Taking third place in our recent PhD Research Summary Competition was Maria Lourdes Casingcasing, whose summary delved into trauma-informed care in mental health services, focusing on lasting childhood trauma in adults. Using ethnographic methods to learn from a range of mental health professionals and their interactions with patients, Maria's research aims to highlight best practices and identify barriers, ultimately improving access to mental health services for vulnerable populations.
Click here to view Maria's lay summary of her research.
The Spark of Interest and Philosophical Foundations: Charting the path to a PhD
A combination of academic experiences and philosophical reflections ignited my interest in pursuing a PhD in Health Studies at the University of Nottingham. After completing my master's programme in psychology research methods at the University of Nottingham in 2020, I realised that I had always been drawn to this field due to my natural aptitude. My worldview, shaped by virtue ethics philosophy, led me to value the importance of intellectual and moral character in ethical decision-making in my research. My interest in Immanuel Kant's philosophy further enriched this perspective, emphasising adherence to moral rules and duties. I found myself deeply committed to rational patient care, feeling a strong duty to contribute meaningfully to my community. This commitment gave me a sense of purpose and drove me towards what I perceived as a life worth living.
My decision to pursue a PhD came after self-reflection and career reassessment. In 2022, I applied for a counselling doctorate programme but was unsuccessful in the interview. This setback made me realise my heart wasn't fully aligned with that path. At the time, I worked as a support worker in a children’s crisis team, which helped me recognise that my true interests lay more in research and clinical practice than counselling.
As I entered the workforce and academia, I faced the challenge of building a network of connections with clinicians and researchers in my field. This process was initially daunting and overwhelming, as I had no clear blueprint to follow. However, I gradually learnt the value of mentorship and support from researchers and clinicians. I'm grateful for the supervision I received from my supervisors, who provided invaluable guidance that helped shape my career potential.
During difficult moments, I often reflected on my initial motivation: the desire to help those who are helpless. This reflection reinforced my commitment to creating a PhD project that could serve as a foundation for understanding the gaps in our knowledge about psychological trauma, its outcome measures, and its overlaps with psychosis. By identifying and addressing these gaps, it can:
Contribute to the cumulative nature of scientific knowledge
Potentially uncover areas where current paradigms may be insufficient
Lay the groundwork for future paradigm shifts
Current PhD Experience
The most exciting aspect of my PhD experience has been the opportunity to contribute to understanding psychological trauma within a clinical context through various dissemination activities. My typical day begins with reviewing the plan I made the previous evening. I prioritise tackling the most challenging tasks or subjects first, then move on to more manageable tasks that require less focused attention. Much of my day is spent expanding my knowledge through reading empirical papers, conducting analyses, and critically reviewing my work. Time management has been my greatest challenge. I've learnt the importance of being organised and disciplined, carefully prioritising tasks and estimating the required time. Adapting to changes in supervision has also been challenging, but it has helped me develop greater self-reliance.
At my affiliated NHS Trust, I'm involved with Patient and Public Involvement initiatives for adults and young people. This engagement has helped shape my research, particularly in developing my ethics applications for the Health Research Authority and Research Ethics Committee review. Incorporating these diverse voices has given me a more grounded understanding of patients who will benefit from my research and how to make it more relevant and impactful in the community.
My journey to and through my PhD has been a process of continuous learning, adaptation, and personal growth. I've found great inspiration in meeting researchers in my field, which has motivated me to continually improve my research skills. For future work, I aim to develop an innovative, creative toolkit that enhances both researchers' and practitioners' understanding of trauma-informed care while challenging traditional clinical models of psychosis from a new perspective.
Advice for Prospective PhD Students
Based on my experience, my primary advice to those considering or starting a PhD is to begin as early as possible. Starting early allows you to learn from mistakes and improve over time. I've found that while the initial stages of research work can be daunting, with practice, determination, and inner drive, you gradually improve in areas such as writing empirical papers, applying for funding grants, and disseminating research.
Maria is a PhD candidate at the School of Health and Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham, and full-time STR support worker at an early intervention in psychosis team in CAMEO at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Foundation NHS Trust.
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