VAMHN'S ECR BURSARY WINNER Natalie Lowry DISCUSSES THEIR REGISTRATION WITH THE BPS health psychology course

Have a read below to see what our ECR bursary winner Natalie Lowry did with their award money. ​

The funding from the VAMHN has been greatly appreciated and vital in enhancing my career as a health psychologist. With the funding I have been able to register on the BPS health psychology course and pay for supervision fees with a chartered health psychologist. Having this qualification is fundamental in the progression of my research and ability to provide interventions in health psychology. Throughout my training I am also completing a PhD in addiction, which will be the setting the for intervention work I am carrying out as trainee.
​
Health psychology interventions marry the knowledge of the mind and body, rather than treating them in isolation. Through this training I have already been designing and preparing the implementation of a cognitive behavioural therapy menopause group, for women that access addiction services. This is especially important as the menopause is a time were women experience higher rates of depression, intimate partner violence and symptoms that are liken to alcohol and opioid withdrawals. All of which can affect the type of treatment received and the amount of support women need from services. Having a health psychologist embedded within an addiction service is important as other team member’s working capacity does not allow them to focus on health psychology, which makes this additional qualification a great resource for interdisciplinary team within addiction services.