, notifications, personalised feeds, likes, streaks, and autoplay operate through variable ratio reinforcement: rewards arrive unpredictably, so users keep checking in anticipation of the next interesting post, message, or notification. Behavioural research has long shown that unpredictable rewards are especially effective at maintaining behaviour because the possibility of reward is often more compelling than the reward itself. Social media therefore begins to resemble other compulsive behaviours, particularly gambling, because users learn that ‘the next scroll’ might provide something exciting, validating, or emotionally rewarding. This anticipation is reinforced by dopamine, which is linked less to pleasure itself and more to wanting and reward expectation. Recent work suggests that algorithmically curated feeds intensify this cycle by repeatedly presenting emotionally salient or personally relevant content that keeps users engaged (Moretta & Wegmann, 2025).

Researchers increasingly describe this pattern as Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU): a persistent preoccupation with social media and difficulty disengaging from it despite negative consequences. PSMU has been associated with greater depression, anxiety, stress, impaired concentration, and reduced inhibitory control. One explanation for why people become so preoccupied comes from the human need to belong (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). Social media provides a rapid and accessible way of feeling connected, but can create a paradox where users feel disconnected when contacts are offline.

Closely related to PSMU is Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): the anxiety that other people are having rewarding experiences without you (Attrill-Smith et al, 2019). FOMO predicts excessive checking and compulsive social media use because people repeatedly return to platforms to avoid feeling excluded, yet this repeated use often intensifies the very anxiety they are trying to escape (Fioravanti et al., 2021). In addition, when information shared or created without permission circulates that targets particular individuals (which can link to cyberbullying, cyberstalking, or used as a tool for interpersonal abuse), there are significant ramifications for mental health that extend outside the sphere of social media and into offline lives.

Social media also encourages continual social comparison, an expanded form of the non-continual social comparison that happens offline. People are regularly exposed to highly curated versions of other people’s lives and often compare themselves upwards to those who appear happier, more successful, or more attractive. These comparisons are linked to lower self-esteem, lower mood, and increased anxiety. At the same time, the constant need for likes, comments, and online validation can make self-worth increasingly dependent on external approval accessed through online social channels.

When these factors are combined with continuous partial attention—rapid and continual switching between scrolling, watching television, replying to messages, and checking notifications so that no one task accesses full levels of attention—this creates a state of cognitive overload in which people become more passive, distracted, and vulnerable to the subtle nudges built into social media design. Autoplay, push notifications, and endless scrolling reduce the effort needed to stay online and increase the effort needed to leave, making social media difficult not just to resist, but difficult to step away from.

While not all social media is created equal, with IG, TikTok, and Facebook being significantly more alluring in terms of rewards and habit formation tactics than Substack and WhatsApp, we do know that social media can be problematic. While public perceptions are mixed, the literature is reasonably clear that for every benefit we see in connecting to others through online digital means, there is a trade off in terms of risks to mental health and privacy. Now it seems like the legal system has finally caught up with the challenges created by, at least some, social media platforms.

The Landmark Legal Cases Against Social Media Companies

In March 2026, two landmark legal guilty verdicts were given that could change the face of social media management forever. First, a court in New Mexico ruled that Meta was liable in child exploitation harms and ordered them to pay damages in the hundreds of millions (McQue, 2026a, 2026b). Then, weeks later, a court in Los Angeles found both Meta and Google liable for harming a young person’s mental health though Instagram and YouTube (Kerr, 2026a, 2026b, 2026c). This matters for lots of reasons, primarily because it is the first ever successful verdict stating that social media can cause personal injury. But also, because the blame was placed at the feet of the companies and not the individual (Robins-Early, 2026). Until now, the user has been consistently told that social media is just a tool and they are in full control, the courts have ruled that this is not the case.

Both Meta and Google were found to have been negligent in their design by allowing the use of features that can prevent users from disengaging (so-called addictive features like infinite scroll), and had focused on product design rather than user content and safety. Despite claiming that individuals are responsible for their own actions, internal comments from Meta employees show that there was open acknowledgement of how addictive social media could be (Robins-Early, 2026).

What this verdict shows is that it is now legally recognised that social media has addictive properties. This is good news, because psychologists have been saying this for quite some time under the label of PSMU. While users are responsible for their actions, social media is designed to be engaging, provide rewards and tap into all those parts of human cognition that can lead to addiction – which is something that can cause harm. Social Media Addiction might not be recognised as a separate category of behavioural addiction in DSM yet, but these legal rulings place it firmly in the same category as gambling, which is recognised as an addiction within DSM. It is also widely recognised and agreed that there are some very problematic behaviours associated with the use of social media that can contribute to an individual’s mental health.

There are a small avalanche of legal cases pending that could quickly turn into a historical moment for social media companies.

- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Meta must face a lawsuit and defend charges of harming minors (Reuters, 2026)

- A Milan court approved a class action over Facebook data scraping that impacts millions, expanding on the mental health implications and including data privacy and harm (GDPR potential violations) (Cristoferi, 2026)

- A Delaware judge ruled that insurers don’t have to cover Meta’s defence costs in mass-harm legal actions – indicating the responsibility is both serious and sits with the corporation (Simpson, 2026)

There are also reportedly thousands of cases about to hit the courts in the US, including a multi-state action lawsuit where over 30 states are suing Meta over harms to children because of the misrepresentation of safety, manipulative design, and youth exploitation (Reuters, 2026).

This substantial volume of legal cases has been likened to the tidal wave of legal action against the tobacco industry in the 1990’s. That particular onslaught of legal cases forced tobacco companies to acknowledge the addictive properties of their products and completely changed the tobacco industry, paving the way for smoking bans and a dramatic change in public mood (Kerr, 2026b), it is not impossible for something similar to happen with social media.

Australia has already banned social media for under 16’s (Taylor, 2026), with the UK investigating whether to follow suit and Kier Starmer summoning senior figures from Meta, TikTok, Google, and X to Downing Streed to discuss how to make social media safer (Milmo & Stacey, 2026).

What does all this mean?

For now, it means that the legal system is aware that social media is designed to keep users engaged, that an ‘addictive’ design is now a product liability for social media companies; courts are happy to uphold claims that social media can cause harm to the mental health of users (even when it might not necessarily be the sole cause). It also means that the courts are happy to hold platforms and companies accountable for how the platforms are engineered that leads to negative changes in how users feel and behave, which is likely to lead to some changes in how social media companies operate, develop, and market their products in the future.

What can you do?

Social media is everywhere, that isn’t changing any time soon. However, because it’s accessed predominantly from our phones (which we use for so many other things) and it can provide an escape and distraction from daily life it can produce positive benefits as well as negative ones, stopping using social media is not the route everyone will want to take.

But most of us can reduce our usage of social media a little, so here are some things you can do that help keep your social media use more in the ‘positive’ zone.

- Turn off notifications. This removes the auditory trigger to check your social media accounts. Save notifications for real phone calls and messages.

- Add friction to your social media checking process. You could set app timers, log out after each use, or delete the apps and only use browser access. Creating small barriers to disrupt automatic behaviours places friction in the process that can reduce the behaviour without relying on willpower.

- Try and substitute your social media habit with a new one. For example, access information to read through another source on your phone or listen to a podcast

- Create phone-free zones in your house and don’t charge your phone by your bed (if you can). Again, this creates small barriers that can disrupt automatic habits without relying too much on willpower.

- Message or call a friend or relative instead of checking social media. This reduces FOMO and creates space for offline connection time.

- If you play with your phone when watching TV, substitute that for another activity. You could try knitting, doing a puzzle game on your phone, doodling or sketch, or playing with a stress ball or Rubik’s cube. This can target the same fidget and visual loops without cognitive overload and replaces the automatic behaviours without relying on willpower, so can break the habit loops from social media automatic use.

- For those with children, make sure you have clear boundaries in place and have phone/tech-free time for at least an hour before bedtime. The backlash is a challenge initially, but the other side is a much more peaceful evening, better sleep, and fewer grumpy mornings (this tip has been tried and tested on VP’s teenage daughter!).

There is a lot of discussion and legal action taking place in the social media space right now, but it’s buried under some significant world events that are naturally taking precedence in news feeds. Social media won’t go away any time soon, but its evolution is on the cards so it will be interesting to see what comes next. For now, you don’t need to stop using social media but putting some actions in place to reduce your reliance on it, if you need to, are a good move to support your mental health.

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References

Attrill-Smith, A., Fullwood, C., Keep, M., & Kuss, D. J. (Eds.). (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology. Oxford University Press.

