Love Psychology

This week is psychology week in New Zealand. The theme is Love Psychology. There are so many reasons why I love psychology it was hard to narrow it down for a blog post.

So, I’ve used a mnemonic to focus on 10 reasons why I love psychology;

·        Potential: psychology taps into the human potential.  Psychology sessions can be an emotional, financial and time investment. But the life-long payoffs can include insights, understanding, empowerment, tools, growth and meaning.  That’s a pretty good potential return!

·        Science: Psychologists use evidence-based scientific information and interventions.  I love that my job involves understanding and keeping up with the science of psychology and then translating this into real life helpful strategies.

·        Yoga: Mindfulness. Relaxation. Being in Nature. Noticing. My role as a psychologist is often supporting people to tap into ways to care for their mind and body and reconnect with their breath – every time I teach this to someone it reminds me to do the same!

·        Celebrate: I love that I get to celebrate my clients’ successes with them. Most days I find there is something to celebrate.  

·        Health: As a health psychologist, I often work with people with health challenges or health worry. I love the lightbulb moments people have when they unpack the times their worry is helpful (if we didn’t have some worry we’d never go to the doctor or get things checked) and develop ways to manage times their worry is unhelpful.

·        Observe: Psychology involves pausing and observing. Noticing the good things that happen in a day is a superpower for changing our focus and improving mood.

·        Lifelong learning: Psychology is a career of lifelong learning, there are always new and interesting discoveries about human thoughts, beliefs and behaviours.

·        Old: When I first applied for a health psychology clinical programme I was 21… it was suggested that perhaps I’d benefit from a bit more ‘life experience’.  With a couple more decades now behind me, psychology is a career that definitely improves with age. There’s wisdom and knowledge with each greying hair!

·        Gratitude: I am grateful and privileged when people put their trust in me to support them, often during some of the hardest times in their lives.

·        Yarns: As a psychologist I hear lots of stories (or yarns). Often stories get layered with a theme like “I must be perfect”, “I can’t cope” or “I’m not good enough”. Noticing and helping people identify themes allows them to question and often re-write any unhelpful yarns. This is one of the most satisfying aspects of my work. 

Feel free to add to this list or contact me if you want to find out what psychology could do for you.

Extra points in you write in mnemonics (I don’t think I’ve ever written the word mnemonic before… who knew it started with an M?!)

Love, Psychology.