Psychology, Actually

What if one of the most powerful tools for girls’ confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing was already on the school timetable?
In this episode of Psychology, Actually, we explore why girls in sport is about so much more than physical fitness.
Joined by educational psychologist Dr Mel Morrison (The Sporty Ed Psych), we discuss how sport supports emotional regulation, identity development, belonging, and confidence in girls and young women.We also unpack the barriers that still exist – including gender stereotypes, access, cost, and school culture – and how we can create more inclusive opportunities so all girls can thrive, both in education and beyond.
If you’re a parent, educator, or aspiring psychologist, this episode offers a powerful, systemic perspective on how sport can transform not just physical health, but psychological wellbeing and engagement in learning.
Highlights
00:00 Why girls’ confidence might be hiding in sport
01:13 Emotional regulation through sport
02:21 Belonging, connection and social development
03:25 Identity, body image and confidence in adolescence
04:39 Resilience, discomfort and mental strength
05:01 Missed opportunities and changing narratives
06:29 Why sport isn’t just for the “naturally sporty”
07:24 Adult rediscovery of sport and identity
08:43 From punishment to joy – changing your relationship with movement
10:30 Sport as emotional regulation for psychologists
11:34 Strength training, femininity and breaking stereotypes
12:57 “Sporty Spice was right” – cultural shifts in women’s sport
13:38 Strong is sexy – reframing strength and identity
14:15 Denise Lewis and the power of role models
15:20 Barriers for girls – body image, visibility and fear
16:33 Using sport to support education and engagement
18:01 Sport as intervention for disengaged pupils
19:02 Motivation, behaviour and classroom impact
20:14 Making PE inclusive and meaningful
21:31 Supporting neurodiverse young people through sport
22:53 Sensory needs, structure and safe environments
24:37 Cost, access and inequality in sport
26:10 Dr Mel Morrison’s work and The Sporty Ed Psych
28:59 Applying sports psychology to education

Links:
📲 Connect with Dr Mel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-mel-morrison-6a330691/
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0
📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97
💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/membership
🖥️ Check out my short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/online-courses
Ask Marianne your most pressing psychology career question and she will send you a FREE bespoke reply! Grab your free psychology success guide here and fill in the most pressing concern box: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk (scroll to the bottom of the page)
✍️ Get your FREE Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/free-resources
📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity
Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:
If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes.
Hashtags:
#aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing

We train psychologists to think brilliantly… but no one really teaches us how to feel. In this episode we explore embodied practice in psychology, including how to manage stress, anger, burnout, trauma, and emotional overwhelm through the body rather than just the mind.I’m joined again by Dr Sunil Lad, Consultant Counselling Psychologist and NHS Clinical Director, and we discuss why many clinicians feel disconnected from their bodies and what changes when we begin to work bottom-up instead of top-down.This episode is essential for psychologists, therapists, and anyone who feels stuck in their head, overwhelmed, or unable to switch off.
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Why psychologists aren’t taught to feel
01:12 What is embodied practice in psychology?
02:18 Thinking vs feeling – getting out of your head
02:43 Transference, countertransference and body awareness
03:33 Anger, expression and safe emotional release
04:35 Anger vs violence – why they’re not the same
05:46 Compassion-focused therapy and emotional triggers
06:35 Checking in with your body in daily life
07:40 Social media, stress and nervous system activation
09:30 Building body awareness through movement and curiosity
11:54 Discomfort vs pain – learning your body’s signals
13:25 Why growth takes time (no quick fixes)
14:45 Embodiment as stress buffering for psychologists
15:45 Coping vs nourishing – how we regulate after hard days
17:11 “The body keeps the score” in clinical work
19:30 Bringing embodiment into supervision
21:00 Starting small – where to begin with embodied practice
22:58 Playfulness, movement and reconnecting with the body
24:04 Slowing down in a fast-paced world
25:13 Trying new experiences and building neural pathways
26:10 Where to find Dr Sunil Lad + his work
26:50 Final reflections – what stayed with me