Cristoferi, C. (2026, April 15). Italian Court Allows Class Action Against Meta Over Facebook Data Scraping, Claim Journals, https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2026/04/15/336927.htm

Fioravanti, G., Casale, S., Benucci, S. B., Prostamo, A., Falone, A., Ricca, V., & Rotella, F. (2021). Fear of missing out and social networking sites use and abuse: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior, 122, 106839.

Kerr, D. (2026a, March 13). ‘IG is a drug’: jury to deliberate as US trial over social media addiction wraps up, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/12/social-media-addiction-trial

Kerr, D. (2026b, March 25). Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/mar/25/jury-verdict-us-first-social-media-addiction-trial-meta-youtube

Kerr, D. (2026c, March 27), ‘Accountability has arrived’: dual US court losses show shifting tide against Meta and co, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/26/us-court-social-media-meta-youtube

Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2011). Online social networking and addiction—a review of the psychological literature. International journal of environmental research and public health, 8(9), 3528-3552.

McQue, K. (2026a, March 24), Meta ordered to pay $375m after being found liable in child exploitation case, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/24/meta-new-mexico-jury

McQue, K. (2026b, March 19), Meta on trial over child safety: can it really protect its next generation of users?, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/meta-child-safety-trial-facebook-instagram

Milmo, D. & Stacey, K. (2026, April 16). Starmer tells social media firms: ‘Things can’t go on like this’, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/16/keir-starmer-social-media-firms-no-10-meeting

Moretta, T., & Wegmann, E. (2025). Toward the classification of social media use disorder: clinical characterization and proposed diagnostic criteria. Addictive Behaviors Reports, 21, 100603.

Reuters (2026, April 10), Meta must face Massachusetts lawsuit over youth social media addiction, court rules, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/10/meta-massachusetts-youth-social-media-addiction-lawsuit

Robins-Early, N. (2026, March 29). How Meta’s victim-blaming failed to sway jurors in landmark social media addiction trial, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/29/meta-loss-social-media-addiction-trial

Simpson, A., (2026, April 13). Meta Loses Insurance for Defense in Major Social Media Addiction Litigation, Insurance Journal, https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2026/04/13/865241.htm

Taylor, J. (2026, March 4). Three months into Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s, has it been a success?, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/04/australia-social-media-ban-under-16s-three-month-review

Everyone is talking about AI. There are so many changes taking place that it’s difficult to keep up. One thing is for sure – we’re all using it.

I’ve used AI twice in making this blog: once to get a list of things that AI recommends students might try to improve their learning without outsourcing it (I used Claude), and second to generate an infographic of this blog as a quick visual overview (I used NotebookLM).

When it comes to education, AI is both a blessing and a curse. You’ll find lots of people have some quite strong ideas about what you should, and should not, be doing with it. But the most interesting conversations about AI are about HOW we can use it for good.

Yes – I could talk about academic misconduct, but I don’t really need to, and we have guidelines on our modules now, most of which fall into the ‘just be sensible and use it carefully’ category. It should be pretty obvious that if you use AI tools to do your work for you, this counts as cheating, but so is copying material from the internet or books, so is asking another person to do your work for you. Anything that involves outsourcing your learning to someone or something other than yourself is classed as academic misconduct, of course it is, because learning is hard work and it’s actually the hard work bit that creates the learning.

BUT using tools to support your learning is another conversation entirely. They’re brilliant at helping you learn, if you use them correctly. I prefer a dialogic approach to interacting with AI tools, it works better for me, but prompt engineering is something to look into if you want to be more structured in your approach.

Here is what Claude replied with when I asked it for some tips for ethical AI tool use in learning:

Here are some ways students can use AI tools as learning aids rather than shortcuts:

Practice and feedback - Use AI to generate practice problems, quiz yourself, or get feedback on draft work before submitting. This helps you identify gaps in understanding while you’re still doing the core learning work yourself.

Explaining concepts differently - When you’re stuck on something your textbook or teacher explained, ask AI to explain it using different examples or approaches. This can help concepts click without replacing your own thinking process.

Study planning and organization - Get help creating study schedules, breaking down large projects into manageable steps, or organizing notes. The AI handles the logistics while you do the actual studying and learning.

Socratic questioning - Instead of asking for answers, ask the AI to guide you with questions that help you think through problems yourself, similar to how a tutor might prompt your reasoning without giving away solutions.

The key difference is using AI as a thinking partner or coach rather than as a replacement for your own work and understanding.

See what Claude is doing here? It’s suggesting you use AI tools as a partner and coach in your learning rather than a supplier of information and output. AI is not the internet, it creates output and generates information based on the requests it received – this means that, much like humans, it can make mistakes, so always check the output against published sources such as journal articles.

What often happens is that people anthropomorphise the AI tool, and in doing so place a lot more value on the output. We listen to humans more than we listen to digital output from technology, but a lot of our interactions with humans are via a screen now so the lines have blurred. When an AI sounds like a human and has a name (a lot of people name the AI tool they interact with if it doesn’t already have a name like Claude does), it’s all too easy to place a bit too much weight on the output and forget to check for accuracy. AI tools have a degree of sycophancy, which means they will tell you what you want to hear and try to be helpful unless you deliberately tell them not to do so - but that means it is not necessarily going to give you the right answer. If you remain skeptical, it’s a lot easier to not take the output at face value.

Learning is really hard work. That is never going to change. It’s messy, you get stuck, have to retrace your steps, get confused, lose motivation, get tired, struggle to understand - then suddenly, something makes sense, the pieces click into place and you’re able to move onto the next thing you need to learn.

The way we learn is by building neural connections in the brain, and these form through repeat actions, solving problems (familiar and novel) and proactively engaging with whatever it is that needs to be learned – in other words, doing something with the information we want to learn, not just reading it. There are no shortcuts, because neurons take a long time to connect to each other – it’s a bit like building a bridge between two sides of a valley by throwing ropes across until you have a stable connection you can add other ropes and then planks of wood to walk on. You move from weak connections to strong connections when you’re learning, so outsourcing learning to AI (or any other means such as Google) means you don’t build those neural connections. There are no shortcuts to learning and trying to take them only creates problems later on.

It’s getting more important than ever for students to develop something called ‘higher order thinking’ skills. These are the skills that include things like critical thinking, problem solving, evaluating, analysing – all things every graduate needs to be able to do regardless of subject. If someone outsources their learning to an AI tool, they won’t develop these skills and job prospects will be damaged as a result.

The title of this post is entirely deliberate – EVERYONE is talking about AI. Look at this graph from the World Economic Forum for the predictions about the most important skills in 2030. Creative and critical thinking are hugely important – as is motivation and self-awareness. These skills are incredibly valuable, as is your ability to use AI effectively. Most jobs now involve use of AI, and it’s embedded in every browser and almost technological device – this is only set to increase moving forwards. You will need to use in in your career moving forwards, so learning how to do that effectively now is really important.

It’s ok to be skeptical and nervous about using it, but don’t let that stop you trying to use it effectively and ethically – just remember to talk to your tutors if you are not sure what you’re doing is ok for their assignments.

AI is great, it can generate anything we ask it do, it can do lots of exciting things. It can also act on behalf of humans now – some of you might have noticed the rise of Agentic Internet Browsers and Agentic AI, these forms of AI can carry out tasks when given instructions and only pause when they hit a barrier they can’t solve. Yes, this can be fun to watch, but from a learning standpoint it’s a disaster – because outsourcing learning in this way completely bypasses any engagement so even superficial skill development and knowledge retention is lost. These browsers are everywhere now, so if you do have one, make sure you don’t use it to do your work for you – you need to make sure you learn the knowledge and skills for yourself.

I won’t cover this here, but it is an interesting and disturbing thought experiment to imagine what life would be like if everyone outsourced their thinking and decision making to AI, there are lots of novels and discussions on the subject, so I encourage you to have a think about it.

No matter how good the AI advances become, there is one central and very important factor we cannot forget about – humans. People designed AI, people created the database that feeds AI, people use AI, and people are impacted by AI.

We now live in a world where human-human interactions just got a whole lot more important – learning any subject that involves humans, such as Psychology, Counselling, and Public Health, just became one of the most important things you can do to protect your future job prospects – you are absolutely going to need this knowledge and all your hard-earned skills in the future. Just remember that learning anything takes time and effort, but it is absolutely worth it in the end.

And now for the overview from NotebookLM…pretty good isn’t it. All I did was feed it my original blog, all written by me so it’s original work, and now we have a snazzy infographic that makes it all super clear and quick to digest.

