title: Professional Doctorate Portfolio Submission
Creators: name: Kujacz, J
Publisher: name: Liverpool John Moores University
Year: 2025

description: The competences required for the Doctorate in Health Psychology were completed through my workplace; a NHS Trust, and at external organisations. The following sections briefly introduce each competence completed as part of my journey to becoming a Health Psychologist. Consultancy: The consultancy client was a College of Further Education. Student wellbeing sessions, for early year practitioner students were requested to improve students’ knowledge and coping with stress and sleep. The client requested an additional educational session on long-term conditions in children under five years. A contract was developed to include all teaching sessions across three groups of students. Session plans were approved and timeline for completion was agreed. Five sessions in total were completed. Following completion, an executive summary was provided to the client summarising the teaching and my suggestions as a Trainee Health Psychologist. Suggestions for future sessions and a regular earlier slot in the curriculum were advised. Teaching and Training: The teaching a training competence was completed through a five session series at The Royal Oldham Hospital. A health psychology series was developed providing a particular focus of each session (Stress, stress management, managing worry, self-compassion, and behaviour change interventions). The second aspect of the teaching and training competence was completed through a one three-hour lecture at the University of Salford. The undergraduate curriculum was explored for areas of health psychology that could be added to expand knowledge. Students undertaking the health psychology module in their third year of study attended the session. The session covered long-term conditions in children. Long-term conditions were covered in adults but education around children’s experiences was absent. The session covered the most common long-term conditions in children and how they are different to adults. Common issues around treatment and management such as medication adherence were discussed. Health psychology theories of behaviour were introduced to discuss medication adherence. Ways in which research helps provide better healthcare for children with long-term conditions were explored. Research: A systematic review was conducted, exploring the relationship of emotional dissonance and psychological wellbeing in police officers. Empirical paper one was a quantitative piece which explored the relationship of parental involvement and self-efficacy on self-management behaviours of children and young people with type 1 diabetes. The second empirical paper aimed to expand on report one and explored facilitators and barriers to self-management behaviours in children and young people with type 1 diabetes through semi-structured interviews. Behaviour Change Intervention: The first case study reports on a group intervention aimed at improving psychological wellbeing through introducing self-compassion with research team members at an NHS Trust. The second case study fulfilling the competence is a one-to-one intervention. The case study shows the assessment, development, and implementation of a asthma adherence intervention with a young person. Evaluation of the intervention is included. Generic Professional: The portfolio completes with a reflective summary from my experience of the Health Psychology Doctorate training, including successes and struggles throughout my journey to completion of each competence. It includes case studies from each competence which has helped guide me to become an assertive, confident Health Psychologist. A training log, signed by my workplace supervisor is enclosed to demonstrate my professional activity during the training.