Information that challenges our own views can make us uncomfortable. As a result, consciously or otherwise, we often go to great lengths to avoid exposure to such information. But maybe being driven to re-examine the evidence behind our beliefs and practices is a good thing – and something we need to…
Becoming a parent seems to render you fair game for parenting advice, regardless of whether it is based on evidence, opinion or delusion. Family, friends, and even helpful strangers in the street are likely to advise you on … well, everything. In an ideal world, your partner might be expected…
The 10th of October 2016 was World Mental Health Day. It was an amazing effort by everyone involved, and as I scrolled through post after post on my newsfeed, it made me so happy to see how open everyone was about mental health and how willing they all were to…
In my last post, I highlighted a particularly glamorised portrayal of mental illness – that of the depression suffered by the Lisbon sisters in the film ‘The Virgin Suicides’ – and the potential consequences of this kind of portrayal. The film’s director and producer might argue that theirs was an artistic,…
One of the things most academics get little if any training on is how to build a well-functioning team. Yet this is also without doubt one of the most important aspects of a career in academia. Here I share some ideas on what I have found works for me over…
The availability of cosmetic procedures to enhance our appearance seems to be ever-increasing. I was surprised to discover recently that even my local gym will offer Botox, a chemical peel or lip fillers if you are in the market for more than just a workout. Similarly, when I was looking…
I have always been in admiration of cinema, believing it can be a powerful tool to convey a message to an audience who would otherwise have not been listening. For example, with films such as Erol Morris’ The Thin Blue Line, a criticism on the validity of eyewitness testimonies in court cases, I found…
Completing a PhD can often seem like a Sisyphean (or perhaps Bush-ian?) task. Of course, there are times when it doesn’t feel that way (ah, March 26th, what a day that was actually…). In general though, we expect stress – and we get it. But surely there’s a better way?
London’s Royal Academy of Arts is currently showcasing some of the greatest work from the Abstract Expressionism movement. These works are fuelled by a desire to depict the human mind and experience – leading me to consider whether artistic expressions of powerful emotions could be used as a tool for…
Every year millions of children are faced with the severe consequences associated with war and displacement. The traumatising effects of witnessing scenes of graphic violence as a young child are difficult to overestimate and even harder to reverse. In the face of such extreme adversity, it is important to understand…
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