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Transgender Day of Remembrance

The 20^th November is Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day which focuses attention on remembering trans people who have lost their lives because of anti-transgender violence and hate. The day follows Transgender awareness week (13^th-19^th November), a week that promotes awareness of the lives of trans and gender diverse (TGD) people, celebrates gender diversity and the strength and resilience of TGD people, and challenging discrimination and prejudice.

It is a sad fact that TGD people continue to experience discrimination and prejudice. Being underrepresented in policy discourses or misrepresented by means of divisive rhetoric within popular media creates a hostile environment. This includes misinformation that positions TGD peoples understanding of their gender as less valid (or real) than cis (non-trans) peoples understanding of their gender and/or attempts to position transition in opposition to lesbian, gay and bisexual people’s existence.

Transgender day of remembrance serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of social exclusion, marginalisation, prejudice, fear and division.

Established in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in the USA, Transgender Day of Remembrance has now become internationally recognised. Since 2009 Trans Europe and Central Asia (TGEU) have recorded 5322 murders of TGD people with data collected by systematic global reports. 281 of these murders were recorded between 1^st Oct 2024 and 30 Sept 2025, with trans women and transfeminine people accounting for 90% of those murdered, and 75% of those murdered also being reported by TGEU as “black or brown people”. These statistics when taken together highlight the intersection between gender-based violence and systemic and cultural racism.

In the UK the Office for National Statistics, using the 2021 census results, suggests that approximately 0.5% of the population of England and Wales are transgender, with some caveats over how this data is used and presented. Consequently, there is no single specific data set on the murder of TGD people in the UK. However, reported transphobic hate crime has been higher in the last four years and despite a 2% fall in reported hate crimes against trans people last year (23/24) TGD hate crimes still account for 3% of recorded hate crimes, compared to 1% of hate crimes a decade ago. Meanwhile the UKs international standing in the ILGA world rankings, an organisation that tracks national and international policy around LGBTQIA+ inclusion, has dropped from 1^st place in 2015 to 22^nd as of 2025.

So what can you do?

Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance remind us of the importance of the value of human diversity and of what can happen when we allow the ‘othering’ and dehumanisation of a group of people. Therefore, they highlight the significance of allyship. Allyship starts with conversations, getting to know and understand the experiences of others who may be different and who think differently to ourselves. We must challenge our own preconceptions and misunderstandings. This means being a friend and speaking up and out for TGD people. Seeing a person’s humanity first and appreciating the diversity of human experience, listening to understand rather than to refute or to diminish.

Much of the misinformation about TGD people comes from ‘debates’ that arise from so called ‘culture wars’ which only serve to divide people by creating an imagined fear of a largely invisible group who already experience marginalisation. To borrow from Judith Butler, this is fear of a phantasm not a reality.

Writing together as a gay man and a nonbinary trans woman we are each aware of how LGBTQIA+ people have often been framed as ‘other’, as ‘outsiders’. We recognise particularly the history of TGD people in making, and continuing to make, a significant impact in the fight against prejudice and discrimination and in seeking equality for all LGBTQIA+ people.

For us Transgender Day of Remembrance is a time to recognise the real-world impact of prejudice and fear and to reflect on those who have lost their lives to hateful actions.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is an opportunity, because it allows us to honour those lost to violence, raises awareness of ongoing challenges, promotes solidarity, and strives for a more just and inclusive society. Observing this day is a step forward towards recognising the humanity and dignity of TGD individuals, and fostering hope for a future free from prejudice, discrimination, and violence.

Allyship can be taking on a role of advocate, being an activist, being politically active, marching, writing, training, broadening your knowledge and understanding, and standing up for those who are marginalised. Yet not every act of allyship needs to shout, allyship can be quiet acts that let people be seen for who they are.

References

Butler, J (2025) Who’s afraid of gender? London: Penguin

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Intersex Association (2025) Rainbow Map 2025 ILGA Europe. Rainbow Map 2025 | ILGA-Europe

Office for National Statistics (March 2025) Census 2021 gender identity estimates for England and Wales additional guidance on uncertainty and appropriate use. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/genderidentity/articles/census2021genderidentityestimatesforenglandandwalesadditionalguidanceonuncertaintyandappropriateuse/2025-03-26

Statista (2025) Number of police recorded transgender hate crimes in England and Walkes from 2012/13 to 24024/25. https://www.statista.com/statistics/624011/transgender-hate-crimes-in-england-and-wales-by-offence-type/?srsltid=AfmBOoq3CarjB6-O-3jXL8xoyN4HqkxmST0lJ43YvW9NNKQxND-czUdZ

Trans Europe and Central Asia (2024) Trans Murder Monitoring. Trans Murder Monitoring • TGEU

Dr Rebecca Owens is the Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sunderland. She is an evolutionary psychologist with an interest in male psychology. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Becci will be taking part in this event for International Men’s Day on November 19^th 2025.

International Men’s Day (IMD) takes place on November 19^th. It is celebrated globally and is an opportunity to recognise issues that many men face, and to celebrate the many wonderful men in our lives. One of the issues we often see is the claim that men and boys are privileged and that events such as IMD take the focus away from others, namely women and girls, who need the attention more.

IMD originated in the 90s in Trinidad and Tobago but didn’t make its way to the UK until 2010. International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8^th since its conceptualisation in the early 1900s. I don’t mean for this to come across as ‘what about-ary’ because I don’t think that is helpful for anyone. However, the point that IWD exists and is actively promoted and celebrated is an important part of a point that I want to make. I write this as a psychologist and a key part of this is that I am interested in behaviour – human and non-human behaviour. Personally, I am more interested in the ‘why’ of behaviour rather than the ‘how’. But for me it is key that psychologists all look at their own piece of the puzzle and we come together to understand humanity and the human condition together. My interest is in male psychology and it is a hugely important piece of the puzzle and worthy of study and attention and celebration.

My interest in male psychology started during my PhD which focused on male competitive behaviour from an evolutionary perspective. It became very clear to me that there were clear and legitimate biological and evolutionary underpinnings to sex differences and I couldn’t understand why I heard so much about men must learn to be a certain way – be more like women and talk about their problems; be more like women and don’t be so angry. There are some clear sex differences and reasons they exist – there are a lot of similarities too, but there are some fundamental differences on average. And those differences matter. It means as a society, we expect men to behave in a certain way, to respond in a certain way, and we are intolerable when they don’t meet those expectations. How does that make sense? As an example, I am sure some men do like to sit and talk about their feelings, but most men don’t. Likewise, I am sure many women are able to sit and talk about their feelings, but some women can’t – surely expanding what help seeking and ‘therapy’ can ‘look like’ is beneficial for everyone? Because we aren’t all the same. One size doesn’t fit all. An easy example I use – most of us have hair, but you would not catch me using my husband’s million-in-one hair and body wash on my bleached and dyed hair! Again - one size does not fit all.

Shortly after I finished my PhD, I saw Martin Seager and John Barry in an edition of the Psychologist Magazine. They were discussing male psychology and the need for this to be a recognised area of academic research and they were looking for like minded people. I contacted them and spoke with them on Zoom. My view of Martin and John was that they were very much fighting against the tide – they were showing a lot of relevant facts and figures about why we needed male psychology but there was a general reluctance for anyone to get behind them. They spearheaded the creation of the Male Psychology Section of the British Psychological Society in 2018 – a third of respondents opposed the creation of this new section, which was way higher than those that opposed the creation of the other newly proposed sections at the time (Cyberpsychology, Defence and Security Psychology, and Political Psychology).

Two years later, I created the first module in male psychology (as far as we know!) in the world that takes a fully integrated perspective on male psychology. What I mean by this is that we firmly position sex and gender in the context of evolutionary and biological underpinnings, and build on that to consider what masculinity ‘looks like’, how male behaviour responds in different situations, and we also lift the lid on some of the more hidden facts and figures around the extent of men as victims of various crimes. In the words of Niko Tinbergen, we can only really fully understand behaviour if we consider the ultimate function and evolutionary development of that behaviour as well – not just the immediate mechanism that triggered the behaviour and how this has developed over an individual’s lifetime (ok, that may be me paraphrasing a little!).

