My PhD Research -
Re-visioning Anxiety
My PhD Research - Re-visioning Anxiety
My current research on the subject of anxiety involves developing a framework for understanding anxiety outside of the dominant biomedical constructs. Such theories focus on symptoms, perceiving them as evidence of ‘disorder’ which require medical and psychological interventions. This approach makes people feel as though they have something wrong with them.
This is not true.
My research uncovers the history of how anxiety came to favour an explanatory framework based on disordering the experience. I explore the impact that the psychiatrization of human emotions is having upon current day conceptions of mental health. I also explore the way that language influences how anxiety is conceptualised, and treated, by both professionals and those experiencing the anxious state.
I use a systems thinking approach in my research. Such an approach explores the interrelatedness of all aspects of a situation and tries to understand how experiences are being created. In depth knowledge of the functionality of a system makes it possible to find ways to work with the system to create better experiences.
I draw on an interdisciplinary background which includes counselling and psychotherapy, process designs, psychology, mindfulness, global mental health, systems thinking in health and society, authoethnography and a number of years running projects in not-for-profit organisations working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Recently I have been learning to combine systems and anthropological methodologies towards my research.
I am interested in participatory practice, which involves bringing lived experience in the production of knowledge. I’m also working with other academics across the UK to explore the possibility of developing participatory PhD’s, which will allow lived experience to be valued as it should be. Recognising that people bear witness to their own experience, which is more important than the theories of any ‘expert’.