A qualitative evaluation of reflective practice groups on acute adult mental health inpatient units

Working on inpatient psychiatric wards requires the ability to maintain a calm and compassionate demeanour in the face of patient distress. This article considers the role of flexible Reflective Practice Groups (RPGs) as a means of supporting staff to manage the impact of this distress on their own wellbeing, whilst maintaining an ethically sound practice.Peer reviewe

#LikeAGirl: Realizing the Communicative Potential of Fourth Wave Feminism

Although the notion of feminism has existed among humanity for centuries, it continues to remain one of the most ambiguous and controversial terms in today\u27s society. Throughout history, there have been numerous efforts enacted among humanity aimed at honing women\u27s rights, typically falling under the categories of first, second, and third wave feminism. Recent discussion has taken place regarding the emergence of a new wave of feminism existing today, known as fourth wave feminism. Fourth wave feminism is a movement characterized by the utilization of technology to enhance feminist ideals. Many companies have developed an association with the feminist movement in order to both enhance the public image of their products, as well as propagate pro-feminist ideologies. Always Feminine Products is an example of a company that successfully demonstrated the potential technology has to disseminate feminist messages in today\u27s fourth wave through the production of their #LikeAGirl commercial, which challenged the negative connotations associated with the term girl . While each wave in the past utilized different tools and rhetorical strategies to enhance activism for the feminist movement, I argue that given the context of our primarily media-based society, the production and success of the Always commercial exemplifies how this new wave of feminism is the most beneficial way to spread and accentuate the need for gender equality in the present day

Impacts of mountain pine beetle outbreak on biogeochemical cycling in a high elevation whitebark pine ecosystem

Ecological disturbances can significantly impact biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems, but the effects of the current widespread mountain pine beetle outbreak on ecosystem processes like carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling are poorly understood. This is especially true in high elevation whitebark pine (WbP) (Pinus albicaulis) ecosystems of western North America. WbP has been described as a keystone species, providing a critical food source and regulating hydrologic regimes. However, widespread WbP mortality caused by the mountain pine beetle drives structural and physiological changes in WbP forests, which could result in shifts in pools and fluxes of C and N within these ecosystems. To assess the biogeochemical consequences of the mountain pine beetle outbreak on whitebark pine ecosystems, I measured above and belowground nitrogen and carbon pools and fluxes around trees at three different times since beetle attack, including unattacked trees. Litterfall inputs under beetle-attacked WbP trees were more than ten times higher than those under unattacked trees. In response, soil NH4+ concentrations in the organic horizons increased from 15 µg N/g soil under unattacked trees to 33 µg N/g soil under attacked trees. However, there were not significant differences in ammonium (NH4+) concentrations in the mineral soil horizons. Overall, soil nitrate (NO3-) concentrations were low and highly variable, but generally increased following beetle attack. Additionally, there was no change in microbial biomass N in the soil between attacked and unattacked trees, implying that changes in N cycling in response to the initial stages of WbP attack were subtle. Soil CO2 efflux rates were generally higher under unattacked trees, but overall, the similarities were more apparent than the differences. My results indicate that while beetle attack drives a large pulse of C and N canopy to the forest floor after beetle attack, changes in litterfall quality and quantity do not have immediate and profound effects on soil biogeochemical cycling. However, continuous observation of these important ecosystems will be crucial to determining the long-term biogeochemical effects of the mountain pine beetle outbreak

Across the Great Divide: reflecting on dual positions in Clinical Psychology to enhance equality and inclusion between those working in and those referred to services

In the United Kingdom there are guidelines and policies to facilitate boundaries within professional interactions which recognise power differences between those employed in services and those referred to them. However, perhaps we must acknowledge that these boundaries may have indirectly resulted in an unbridgeable division between professionals and those that use services in current professional policies. This paper considers what it means to be a Clinical Psychologist and user of services or carer with the complexity that surrounds this dual position. Through incorporating personal reflections, it seeks to highlight how hard it can be to break down ‘them and us’ barriers despite the best intentions of the profession and policy makers. The suggestion is that to be truly equal and inclusive we must shift from relating differently to service users, professionals and professionals who may use services by acknowledging our personal positions; otherwise breaking down barriers will remain an ideal rather than a reality. When it comes to our overall well-being breaking down these barriers could shift us from direct or oblique misunderstandings, judgements and stigma towards understanding, tolerance and acceptance within and between all of us.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Testing the combined Bitterlich - Rangefinder method in the New Hampshire white pine type

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

The hardest part is knowing I will survive: The use of music and creative mediums to enhance empathy and facilitate life-long distance learning in professionally qualified clinicians

© Redfame Publishing Inc.Music is an experience that can cross personal and professional domains alongside cultural, gender, age and generational boundaries; it can also enhance the learning process through emotional processing and connection. This paper focuses on the learning experience of qualified clinical psychologists (CPs) working in the United Kingdom. This group of CPs had experience of undertaking experiential learning and reflective writing during their professional training. It considers the potential to continue a learning process, 3 years post qualification, through long distance methods using vignette-based material. Empathising with, and understanding, the position of others from differing backgrounds is an important competency within the therapeutic work of CPs and this comes alongside acknowledging and understanding ones‟ own experiences, both past and present. CPs work with difficult life experiences and complex issues; connecting constantly can be exhausting and, perhaps, unrealistic. Yet, to truly empathise one must connect with, and understand, the lived experiences of others. We will consider what helps and hinders this process, and how music and other creative mediums can be effectively used in learning even via long distance methods. We will further consider how CPs may be well placed to enhance the learning about, and processing of, difficult emotional experiences for themselves, other clinicians and the people they might work with.Peer reviewe

The psychological impact of the secondary school transition on families of autistic children

© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/The transition from primary to secondary school is a stressful period for autistic individuals. However, less isknown about parental experiences of the school transition, and its impact on the family. This study exploredmothers’perspectives on the psychological impact of the transition to secondary school for their autistic chil-dren and their families. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, semi-structured interviews were ana-lysed to explore the experiences of eight mothers of autistic children at the end of their child’s first year insecondary school. The analysis revealed two superordinate themes: lack of available support and detrimentalpsychological impact on the family. Mothers reported the negative impact the transition had on themselves,their child, and the wider family. The importance of pre- and ongoing transition support was highlighted toreduce the concerns of children and their parents throughout the transition process. The findings highlightedthe need for autism-specific individualized guidance, as well as considering the potential for transition issuesto impact on siblings.Peer reviewe