What I am pleased to say is that since then, the field has been developing and gaining attention and traction. I am now Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Sunderland, and we have developed a research strategy which focuses our attention and critical mass around key areas of activity. One of these is Male Psychology – we have a Male Psychology CoLab (collaborative laboratory) which involves staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as external partners who are working collaboratively in this area. I feel much less like I have to justify my focus on male psychology than I used to, and I think part of this is because of the greater awareness around male issues. I won’t repeat the facts and figures here, but I will link you to some great sources such as the Centre for Male Psychology, the American Institute for Boys and Men, International Men’s Day UK, and the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys so you can see for yourself why men and boys aren’t as privileged as you may have thought or been told. One thing I can say is that for me personally, I have absolutely had some terrible and traumatising experiences with men in my life, but I know those men are the minority and men as a whole do not deserve to be demonised because of the actions of a few. I look at my son for example, who is an amazing young man (despite some of his influences!) and my husband, who has been an amazing dad and stepdad to our children – they are in the majority. They are good men with good hearts, and they deserve to be celebrated for being the wonderful men that they are.

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Each year, Anti-Bullying Alliance (ABA) organise Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This year, Anti-Bullying Week takes place from Monday 10^th – Friday 14^th November, with the theme “Power for Good”. The theme is derived from consultations with teachers and pupils and the aim is to empower young people to use their Power for Good, raising awareness and speaking up when they see bullying, either face to face or online.

What is bullying?

The word “bullying” can be used to describe a variety of behaviours and should not be confused with conflict. Children will often experience conflict throughout their school journey. I am sure fellow parents out there are sick of hearing “I’m not friends with her anymore!”, only for your child to be best friends with said person the next day. These disagreements are a key part of children learning how to manage emotions and build meaningful friendships. Conflict provides opportunity for children to practice empathy and forgiveness with guidance from more knowledgeable others (unfortunately parents, this is often you!).

On the contrary, bullying is a deliberate, repeated behaviour that causes harm and involves an imbalance of power. The imbalance of power can take various forms, including, but not limited to, physical strength, popularity, digital influence and social status. Bullying can take form in various ways (physical, verbal, social and online) and recognising the distinction between bullying and conflict, which is a normal part of growing up, can help schools and families respond appropriately.

Whilst much of the conversation around bullying focuses on supporting victims, it is equally important to consider the experiences of children who display bullying behaviours. Children who bully often struggle with empathy and this can be rooted in unmet needs, exposure to harsh discipline in childhood and adolescence, trauma and experiences of feeling powerless. For parents of these children, it is important to consider what the child is trying to communicate through bullying, finding the root cause can help find a tangible way forward. We also know that bully-victims, those who are bullying perpetrators and also experience it themselves, are more at risk of long-lasting psychological harm.

What are the short- and long-term impacts of bullying?

Short-term impacts of bullying often appear within days or weeks of the behaviour and can be seen as stress, heightened anxiety, emotional distress and physical symptoms (i.e. headaches, stomach aches and changes in appetite). These short-term impacts can also influence further problems, such as academic and social withdrawal, as well as changes in behaviour or personality.

However, bullying does not just leave emotional scars, it can also pose long-term impacts on the brain and body. Being bullied can activate the body’s stress response (the HPA axis) which releases cortisol. In small doses, cortisol helps us to cope with challenge, but when bullying occurs, the stress system can become worn out, getting stuck on high alert or shut down completely. We also know that bullying can affect the brain areas responsible for emotion, memory and decision-making. The amygdala can become overactive (leading to hyper-vigilance and anxiety), the hippocampus can shrink under prolonged stress from bullying, and the prefrontal cortex may become less connected and less effective over time. These neurological changes offer a small insight into why bullied children might struggle to focus and overreact to small stressors.

The role of parents and teachers: Building resilience

Parents, caregivers and teachers have an important role to play in the prevention of bullying behaviour. The way in which adults respond can help teach young people how to handle stress and how to rebuild confidence after being hurt. Seeing calm, compassionate reactions from adults will allow children to learn that difficult experiences can be faced and managed appropriately, as opposed to witnessing panic and anger.

In order to help build resilience, the adult must form a secure emotional connection. From my own personal experience, it can help to encourage children to label their emotions (fear, sadness, embarrassment, anger, and so on), rather than turning to silence or withdrawal. Children often have a difficult time understanding and describing what they are feeling, but when they do form the ability to do this, they are taking a big step towards healing from the bullying. You can help children understand and regulate their emotions by encouraging problem solving and assertiveness, as well as role-playing possible responses to bullying. Doing so could give children a sense of control and confidence.

It is also important that teachers and parents work closely together to create a consistent message about kindness and respect. Praising effort and empathy, rather than just academic achievement, can help children understand their value is not based on performance alone. Adults should prioritise regular check-ins, confidentiality (where appropriate), and allowing children to talk about their experience without judgement.

How can we empower children to speak up and support each other?

Children are far more likely to speak up about bullying when they know their voices will be heard and respected. Bullying is not simply “just a part of growing up” and children should be encouraged to ask for help, understanding that doing so is not a sign of weakness, but of courage. When we consistently reinforce this message, we allow for normalisation of speaking out and seeking support. Empowerment also means teaching our children bystander courage. Given that most bullying takes place in front of others, it is important we teach our children that they have the power to stop it.

It’s also important to remember that children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) often face additional challenges. They may find it harder to read social cues, express when something is wrong, or process teasing and exclusion. For these children, emotional safety and consistent adult support are crucial.

Take home message

Bullying isn’t just a bit of playground drama or “kids being kids.” Thanks to improvements in brain scanning, we know now that bullying can leave real marks on the developing brain, too. The good news is that brains are incredibly adaptable, and, with the right support, children can bounce back from bullying. As adults, our job is to spot the signs early and stay calm, kind, and curious when a child opens up.

Anti-Bullying Week is such a good reminder that each of us has “Power for Good.” Every small act adds up and, when we show young people that speaking up is brave, we give them permission to use their voice and look out for each other.

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From Accra to Sunderland:

When I embarked my journey from Accra to the England, I carried more than luggage. I carried the weight of stories, my ancestors’ stories of strength, my community’s struggles with inequality, and my own hope to be part of something that could rewrite those narratives. Studying Public Health at the University of Sunderland isn’t just an academic pursuit for me. It is a continuation of a longer journey: one that began generations ago, when the idea of education, mobility, or global opportunity was a distant dream for many people who looked like me. For me, this journey is personal. It is history in motion.

Growing up in Ghana, I witnessed health not just as a biological condition, but as a mirror reflecting society’s divisions; between the rich and poor, urban and rural, male and female. I saw how a lack of access to healthcare, education, or even clean water could silence potential. I remember my grandmother’s stories of how colonial systems once shaped our hospitals, our schools, and even our perception of who deserved care. Those stories stayed with me, not as anger, but as a quiet determination to do something meaningful. When I arrived in Sunderland, I expected to find new systems, new technologies, and new approaches. What I didn’t expect was how much the journey would make me reflect on identity. In lectures about global health inequities, I found echoes of the same structural barriers that exist back home. When we discussed the social determinants of health, income, education, race. I realised that public health is not just about diseases; it’s about dignity.

October being Black History Month makes this reflection even deeper. To me, Black History Month is not just a celebration of heroes or the past; it is an invitation to connect the dots between history and the present, between what was denied and what we now have the privilege to pursue. Every lecture I attend, every paper I write, feels like an act of reclaiming space in a field where our voices once went unheard. I often think of the generations before me, people who couldn’t cross oceans, who never had the chance to study global health systems. I imagine how proud they would be to see a young African man in a classroom in the UK, not as a patient of history, but as a participant in shaping the future of global well-being.

Being a student of Public Health has given me a new way to understand freedom. It’s not just political; it’s scientific. It’s the freedom to live without preventable disease, to breathe clean air, to access care regardless of one’s postcode or passport. As a Black student in an increasingly interconnected world, I see my journey as more than academic, it is symbolic. I represent a bridge between two worlds: one that taught me resilience, and another that gives me the tools to make that resilience count. My dream is to take the knowledge I gain here and translate it into systems that heal: not just bodies, but communities.

When I think about what Black History Month means to me as a Public Health student, one phrase comes to mind: we are the proof that history evolves. We are not just shaped by the past, we shape what comes next. When I walk into my lectures each morning, I remind myself that my presence here is both a privilege and a responsibility. To study health is to study humanity. In doing so, I honour those who fought for the chance for me to be here and those whose futures depend on what I learn.

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A cheery thought to open on, but what happens when we die? Is that it, or do those of us with “unfinished business” hang around? I’m sure you all have your own views, but belief in ghosts and the paranormal more broadly is universal and long-standing. We have long believed that the physical and spiritual worlds coexist. Take Samhain for example, a significant event in Celtic culture, which sees the veil between the living and the dead at its thinnest on the night of October 31st. On this night, spirits can cross over to mingle with the living.

