Lois Parri

Last year, I completed a Masters in Clinical and Health Psychology at Bangor University. I am extremely grateful for the financial support I received from the James Pantyfedwen Foundation which enabled me to complete the course. 

The MSc taught me a great deal about Clinical Psychology: the operational components of conducting research, theories and history of therapies, and professional work skills. I completed a variety of modules which included research method skills, clinical theories, forensic psychology, teaching and rehabilitation. I excelled at the research aspects, and came to enjoy them more and more, and realized the value of research for the development of psychological support provision. 

It has been my goal to work in the mental health field since high school days. I have personal experiences of living with anxiety, and this is mainly what motivated me to help others and try to relieve suffering. During the Masters course, the experience of conducting a research project myself was a turning point in my career path. I looked in detail at the impact of digital therapy on the quality of the therapist-client relationship and developed an interest in the field of digital therapy. It has become a most relevant topic during the pandemic, and a field which needs further research, and I look forward to being able to contribute to these developments. 

I am very fortunate that I am now a Research Assistant at King's College London, working on a project developing remote therapy treatments. Without the support I received during the MSc, I would never be in this post today. Many thanks to the James Pantyfedwen Foundation.