CASE STUDIES - Depression Awareness Week (21st to 26th April 2008)

Louise Fountain
Consultant clinical psychologist, Salisbury community forensic service

I have spent all my working life in psychology because I am fascinated by people and by understanding the reasons for their behaviour.

After completing a BSc in psychology, I began my career by working for two years as a mental health social work assistant. I then undertook clinical training, completing an MSc in clinical psychology. After that I moved through different psychology services around the country when I had to move for family reasons.

One of the great advantages about working as a psychologist in the NHS is that you can usually find job opportunities wherever you go, particularly if you are prepared to be flexible. Another is that you never stop learning and keeping up to date with advances in practice.

I now work as part of a team, including social workers and doctors, that offers assessment and therapy to people who have committed offences and who have psychological difficulties linked to their offending. I also work with people with difficulties such as acute depression, severe anxiety or personality disorders.

Over a series of sessions I aim to understand a person’s difficulties and then to find ways of overcoming the problems. I get great satisfaction when therapy 'works' and clients grasp ideas or ways of doing things that they find helpful.

The NHS makes it possible to continue my learning. I’m currently completing a doctorate in clinical psychology, researching how clinicians assess the risk of violence. I also enjoy teaching. I feel I have really understood something when I can pass what I have learned on to others.

Lisa-Jane Weston
Deputy Manager, Creative Therapy Team, Devon Partnerships NHS Trust

I’m the clinical lead drama therapist in profound learning disabilities, working with people who have mental health issues and / or profound learning difficulties. We offer all the arts therapies within the team and I make use of drama, music and art materials in my therapeutic sessions.

Originally I trained as an actor but, like most people in the acting profession, had to supplement my 'resting' periods by working. I realised after a while that I didn’t have the contacts or ruthlessness required, so thought I should take a degree while waiting for my big break. While I was doing my MA, I had to get as much practical experience working in youth centres and drama schemes as I could. You need both drama and clinical experience to do this job.

Morale is good where I work – we’re in a beautiful building, we have a lot of freedom and I love my job – I feel very lucky and privileged to do it. I think dramatherapists are well respected within the NHS.

I’m part of a wonderful team of arts therapists and we work together brilliantly. We are all very committed and the job can be emotionally hugely rewarding – as well as exhausting. I just love it. I think it’s a fantastic way to use a drama background – and would recommend it to anyone. To watch someone walk out of the door after a year or two, having made real progress, is truly worthwhile.