Imagine you’re in a dark room. Your vision is impaired, so your brain is preparing you for potential emergent threats. You’re on high alert, courtesy of your amygdala. This fear response is adaptive, and paranormal beliefs can reduce fear as they create meaning (Betsch et al., 2021; Lange & Houran, 1999). Sticking with belief in ghosts as being adaptive, it could also have encouraged moral behaviour. For example, priming people to think about the existence of ghosts results in them being less likely to cheat on a riddle game (Lin & Suarez, 2020). It’s the idea that someone/something is watching you!

Cognitive biases could be another explanation for belief in ghosts. Emotional reasoning (a preference for emotional explanations over logical ones) and intentionalising (the interpretation of events as purposeful and deliberate) are among some of the cognitive biases Williams et al. (2021) identified as related to paranormal belief.

Linked to this idea that events are purposeful, we love to make sense of things. The brain has an innate ability to make sense of the chaotic and disorganised, instead seeking to make sense of the mess via pattern recognition. This can be seen in pareidolia- the tendency to perceive familiar shapes or patterns in random or ambiguous stimuli. An explanation for us seeing the cute face in this cup of coffee, or the face in this mop.

Personality traits have also been reported to influence belief in all things spooky. It may come as no surprise that those high in openness to experience are more likely to believe in ghosts, reporting themselves as being artistic or creative, with a good imagination on the HEXACO. Belief in ghosts is also positively associated with neuroticism (Williams et al., 2007; Wiseman & Watt, 2004).

I could go on, but I don’t want to cover too much here. Instead, it would be great for you to join me, and colleagues from criminology and film and media, on the 30^th of October (5-6.30pm) for “The Unseen, The Unholy, The Unhuman” as we explore some creepy and captivating topics. My talk will be discussing the psychology of ghosts, covering explanations from core areas of psychology such as biological/evolutionary, cognitive, and individual differences. I haven’t covered everything here, because it would be great to see you at the event. Here’s the link for current students to access the event: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

References

Betsch, T., Aßmann, L., & Glöckner, A. (2020). Paranormal beliefs and individual differences: story seeking without reasoned review. Heliyon 30(6), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04259

Betsch, T., Jackel, P., Hammes, M., & Brinkmann, B.J. (2021). On the adaptive value of paranormal beliefs- a qualitative study. Integrative Psychological & Behavioural Science, 55(2), 318-328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-020-09594-5

Thoksakis, A., Papesh, M. (2022). Why some people see, hear, or feel “ghosts”. Frontiers for Young Minds, 10.

Williams, C., Denovan, A., Drinkwater, K., & Dagnall, N. (2021). Thinking style and paranormal belief: the role of cognitive biases. Imagination, Cognition and Personality: Consciousness in Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice 41(3), 274-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/02762366211036435

Williams, E., Francis, L.J., & Robbins, M. (2007). Personality and paranormal belief: a study among adolescents. Pastoral Psychology, 56, 9-14.

Wiseman, R., & Watt, C. (2004). Measuring superstitious belief: why lucky charms matter. Personality and Individual Differences. 37(8), 1533-1541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.02.009

A lot of my job involves doing research and working with other people doing research. For a number of years I have acted as a research consultant for Health Innovation North East North Cumbria and also work as an embedded researcher within Sunderland City Council and work with partners like NHS doctors and other health professionals. It is fair to say I have seen and experienced a range of qualities and standards of research and research practice and come across many pitfalls and perils. Here in no particular order are my “10 lessons” for good research – applicable to everyone but possibly particularly applicable to those starting their final year project

1. It will take longer than you think

Every step of the process will take longer and be harder than you expect so be aware of that from the start and build that into your planning. This is particularly the case for things like data cleaning (I think I have spent years of my life doing this) and other laborious elements but delays happen all the time (ethics, getting participants, IT problems) and you need to expect this.

2. Finding nothing is a perfectly acceptable scientific finding

Obviously we want to get “significant” results but that isn’t how science works. A great majority of undergraduate projects don’t confirm their primary hypothesis and that is fine. Finding something isn’t the case is just as scientifically valid as confirming your hypothesis (though it may not be as satisfying). Although there is a bias in publication towards significant findings (an ongoing problem) there are no “marks” associated with getting a significant result – projects are marked on execution not on findings! Obviously if you don’t find something because you have done a seriously flawed project and only bothered to test 3 participants then that will affect your mark – but that is for a different reason!

3. Low powered studies are a massive problem

For years the focus in science has been on reducing type 1 error but type 2 error (not having sufficient power to detect the effect you are looking for) is probably the bigger issue. If you have a low powered study then the bad news is your “significant” finding is also less reliable too so that is no solution to the problem. Underpowered studies waste resources and time and produce wrong answers. Power is crucially dependent on sample size but also think about things like more efficient designs (within subjects designs or including a covariate to reduce inter participant variance), collecting parametric data where appropriate and using more precise measures.

4. Plan for failure and what you will learn from failure

Related to number 2 above. Lots of the things I am involved in “don’t work” but we can still learn from them – for example in an intervention to implement asthma checks in pharmacies which had little effect we learned a lot about the working life of pharmacists and constraints on WHY adding additional tasks was difficult. In terms of your project think about what a non significant finding will mean and also include in your study design elements that might help you understand the results. For me this often involves designing things which have a mixed methods element but in a project it might mean doing something like a funnel debrief of participants.

5. Writing your discussion is crucially dependent on what you read before you start the study

Strongly related to number 2. The more you know about a topic the better you can discuss what you find and crucially the better able you are to think about why you might have found nothing. The wider your reading in the early stages of your project – even if the things only seem vaguely relevant – the more critical evaluation and synthesis you will be able to put in your discussion and that is what gets the high marks. Some of the best projects I have ever seen have had completely non significant findings and then an astonishing discussion which demonstrates really good thinking about the topic which integrates information from all over the field of psychology.

6. Don’t start by thinking “what I want to do” but rather focus on “what is it I am asking?”

It is very easy to start by thinking “I will give them this and that questionnaire and get them to do this or that task” but it is important to put that off for the moment. Start by clearly thinking about “what question am I asking” and then make sure that the study you design answers that question. If you have the design first then you will have to retrofit the question and hypothesis to it and that never goes well.

7. Be very careful to not “accidentally” fall into questionable research practices (QRPs).

This is related to item 6. Before you start you should know what question you are asking and how you will know whether you have answered it. Therefore you should be clear about what parts of your analysis are confirmatory (related to the hypotheses you have previously stated) and which parts are exploratory (new stuff that has come out of your data which is interesting but needs to be given less weight than the confirmatory stuff). A standard QRP is HARKing (hypothesising after the results are known) which is related to 6 and involves retrospectively rewriting your study after analysis so it is about what you have found rather than what you set out to find. This is very common. Other QRPs involve things like “dealing with outliers” in ways which favour your expected findings and other similar methods of “p-hacking”. Find out about QRPs, be aware of them and don’t be tempted.

8. Pilot and check everything before you start collecting data

Make sure your questionnaire works and Qualtrics collects the data you think it is! Similarly if you are doing a study make sure that the software works and remember the golden rule – participants are more stupid than you expect. If they can find a way to break it then they will. Think carefully about things like constraining what can be put in boxes (e.g. if age you only want a number not someone writing “too old”). Also if you are giving verbal instructions then make a script and practice and check these with a friend. If you are doing a qual study then practice the interview with someone before doing it “for real”. Not relevant to a project but if you are doing a larger study then make sure everyone is on the same page – a large study I was involved with was ruined when someone collecting data in one centre muddled up the “6 week post intervention” and “6 month post intervention” questionnaires.

9. Never forget to collect demographics of your sample

While we want to limit collecting unneeded information we always want to characterise the sample. So age and gender are essential. Depending on your research question it might also be valuable to include ethnicity, religion, first language etc. As long as you can justify asking then this is fine. There are very few instances where no characterisation of the sample is appropriate (look at papers – they always have age and gender included) because it is important that we are able to generalise from your sample to the appropriate population.

10. Remember to have fun

When you are doing research you are doing something at the cutting edge of human experience – finding out something that no one else knows. This is great stuff and should be exciting and rewarding. There are lots of challenges and difficulties but try and keep focussed on the good bits. Working with others will help with this (hence our move to group supervision) and always remember that big rewards only come after big challenges. So enjoy the process and don’t be afraid to ask for help in the difficult bits.

