Francesca began her journey in psychology, driven by a clear calling. "I was always interested in mental health, and really wanted to pursue a career in this area. I was particularly drawn to the clinical and therapeutic aspects of a psychological role, and in understanding and supporting people with mental health needs who may be suffering emotional distress."
After completing her psychology degree at another University, Francesca faced a crucial realization that would change her path. "After my degree, I realised I had a lot of the theoretical underpinnings but lacked a lot of practical applications that related to supporting those with mental health needs, and so my education felt 'incomplete'."
The discovery of Southampton's graduate-entry Mental Health Nursing course marked her threshold crossing. "When I found the Mental Health Nursing course at Southampton, this felt like the perfect fit to enable me to draw upon my psychology background but focusing on the clinical applications that I was interested in, all whilst providing me a firm career path and a core professional registration."
At Southampton, Francesca embraced challenging experiences that transformed her. "One month I would be co-facilitating an ADHD group for parents of children in a community CAMHS service overlooking the New Forest ponies, and the next I was leading a shift supporting women in crisis in a secure forensic hospital. The learning curve was really steep at times, but I was amazed to see all the ways in which mental health nurses support recovery and make a real difference to the most vulnerable people in society."
Her personal growth was profound. "Studying mental health nursing at Southampton really pushed me out of my comfort zone -- before I was quite unsure and not always confident in my abilities, but the excellent tutors and inspiring nurses on my clinical placements helped to guide me and encourage me to grow as a person."
Today, Francesca has found her ideal career path, combining her psychology background with clinical practice. "I've been really lucky to work in some amazing teams and services over the years, but have really loved combining my grounding as a mental health nurse with my passion for psychological therapies within the field of eating disorders." Her work has encompassed delivering, teaching and researching psychotherapies in eating disorders teams in the NHS - achieving the ideal combination of psychological work and hands on mental health care she originally sought.
She is currently working as a Senior Teaching Fellow on the pre-registration mental health nursing course, giving back to the place that trained her! "I love helping to inspire the next generation of mental health nurses."
Her ultimate wisdom reflects her transformed understanding. "Mental health nursing is such a rewarding profession and if you're passionate about understanding and helping people in their darkest hours with empathy and kindness, you will find your home in mental health nursing."
Her advice to those embarking on similar journeys: "Be open to all new experiences, and know that it's ok to feel anxious and unsure at times! This is really normal and can often help to guide us to seek out the very experiences that can really encourage us to grow."