Alumni profile - Ayeesha Miah

6 January 2023

Why did you choose to study BSc Psychology at Queen Mary? What was it about this particular field that interested you?

I love how diverse the topic of psychology is, from learning about child development to the evolution of our ancestors to the way the mind works. Every lecture was fascinating and there was always an abundance of knowledge to learn. I loved Queen Mary too, it was such a friendly and familiar environment and that’s what you need from a university. I miss it there.

Which modules did you most enjoy and did any academics have a strong influence on shaping your time and studies at Queen Mary?

I liked the counseling module, I think because I had an interest in therapy and helping others, and Dr Sevasti Foka convinced me with her lectures! I also want to add that Rob Keers hugely supported me during my third year of university. My dissertation was very much influenced by his research and his knowledge. Finding out that he had passed away was heart breaking, he really was an amazing person, and I’ll never forget the support he gave me in my final and most stressful year. He made me feel so capable every time I doubted myself.

Do you have any special or stand out moments from your time at Queen Mary?

Probably getting a first in my first ever assignment, I was absolutely chuffed. 

Can you describe your journey since you graduated from Queen Mary and what you are doing now?

The journey after graduation is a rollercoaster for everybody, and it was a crazy rollercoaster ride for me too, so many ups and downs, for example, rejections from jobs and then the fun of being employed and officially being an “adult”. At one point I decided I missed studying and applied for a masters, which was insanely intense. Then covid hit and life felt stagnant. Slowly I started applying for more and more jobs. It really was trial and error. In the end, I got a role I had never thought I would get, as a Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) and after this training I’m hoping to continue to progress as a qualified PWP!

What does your role as Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner involve and how does your job allow you to explore your passions?

In my current role I provide low intensity interventions to individuals struggling with mild to moderate symptoms of low mood or anxiety. The intervention is based on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy. Essentially, we teach clients skills and techniques to help them better manage their mental health difficulties so that they can become their own therapist. I love helping and listening to people. I feel like in this role I can really work with the client to help them improve themselves, because really, we all have it within us to better ourselves, we just need someone to show us how to do that.

Through your role you can actively make a difference in people’s lives, which must be immensely rewarding. Why would you encourage other psychology graduates to follow in your footsteps and pursue a similar career path? 

I feel like after getting a degree in psychology a lot of people worry that it will be too difficult to find a role in the field due to the fact that a lot of jobs require you to have a crazy amount of experience which can be extremely hard to find. My advice would be to not stop trying. Try lots of different things, try volunteering with a crisis hotline, or working as a SEN teaching assistant for a while, try finding an honorary post online, or applying for a masters to increase your knowledge. Being in a position where you are helping others or increasing your knowledge in the field will be highly valued by any employer. Doing something voluntary isn’t a waste of time, enjoy yourself, try new things, you might end up liking one of these experiences so much and then deciding to pursue the role more. It’s an exciting journey, but don’t get me wrong it can get intense and devastating at times too, but don’t give up, there’s a role out there waiting for you.

There is still a lot of stigma and shame associated with mental health. Based on your experience in your role, what are some of the biggest misconceptions? 

What I see a lot is that in some cultures or amongst certain ethnicities (specifically individuals who identify as BAME) it is hard to speak about mental health, due to the fact that it is believed to be “wrong” to struggle with such difficulties. It’s sad to hear that mental health isn’t “accepted” by some cultures, because it does exist and people who struggle do deserve all the support they can get.

And why would you encourage anyone reading this to ask for help if they are suffering from poor mental health? 

It’s okay to reach out. If you’re studying psychology, you’re probably a very caring person who likes helping others. So, if you are someone who wants to help others, then you deserve to be supported too. 

How diverse is the industry that you work in and what do you think needs to be done to make the industry more accessible?

The industry I work in is very diverse, and I believe it would be amazing for it to continue to be that way. Being Muslim myself means that someone else who also identifies as Muslim will feel empowered and comfortable to speak to me, because it may help them believe that it is okay to struggle with mental health difficulties as a Muslim. So, continuing to recruit a diverse workforce within a diverse community is so important.

Finally, outside of work, what do you do in your spare time? Is there anything people find surprising or admiring about you?

I have my very own small business! I paint custom orders on canvases. I paint people, pets, flowers, anime, pretty much anything! It first started as a hobby in lockdown and then slowly people started ordering canvases and I had so much fun that I still have my page open on instagram and I am still taking orders! I definitely don’t take as many orders as I used to due to my full time job, but I love having it there on the side (@ayshcreates on instagram if you need to give anyone a gift anytime soon!).