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The world continues to recognise the importance of handwashing and the crucial role it plays in preventing the spread of infectious diseases. This year, on October 15th, marks 17 years since the first Global Handwashing Day; an annual event that reminds us of the power of this simple yet life-saving act.

While many are familiar with this global practice, it is important to remember that handwashing is not just about rubbing hands together under running water and soap. It is far more than a routine action. It is a frontline defence against disease, a foundation for healthier communities, and a symbol of fairness in access to basic hygiene.

Unfortunately, for millions of people, particularly those in low-and-middle-income countries (LMIC), handwashing remains an unaffordable luxury. Access to clean water and soap which are the very resources that make this practice possible is still out of reach for many. This inequity reflects deep-rooted global inequalities that continue to deny the most marginalised populations the opportunity to protect their health.

While developing nations continue to battle communicable and infectious diseases, many of which could be prevented through proper handwashing, they still face enormous challenges in ensuring access to safe water. According to a United Nations Report, approximately 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, and over 4.2 billion do not have access to safely managed sanitation. The situation is further worsened by climate change, with increasing floods and droughts intensifying the water crisis.

As we celebrate Global Handwashing Day, the world must pause and ask a crucial question: Is it truly a global celebration if millions still lack the resources to practice handwashing safely and consistently?

This reality highlights a persistent global health inequality, reminding us of the concept of the Social Determinants of Health, which is the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, and work, which profoundly shape their health outcomes. It is not enough to celebrate annual events; the world must move beyond commemoration to practical, equitable actions that ensure everyone, everywhere, has access to clean water and soap.

The barrier is not a lack of knowledge, because the science is clear, and awareness of handwashing’s importance is high even among the deprived populations. The real barrier lies in broken systems. The challenge for Public Health is not only to promote handwashing during normal times but also to safeguard this practice during crises.

This is why Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG - 6) “ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” remains critical. However, achieving lasting change requires community ownership. The most effective Public Health initiatives begin by listening to local voices, allowing communities to shape how programmes are designed, implemented, and sustained. Handwashing must not simply be taught as a rule; it should be woven into daily life and embraced by those it seeks to protect.

At the University of Sunderland, handwashing represents more than a simple habit. It serves as a gateway to interdisciplinary learning. Global Handwashing Day, therefore, is more than a reminder to wash our hands; it is a call for collaboration, innovation, and collective action across disciplines to build healthier, more resilient societies.

I will conclude by reminding everyone that handwashing remains one of the most powerful and cost-effective Public Health interventions for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Yet, the growing inequity in access to clean water and soap continues to undermine this global effort. As we mark this year’s Global Handwashing Day, let it be not just a celebration, but a renewed commitment to equity, inclusion, and global health justice.

My journey began after the wonderful Becci Owen’s sent out an email mid May advertising a new opportunity to work alongside the University of Cambridge as part of Summer CAMP, Cambridge Access to Mental Health Programme.

Once applying and going through interviews, I was one of 21 applicants to be chosen to complete the camp throughout summer. Beginning in August for three consecutive weeks, I logged in to daily online seminars hosted by Cambridge. Every day brought something new: academics and professionals from all over the world, each sharing their experiences and expertise in psychology. The sessions covered everything from tackling imposter syndrome at university, to statistics session using R, to the minute details of drafting a research proposal- which turned out to be our main project for the month.

Over four weeks, I worked on our own research ideas with the guidance of a Cambridge supervisor. My supervisor, Eddie, was an absolute star- always encouraging and ready with practical advice. With his support, I turned my vague idea into a proper research proposal and gained a feel for what it takes to develop a study from scratch. In the end, I created a 1000 word research proposal titled “The Impact of Dementia Literacy Education on Caregivers’ Help Seeking and Screening Participation”, a longitudinal study tracking willingness to seek help in an understudied population of dementia caregivers and if their experiences and attitudes impact their willingness to seek help and screening in later years.

While most of the programme was online, I was lucky enough to attend a two-day residential in Cambridge, with exclusive tours of many colleges on campus, unique talks from fantastic doctors and academics, and fancy ballroom meals while getting to know my fellow scholars. (Images linked below)

The biggest moment though, was presenting my research proposal at an official conference at St. Catharine College. Standing up in front of so many hard-working scholars and presenting a research proposal, something only a small idea a month ago was surreal, and despite daunting, the highlight of my trip. Coming from a family where university wasn’t a given, I’d grown up seeing places like Cambridge as distant and unattainable. Being there, confidently presenting my research, made me realise that opportunities like this really are open to anyone willing to step forward.

Going into the camp, I didn’t have many expectations, but whatever I had imagined, Cambridge completely blew it out of the water. Over the month, I built skills that I will be carrying through my final year and beyond: research writing, problem-solving, statistical analysis, and the ability to brainstorm and collaborate with a supervisor. Perhaps the most surprising growth came from tackling my fear of imposter syndrome. I was worried I’d feel out of my depth, but instead I found myself welcomed, supported and inspired. Meeting such as diverse group of passionate psychology students, each with their own stories and ambitions and showed me that we all belong regardless of their background.

My time with Cambridge Summer CAMP was more than just a summer school, it was a turning point. From someone who once thought places like Cambridge were beyond reach, this experience was transformative. It showed me that research, higher education and even world-class institutions aren’t just for a selected and few but for anyone who’s curious, hardworking and willing to learn. One of the biggest areas of personal growth for me came from meeting students from so many backgrounds, cultures, and Universities in the UK. Working alongside with a passionate group of learners showed me new perspectives about life in general and about Psychology in particular. If there is one thing I took away from this, it’s this, ‘never hold back from apply to opportunities.’ They can change your future in ways you cannot even imagine!

Over the month, I also built real connections I will carry with me. I became close friends with fellow peers and developed a mentor-style relationship with my supervisor Eddie Xiao, Victoria Poulton and Millie Preece. These relationships have given me confidence to explore the exciting learning opportunities in future. The summer school didn’t just sharpen up my academic skills but completely reignited my love for psychology. It also solidified my plan to pursue a Masters in Neuroscience at the University of York, and even a PhD down the line. I returned to Sunderland feeling more confident about my abilities and excited about the possibilities ahead.

Although I am not a walking advertisement for Cambridge, if you ever get the chance to join a summer school or internship programme like this, take it! Whatever your interests or background, your ideas will be supported, and your confidence will grow, leaving you feeling inspired. The skills you develop not only look fantastic on your CV, but more importantly, give you a head start for your dissertation, postgraduate study, and future career. I would recommend an opportunity like this from any University to absolutely anyone. Whether you are passionate about a specific topic in psychology or still figuring out your path, programmes like summer schools and internships meet you where you are and help you reach further than you ever thought possible. They can polish your abilities in ways that go beyond the programme, building confidence, sharpening research skills, and communication skills, and preparing your both personally and professionally for whatever comes next. I am now looking forward to becoming a member of Cambridge’s alumni scheme. I hope in the coming years, I can be part of the experience again, either as a scholar or behind the scenes! The programme didn’t just change how I see learning but made me want to play a role in making it more accessible for students in the Northeast.

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Personal Academic Tutoring – Strengthening support for our students

At the University of Sunderland, we have always recognised that a student’s success depends on more than attending lectures and completing assignments. Personal Academic Tutoring (PAT) has long been part of our approach to ensuring students feel supported, connected, and able to thrive both academically and personally.

A PAT is a consistent point of contact for students throughout their studies. They are someone who understands the demands of their programme, can offer tailored academic advice, and can signpost to the right support services when needed. It is as much about fostering confidence and independence as it is about offering guidance.

From experience, we know the value of PAT lies not only in formal meetings but in the relationships built over time. For some students, a timely conversation can make the difference between disengaging and achieving their potential.

Why PAT matters

Personal Academic Tutoring enables:

1. Early intervention – spotting difficulties before they become barriers to progress

2. Continuity of support – one member of staff following a student’s journey from induction to graduation

3. Personalised guidance – advice that takes into account a student’s individual goals, strengths, and challenges

4. Opportunities – connecting students to projects, placements, and networks they might not otherwise find

5. Future readiness – helping students build skills, experiences, and confidence that enhance their employability

A real example of impact from our university of Sunderland.

“In my first year, I was really close to dropping out. I’d moved away from home, I didn’t know anyone, and I felt completely lost in my course. I skipped a couple of PAT sessions because I didn’t think they were relevant but my PAT noticed I wasn’t there and sent me an email checking in.

