This was the first time I got to engage with Clinical Psychology practically. A lot of my studies (as a Law student) focus on the theory of rehabilitation, but I got to actually sit in rehab clinics and engage with the clients, which really helped put my studies into practice. As someone who wants to go into Clinical-Forensic Psychology, but is currently studying Law, this Psychology work experience will definitely benefit me when I do my Master’s.

When I was in the Psychology Department I got to learn and contribute to some of the case studies that were being taught to the Psychiatric Nurse students. The rehabilitation clinic had a visiting group of Americans who made us all have counselling sessions, along with the clients. Hearing everyone’s own stories as well as giving my own contributions really helped me understand myself more.

This was probably one of the most amazing but also the hardest and most intense experiences of my life to date. I was involved in some major breakthroughs with some of the rehab, bipolar & anger management patients. I also helped do a lot of psychoeducation on diagnosis and the brain, in both the male ward and rehab clinic and the counsellors let me write up the reports. This was all such an incredible experience and has really helped my professional and career development.

My time at the Psychiatric Hospital was phenomenal. It really was a life-changing, eye-opening, heart-wrenching, and incredibly rewarding experience. Tony, the coordinator there, was so inspiring, and the level of organization and care at the facility was truly impressive.

I loved meeting the children and this was defo one of the highlights for me as someone who has studied child psychology! The ways of living in both the community and orphanage is something that will stay with me.

I feel this experience has enabled me to develop my interpersonal skills with people with different cultural backgrounds, furthermore, it has given me a wider perspective of the challenges faced with mental health care in other countries. I feel I have also been able to separate my emotions from professional environments.

I loved Ghana so much. We were all welcomed massively and everyone was so kind and loving when we arrived. We all got along with the children almost straight away.

Working at the psychiatric hospital in Ghana I did counselling with patients from the male and female wards, we worked as a group, with a counsellor, or independently. It was amazing and such a good experience for my university degree. I got to experience counselling for the first time as well as working at a hospital, supporting children, and helping at a local school. This placement has helped me so much with my future career.

The local clinics were also a really interesting experience because Alex the head of the mental health unit talked us through his job and we discussed psychology and mental health issues with him. We got to meet patients and understand some of the challenges with mental health care at a local level. We also did a presentation to a school on mental health, it was terrifying but so rewarding. I feel like I made an impact on the projects.

In my time in Ghana, I did a lot of clinic work, mural painting, and art therapy with the children in the community, and I had the opportunity to lead a therapy session at the psychiatric hospital. I loved working with the children and bonding with the amazing teams at the home and hospitals.

This experience helped me get my art therapy registration! I would definitely recommend it; this was a life-changing experience. It was absolutely amazing, thank you!