Janine Soffe- Caswell
Clinical Psychologist
71 Salop Road (entrance off Park Street),
Oswestry,
SY11 2NQ.
01691 679500I was born and brought up in Liverpool. Over time I have also lived and worked in other parts of the UK and abroad (Lancashire, Staffordshire, South Wales, Australia). I qualified as a clinical psychologist whilst living and training in Cardiff.
As well as being a member of the N. West Shropshire Community Mental Health Team I am also a member of the Department of Psychological Therapies based in Shrewsbury.
During the years I have been working and learning in psychology, I have come to take an increasingly considered view of what psychologists, including myself, are able to offer that can be helpful for other people. This can be a difficult stance to hold onto in what can sometimes seem like an exclusive focus in our society (and many others) on immediately ‘fixing’ or ‘curing’ human distress. I would like to believe that I am more aware of the difficult histories and environments that some people have experienced. The expectations of ourselves and from others to live with these experiences can lead to expressions of anxiety and distress. These expressions of upset can then be more or less helpfully responded to by those around us.
The areas of systems and power are of ongoing interest to me in thinking about how I work with people. One example of this focus is my interest in how people who use mental health services are supported to become involved in how mental health services are organised. I have completed research on this topic (in particular what clinical psychologists were saying about it) and I am currently doing more research in this area.
When not working, I enjoy football thanks to my Liverpool roots and more recently rugby having lived in Wales. I thoroughly enjoy music (especially Paul Weller); reading; walking and am trying to develop an interest in gardening.
Publications:
Soffe, J. (2004) Clinical Psychology and service user involvement: our business? Clinical Psychology, 37, 15-18Recommended websites:
Rights of Women