We ended up having a 1:1 meeting where I admitted I was struggling to manage my workload and was worried I’d fail. She helped me break my assignments into smaller steps and showed me how to use the library’s academic skills workshops. By the end of the year, I’d passed everything and actually started enjoying my course.

Now, in my final year, I still meet with her regularly to talk about my future career. Honestly, if she hadn’t reached out that first time, I might not even be here.”

This is a small but powerful reminder of how noticing and responding to a student’s needs can change the trajectory of their time at university.

What’s changing in 2025/26

For BSc (Hons) Psychology and MSc Psychology programmes, we are introducing timetabled group PAT sessions.

From 2025/26, students will see six scheduled sessions on their timetable (weeks 10, 14, 18, 24, 28, and 32), all held during the lunch hour. These will be informal, interactive sessions where students are encouraged to bring their lunch and engage with both staff and peers.

Each session will follow a specific theme; from building confidence and developing peer networks to practical skills and career planning. The aim is to create structured opportunities for connection and development, while still allowing flexibility for individual follow-up where needed.

Looking ahead

This development is part of our wider commitment to enhancing the student experience. By embedding PAT sessions into the timetable, we remove barriers to attendance, provide a clear structure for engagement, and give every student regular opportunity to connect with their tutor and peers.

Personal Academic Tutoring is not an add-on to the curriculum; it is integral to how we support our students to succeed. As these changes take effect, we look forward to seeing more students benefit from the kind of sustained, personalised support that can truly shape their university experience.

Got a query or feeling flat? Have a chat with your PAT!

(You can find the details of your PAT on the Psychology Programme Space.)

Peace, Gratitude and Kindness

On the topic of peace there are many possible areas to focus upon, from peace of mind, to harmony in relationships, to the wider world. In considering this topic I began by looking at quotations and was drawn to two by Desmond Tutu. "If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies." and “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”. To foster resilience within ourselves allows us to be more resourced to do a little bit of good where we are, and this can bolster self-esteem and resilience. I explored academic papers on this area of acts of kindness and found Slavich et al (2022) describing how practicing compassion involves perceiving suffering as part of a larger shared human experience and directing kindness toward it. They concluded that the increased social connectedness reduced anxiety, depression and stress.

It great to see positive feedback loops reinforcing acts of kindness (Layous et al., 2017), generosity (Fredrickson et al., 2021) and life satisfaction (Cregg & Cheavens, 2023). I’ve found mindfulness meditation to support self-awareness and greater compassion at times of discord with others. There is a practice called the loving kindness meditation that focusses attention on wishing all wellness and peace, including those who we feel less kindly towards. Lathan and Dritschel (2023) describe how this practice can support regulating emotions, and this is so important for being able to respond well to others when they may be emotionally dysregulated at times of disagreement. It is tricky territory to talk to people about disagreement but one which I’ve valued learning more about in doing mediation training and facilitating people to hear each other and work together towards solutions. I would agree with Desmond Tutu around doing a little bit of good where we are, as that little bit of good makes us feel better, maybe leading to doing a bit more good and a positive cumulative effect.

Another mindfulness and compassion exercise I do regularly is the ten finger gratitude exercise, counting off ten things I’m grateful for in my life. This brings a smile to my face and increases a desire to add to the joy and peace in those around me, with gratitude and generosity being linked (Fredrickson et al., 2021) and connected to looking out into the world with the wish to increase peace of mind for others. There are people who I much admire who make great strides in bringing peace into conflict in the world and it may be right for you to consider how you contribute to these efforts. On a smaller scale you can look to your inner peace and gratitude and how you develop this, how you foster positive connections with others, and how this honours International Peace day. I conclude with the words of Walt Whitman “Peace is always beautiful” as words to contemplate when you consider in what ways you can increase peacefulness within your world.

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Welcome!

Congratulations! You have made it to university, which is one of the biggest life changes most people ever go through (by ‘research’, I mean the thousands of first years before you who have wondered “What on earth am I doing here?” and lived to tell the tale).

Don’t worry, the Psychology team in the School of Psychology have your back. We’ve worked hard to make sure your programme is as relevant and as interesting as possible, with everything we teach you rooted in the latest research and applied to the world around us.

Let’s get started with some useful information to help you get settled into the University of Sunderland and School of Psychology.

Feeling nervous?

If you feel nervous, that’s just your amygdala is doing its job. The amygdala is a little almond-shaped part of your brain that is on full alert, scanning for danger like a paranoid meerkat. But here’s the trick: if you feel excited, your body cannot always tell the difference between that and anxiety. Did you know that Olympic athletes often reframe their nerves as excitement before a competition? It works surprisingly well for presentations and talking to new people too. So, when your heart is racing, tell yourself: ‘This is excitement!’

So many new people…

Psychologists call it the exposure effect: the more you see someone, the more you tend to like them. That is why you may suddenly feel like you’ve developed a bond with the person who sits next to you in lectures, even if you have only ever exchanged a nod and a mutual eyeroll (because your lecturers are trying to sound cool with out-of-date cultural jokes). Being around people in person is great for your sense of belonging here at University, and it’s fine if you don’t know what is going on all the time (I used to sit at the back of lectures and had about a 50% idea of what was happening at any one time, it turned out alright in the end). So, remember your coffee and we look forward to seeing you in classes.

Keep track of those Zzzzz’s

Your hippocampus (the part of your brain shaped like a seahorse that is heavily involved in storing memories) is like a sponge, it can just keep on taking on information. But without sleep, it turns into more of a soggy dishcloth. Pulling all-nighters might feel like a good idea at the time, but they actually make your brain about as useful as a potato. Prioritise sleep, your marks and your wellbeing will thank you.

The Temptation of AI

AI is a very temping and shiny tool in your toolbox (in every toolbox). Here at Sunderland, we have an ‘Assist not Do’ approach in place for using AI tools. Look at what your Module Leaders specify on their modules in their Artificial Intelligence Guidelines, but the general rule of thumb is that you can use it to help you brainstorm, plan, or organise your thoughts. But don’t let it do your work for you and don’t let it take credit for your work (AI tools are really greedy for data, and don’t mind getting you into trouble to get it!). We want to see your understanding, your critical thinking, not what the AI tools kick out.

People often think AI-generated text sounds confident, but that does not mean it is accurate. Always double-check the output. Think of AI more like an over enthusiastic lab assistant or an intern: really helpful and useful, but not the one running the experiment, and sometimes it makes mistakes. Make sure you stay in charge of your learning!

Advice from Your Lecturers

One of the best things about joining university is that you are not alone. Your lecturers have guided hundreds of students through this journey before you, and we have all walked this path before you (some of us many, many years ago when the internet was still a radical baby!). They know what works, what to avoid, and how to make the most of your time here.

Here are a few words of wisdom from your Psychology lecturers:

“Your journey is you own, do not compare yourself against what other students do. Sometimes it is the students who struggle during their first year who become the shining stars come graduation.” – Dan Taylor: Lecturer in Psychology

“There is no right system for being organised and on top of your studies (despite what people selling systems want to tell you), but there is a right system for you. Find out this year what works for you, develop a system, be organised and use it. Being organised is a big part of academic success and being on top of things will result in much less anxiety.” – Jon Rees: Associate Professor in Applied Research Methodology

“My top tips to students would be: 1. Accept that university isn’t always a straight path. Try to embrace the unexpected twists and turns because these can lead you to opportunities you never imagined. 2. Be unapologetically yourself, coming to university is a chance to explore who you are as an individual. 3. Don’t compare yourself to others. Lean and grow with each other instead.” – Paris Ash: Lecturer in Psychology

“Every crisis has an opportunity, look for it and trust the process.” – Dr Sidra Afzal: Lecturer and Clinical Route Lead.

“Humans are weird and wonderful creatures, which means studying Psychology never gets boring! Make sure you dive in head first to your learning journey - it’s not easy studying Psychology, but it’s always eye opening. Just remember, if you’re struggling, make sure come and talk to us and ask for help.” – Vanessa Parson: Associate Head of School

Who Ya Gonna Call? (Supportbusters)

Getting lost, whether academically, socially, or literally, is part of the process when you start university. The trick is knowing who to ask:

• The School of Psychology team are here if you need subject-specific advice.

• Gateway: the Student Advice Team are there to help with all your practical questions about university life.

• The Wellbeing Team are there for any worries you might have at any point during your degree.

Remember: asking for help is not weakness, it is evidence of intelligence. Even Einstein had tutors.

Quick Wins for Week One

• Log into Canvas (your virtual one-stop shop to all things related to your degree subject).

• Check your university email daily (yes, daily).