Links:
📲 Connect with Dr Sunil Lad here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sunil-lad-89597446/
📚 Iconic Book: The Body Keeps the Score Book: https://amzn.to/3NJoY8F
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0
📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97
💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/membership
🖥️ Check out my short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/online-courses
Ask Marianne your most pressing psychology career question and she will send you a FREE bespoke reply! Grab your free psychology success guide here and fill in the most pressing concern box: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk (scroll to the bottom of the page)
✍️ Get your FREE Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/free-resources
📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity
Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:
If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes.
Hashtags:
#aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing

Disability, Identity & Leadership in Psychology - Turning Difference into Strength! What if the thing that makes you feel different is actually the thing that makes you a better psychologist?In this episode we explore disability, identity, lived experience, and leadership in psychology, and how difference can shape powerful, compassionate clinical practice. I’m joined by Dr Sunil Lad, Consultant Counselling Psychologist and National NHS Clinical Director, who shares his experience of growing up in a body the world wasn’t built for and how that shaped his journey into psychology, leadership, and compassion-focused work.This episode is essential for aspiring psychologists, clinicians, and anyone who has ever felt “different” or questioned whether they belong in psychology.
Timestamps:
00:00 What if difference is your strength?
01:07 Introduction to Dr Sunil Lad
01:49 Growing up in a different body
03:07 Labels, identity, and what feels “freeing”
04:37 Family, comparison, and coping strategies
06:12 Feeling “different” and compensating through achievement
06:45 Being infantilised and navigating assumptions
07:48 Shame, asking for help, and self-compassion
09:30 Online trolling and the darker side of humanity
14:20 Working in prisons and breaking assumptions
17:11 Lived experience as clinical strength
20:43 Supporting families raising children who are “different”
23:39 The drama triangle explained
25:25 Advice for aspiring psychologists who feel different
26:46 Leadership in NHS psychology

Links:
📲 Connect with Dr Sunil Lad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sunil-lad-89597446/
📚 Check out Sinead Burke's Book Break The Mould: https://amzn.to/4siqo9t
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0
📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97
💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/membership
🖥️ Check out my short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/online-courses
Ask Marianne your most pressing psychology career question and she will send you a FREE bespoke reply! Grab your free psychology success guide here and fill in the most pressing concern box: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk (scroll to the bottom of the page)
✍️ Get your FREE Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/free-resources
📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity
Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:
If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes.
Hashtags:
#aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing

How do international students actually become clinical psychologists in the UK? In this episode I speak with Dr Samuel Chu, originally from Hong Kong, who moved to London as an international student and is now a qualified NHS clinical psychologist.
We unpack the real pathway into UK clinical psychology training, including Tier 4 student visas, international student fees, assistant psychologist roles, NHS access, and the Clearing House application process.Samuel shares his journey of leaving Hong Kong at 18, adapting to British culture, gaining clinical experience in the NHS, and eventually qualifying as a psychologist in the UK.
If you’re an international student considering studying psychology in the UK, or an aspiring psychologist wondering how overseas applicants navigate the system, this episode offers an honest roadmap.
In this episode we discuss:
• studying psychology in the UK as an international student
• Tier 4 student visas and graduate visas
• international university fees and funding challenges
• gaining assistant psychologist experience
• applying to the DClinPsy through Clearing House• working in the NHS as an international trainee
• adapting to British culture and professional life
Whether you're already studying psychology abroad or exploring the idea of training in the UK, this conversation will help you understand what the journey really looks like.DClinPsy International
Timestamps
00:00 The reality of becoming a psychologist in the UK as an international student
01:25 Why Samuel moved from Hong Kong to study psychology in London
03:27 Cultural differences and adapting to life in the UK
06:02 Tier 4 visas and how international students study in the UK
07:31 International student fees and funding challenges
08:32 NHS access and healthcare for international students
09:59 Loneliness and mental health when studying abroad
12:06 Finding community and support through university societies
16:01 Choosing a master's after undergraduate psychology
19:15 Early forensic psychology experience and clinical placements
23:54 Applying for the DClinPsy through Clearing House
26:32 Clinical experience requirements for psychology training
28:53 DBS checks and working with vulnerable populations
31:59 Life after qualifying as a clinical psychologist
33:13 Surprises about British culture and humour
35:34 Samuel’s YouTube channel and supporting international applicants

