Doctorate in Forensic Psychology Practice - Kathryn's Story

Please tell us about your current role and employer

I’m a Highly Specialised Forensic Psychologist and I work in a male medium secure forensic unit, working with men who are too unwell to be in prison due to complex mental health needs.

What was the journey to getting a job after graduation?

I completed two placements in the same Trust whilst studying at Birmingham, so I’ve been familiar with the work and the staff members here for a long time. Once I came to the end of my third year a job became available and various people within the psychology department contacted me suggesting that I apply for the role.

What does a typical day in your current role look like?

I have a caseload of patients and work with between twelve and fifteen patients at any one time. My primary focus is assessing their needs and creating a specific psychological formulation. We offer a variety of therapies and psychological interventions which include DBT, psychoeducation and Schema therapy in both one to one and group contexts.

I work in a multi-disciplinary team alongside medics, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, art therapists, music therapists, dietitians and more. It’s quite a complex service but I enjoy learning from, and working alongside, colleagues from different disciplines.

Some of my responsibilities include supporting the staff, holding case discussions and helping the team to understand the specific dynamics of the ward.

I am also responsible for teaching and imparting psychological knowledge. I do this formally via structured training programmes as well as informally by answering any questions presented by the team.

Psychologists in my service also complete research projects and service evaluation. Currently I’m leading two projects – one about nature-based approaches for wellbeing and another project introducing restorative practices to the wards. I lead on these projects and have been working alongside my colleagues to evaluate the outcomes.

Why did you choose to study at the University of Birmingham?

I decided to return to university because I wanted to progress in my career. I completed my undergraduate degree and graduated from my first master’s degree in 2004 and then spent fifteen years in the youth justice service, working with young people both at risk of offending and those affected by offending behaviours.

The first stage of becoming a Forensic Psychologist is to complete your master’s degree (stage one). I completed my second master’s degree with Coventry University in Forensic Psychology to achieve this. I studied part-time via distance learning, as it suited my working schedule.

There are several ways you can complete the second stage of becoming a Forensic Psychologist. You can follow the BPS route which is like an apprenticeship. You’re working under supervision, completing a portfolio of your work. Another option is completing a postgraduate diploma which is connected to a university.

I chose to study for a doctorate. The pathway you take is down to the individual and their needs. I wanted to get my HCPC registration (you cannot practice as a psychologist in the UK without this), get my chartered membership to the BPS and supervise other trainees and I knew the doctorate would allow me to do this. There were only two courses available at the time, but I knew felt Birmingham was the right option for me as it suited my needs and looked like a very interesting course.

I now hold a research fellowship with the University of Birmingham. I hadn’t anticipated how much I would enjoy the research component of the degree – completing the doctorate opened a new avenue for me in this respect.

How do you feel the learning experience on your course helped to prepare you for your career?

I built my knowledge about psychology as a discipline. I learnt specifically about risk – what it is, how to deal with it, and risk assessment skills.

I also developed research skills. My previous job didn’t require me to undertake a lot of research, and I initially thought it would be quite quantitative and statistics heavy. I was pleasantly surprised to find out I could complete my thesis using qualitative methods. I enjoyed the research much more than I anticipated.

It was a real privilege to return to education. I’m an advocate of lifelong learning and really enjoyed being a student again!

What are your top tips for student graduating today?

My best bit of advice is to enjoy the journey and don’t be too keen to rush to the end! For those returning to higher education, it’s a privilege to study again so do make the most of it.

I’d also emphasise the importance of networking. It can feel difficult and sometimes you feel like you’re approaching quite senior people who are very busy. However, I found that most people were more than happy to help and offer advice. As a qualified psychologist, I welcome people contacting me to ask for career advice as I value the time I was given when I was thinking about retraining as a psychologist. Networking was crucial for me in terms of career building.

I like to think my story is a testament to the fact that you don’t need to head straight into an assistant psychologist post after graduating. Working for fifteen years in an aligned field really helped my development as a forensic psychologist – the life experience was invaluable.