• Set up a simple email signature (Name, Stage, Student Number).

• Identify one staff member you feel comfortable speaking to.

• Start a conversation with at least one fellow student (bonus points if it is about cats, coffee, or the latest Netflix drama).

Final Thoughts

Psychology teaches us that small changes make big differences, whether that’s saying hello to a fellow student, getting a good night’s sleep, or telling yourself your nerves are the good kind of excitement nerves. The little things add up, and in three years’ time when you graduate, you will be proud of how far you have come, amazed at what you have achieved during your degree, and ready to take on whatever comes next.

So, welcome to the University of Sunderland, School of Psychology. You are not just here to learn about psychology; you are here to live it. Observe, experiment, reflect, own your learning, and above all, enjoy the journey.

You belong here, and we are looking forward to meeting you.

Shameless plug: The Pocket Guide for Students might just contain a be a guide to successfully completing your degree. The first three new Stage 1 students to email me direct get a free copy! Full disclosure, this came out just before ChatGPT was released onto the internet, so it does not have a chapter on AI. But I’ve had a hand in all the guidance for AI use here at Sunderland, so I’ve got you covered with the Student Academic Success Toolkit. (available only to University of Sunderland students)

What is Suicide?

This might seem like an obvious question with an obvious answer but with the advent of World Suicide Prevention Day which highlights the devastating number of suicides worldwide (more than 720 000 each year), it is worth considering what suicide really means and what it does not.

Due to the awful and unthinkable finality of suicide, it can be tempting to think of it as one big event, namely a person’s decision to take their own life. However, by exploring the question ‘what is suicide? we are more able to think about the totality of the situation and what kind of circumstances might lead to someone thinking their life is no longer worth having, no matter what. Understanding the causes of suicide, is one of the main factors underpinning the prevention of suicide.

Causes

The range of potential causes of suicide is broad and, in some ways, hard to categorise since each person has their own individual road to suicide. Some causes are more obvious such as the loss of a loved one, chronic unbearable pain, or the response to traumatic/abusive experiences. There are also mental health conditions such as long-term deep depression with an accompanying loss of hope which may lead to suicidal feelings. Those experiencing psychotic delusions and/or hallucinations may hear voices which repeatedly tell them to kill themselves and this can be very hard to resist. Anorexia nervosa can arguably be described as ‘slow suicide’ since the ultimate outcome if untreated is death (anorexia has the highest mortality rate of all mental health conditions). We may also describe someone as having ‘drunk’ themselves to death.

Other reasons could better be described as the slow accumulation of sad steps of despair, when the act of suicide is not so much a response to one particular circumstance but rather an unremitting series of negative experiences and feelings which ultimately are too much to live with. People may reach a ‘tipping point’ when they literally feel that the last straw has broken their back and that there is no point in carrying on.

Another reason, particularly pertinent to the present day, is the unremitting sense of isolation and disconnection from life which some people may experience. Despite the great possibilities for communication offered by social media, much of the communication is fleeting and does not offer a depth of contact. Although we tend to think that this type of isolation pertains more to younger age groups, it is also worth remembering the devastating isolation experienced by many elderly people. If an individual feels they have no value or connection in life, then it is perhaps understandable that they might question the point of that life. There are also those who take their own life because they feel that their family and friends would be better off without them. One of the saddest things I ever heard in my professional career, was from a young man in a mental health day centre who said to me ‘I am a nothing’. This has always stuck with me because it encapsulated the sense of utter worthlessness and despair that some people may reach.

It can be seen then, that the range of potential causes is as wide as the human condition. Whilst there is understandable concern that certain groups seem more prone to take their own lives (such as younger men) it is important to remember that suicidal feelings can be experienced by people of any age, gender, class or cultural background. They can be experienced by those surrounded by loving family and friends as well by those who feel that they have no-one. Thankfully, society in the U.K has moved on from burying those who commit suicide outside churchyards and there is less shame associated with suicide, but there is still a need for a greater general understanding and openness regarding how suicidal feelings might fit into the narrative of a person’s life. Reaching a state of suicidal ideation is likely to be deeply rooted in the experience of the individual and as can be seen from the range of causes discussed above, early intervention is of fundamental importance.

As is well-known, mental health services within the NHS are impossibly stretched and despite the best efforts of dedicated staff it is impossible to cover everyone’s needs all of the time. The voluntary sector as well as helplines and organisations such as ‘Men’s Sheds’ and ‘Samaritans’ can be genuine lifesavers but they too are financially constrained. This then raises the perennial question of why mental health provision is still chronically underfunded. Whilst this piece is not meant to take a political angle, there does seem to be the possibility of a worrying parallel process in which those who feel that their life is not worth continuing with are served by a system in which the need for funding to help save lives has not been sufficiently valued. The triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day (2024-2026) is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” and the underlying aim is to ‘challenge myths and create supportive environments where people can speak openly and seek help’. Traditionally, suicide has felt like one of the last taboos, since it can be enveloped in shame, fear and misunderstanding. So, if adequate support environments are to be created, this requires sufficient funding for well-trained staff across the different sectors.

Having said all this, it is necessary to stress that there is still a variety of support available, although not all of it will be through the more formal NHS channels. The manager of a mental health day centre where I used to work in London, often used the phrase ‘therapy by stealth’ to describe how therapeutic conversations could arise in situations that were not obviously therapeutic (in this case it was an informal art group). The important thing, he felt, was to create a safe space for people to discuss difficult feelings without any pressure to do so and without any fear of being judged. As is stressed in the rationale for ‘World Suicide Prevention Day’ there is a need to ‘shift from silence and misunderstanding to openness, empathy and support’.

This is not an appropriate space to give specific advice about how to prevent suicide, but perhaps one thing that we can all do is to be interested in the subject, thus reducing the barriers around the open discussion of this most distressing of life events.

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My path into psychology wasn’t straightforward – it took hard work, a little bit of luck, and what feels like a twist of fate. Back in school, I was fairly average; I passed all my GCSEs but didn’t have a clear career path in mind. I decided to go to Gateshead College and study subjects I thought I’d enjoy, so I chose Sports Science (as I am a former British Champion in Tumbling Gymnastics), English Language and Politics (which turned out to be the subject I enjoyed the least!). Notably, at that point Psychology had never even crossed my mind as a career option. However, due to timetabling errors, on my first day I had to swap Sports Science for either Sociology or Psychology. I picked Psychology simply because it was the one I recognised more – and that small, last-minute decision ended up completely changing the trajectory of my life.

To my surprise, I fell in love with Psychology immediately. For the first time ever, I found something I not only enjoyed but also excelled at academically. That passion led me to study BSc (Hons) Clinical Psychology here at the University of Sunderland – with the initial intention of becoming a Clinical Psychologist. Throughout my degree, I developed a passion for research – the idea that as researchers we can directly support advances in the understanding of mental health, inform psychological practices and a range of services.

Towards the end of my first year, I knew I wanted to pursue a career as a researcher (eventually leading to a PhD), thus I set myself a mission: to find a niche area of research, something that would let me make a ‘real difference’. I’ve always been interested in ‘discrete disorders’ – lesser-known conditions that people struggle with daily, that receive little recognition and understanding from the wider population (e.g., sarcoidosis (one of the many conditions my dad suffers from)). That’s when I discovered Misophonia, often referred to as the “hatred of sounds” disorder (a reductionist definition my research aims to expand on). After reading a variety of individuals lived experiences with Misophonia on the subreddit r/misophonia. Reading these stories. it was truly heartbreaking to know that this was a phenomenon individuals experienced daily, had limited effective treatments for, and faced serious life consequences.

Through some delusional confidence (the process is a story for another time) I managed to get a remote research assistant position for the University of Iowa, with Dr Sukhbinder Kumar, a prominent researcher in Misophonia. This opportunity resulted in me publishing my first research paper towards the end of my undergraduate degree, allowing me to skip a Master’s degree and directly pursue a self-funded PhD at Newcastle University. Alongside my lecturing role, I am completing my PhD which examines the multi-sensory nature of misophonia using methods such as eye-tracking, drawing studies, and lived experience interviews. I have a variety of research interests I’d be happy to talk about with anyone if they ask :)

To me, what makes my journey meaningful is that I’ve come full circle – back to Sunderland, where my passion for Psychology truly began to be nourished and enriched by the lectures, seminars and workshops I got to take part in. I feel incredibly excited to be part of the team, supporting students’ passions and what they want to do with their experience here at Sunderland. I hope my story shows that sometimes the paths we plan are the ones that change our lives the most.

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