Links:
📲 Web Page discussed in the episode: https://www.dclinpsy-international.co.uk
Dr Samuel Chu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelchupsych/
https://www.youtube.com/@samuelchupsychology

🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0
📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97
💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/membership
🖥️ Check out my short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/online-courses
Ask Marianne your most pressing psychology career question and she will send you a FREE bespoke reply! Grab your free psychology success guide here and fill in the most pressing concern box: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk (scroll to the bottom of the page)
✍️ Get your FREE Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/free-resources
📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity
Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:
If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes.
Hashtags:
#aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing

Teachers are burning out. Classrooms are becoming harder to manage. And children are struggling to regulate their emotions in school. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr Marianne Trent speaks with educational psychologist Dr Adam McCartney about what educational psychologists actually do in schools - and how psychological thinking can help transform behaviour, emotional regulation and staff wellbeing across entire school systems. Using real case studies from UK schools, we explore classroom behaviour challenges, teacher burnout, SEND pressures and practical emotional regulation strategies that help children and teachers thrive. Whether you're an aspiring psychologist, teacher, SEN professional, or simply curious about how schools support children's emotional wellbeing, this episode provides a powerful look at psychology in action.
Useful Book Mentioned in the Podcast: Gabor Mate, Hold on to your kids: https://amzn.to/4uhX30i
Highlights
00:00 Why teacher burnout and behaviour challenges are rising in schools
01:21 What educational psychologists actually do in schools
04:27 Case study: a school system in crisis and how psychology helped stabilise it
06:08 Why role confusion in school staff fuels burnout and conflict
09:59 Supporting distressed pupils while stabilising the wider school system
13:04 The power of systemic thinking in educational psychology
14:38 Why reflective practice is essential for teachers and school leaders
17:30 Case study: a “difficult” Year 4 class and emotional regulation
19:11 Observing classrooms and understanding teacher dynamics
22:14 Teaching emotional literacy through the classroom “corners” strategy
25:23 Why teacher relationships regulate children’s nervous systems
29:04 Why children sometimes seek attention from teachers
31:59 Doing better when we know better in education
32:03 What education might look like in the age of AI
33:32 Why creativity, connection and collaboration will remain essential skills

Links:
Listen to Adam's Podcast, Between Two Psychs: https://www.dradammccartney.com/betweentwopsychs
📲 Connect with Dr Adam McCartney here:
https://www.dradammccartney.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-adam-mccartney-afbpss-647ab1221/
https://www.instagram.com/dradammcartney/
🫶 To join my podcast membership to get early access to episodes and / or exclusive weekly content head to: https://the-aspiring-psychologist.captivate.fm/support or to the Apple Podcasts App: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-aspiring-psychologist-podcast/id1605628278 or to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOwjrIP_jatiqlAivJE2mgQ/join
📚 To check out The Clinical Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3jOplx0
📖 To check out The Aspiring Psychologist Collective Book: https://amzn.to/3CP2N97
💡 To check out or join the aspiring psychologist membership for just £30 per month head to: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/membership
🖥️ Check out my short courses for aspiring psychologists and mental health professionals here: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/online-courses
Ask Marianne your most pressing psychology career question and she will send you a FREE bespoke reply! Grab your free psychology success guide here and fill in the most pressing concern box: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk (scroll to the bottom of the page)
✍️ Get your FREE Supervision Shaping Tool now: https://www.aspiring-psychologist.co.uk/free-resources
📱Connect socially with Marianne and check out ways to work with her, including the Aspiring Psychologist Book, Clinical Psychologist book and The Aspiring Psychologist Membership on her Link tree: https://linktr.ee/drmariannetrent
💬 To join my free Facebook group and discuss your thoughts on this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aspiringpsychologistcommunity
Like, Comment, Subscribe & get involved:
If you enjoy the podcast, please do subscribe and rate and review episodes.
Hashtags:
#aspiringpsychologist #dclinpsy #psychology #assistantpsychologist #psychologycareers #podcast #psychologypodcast #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealth #traineeclinicalpsychologist #clinicalpsychology #drmariannetrent #mentalhealthprofessional #gettingqualified #mentalhealthprofessionals #traineepwp #mdt #qualifiedpsychologist #traineepsychologist #aspiringpsychologists #wellbeing