Ella Rhodes

Birmingham

Journalist at The Psychologist

Journalist for @psychmag

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Articles

‘Which bits of psychology do I take out of my toolkit?’

1 month ago | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

What inspired you to write your book? I think, having taught lots of students over a very long period, one of the things that I recognised was the idea that students were learning a lot of complex psychological theory, research methods, statistics, and qualitative data analysis, but didn't necessarily know what to do with it. I started to think about employability and the idea of psychological literacy – or the ability to apply psychology to achieve your personal, work, or community goals.
Spotlight on Birmingham

2 months ago | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

Since I moved to Birmingham in 2008 for my undergraduate degree, the city has represented community, vibrancy and diversity to me. The poem (below) I wrote at the request of a friend to sell to raise funds for the charity she worked for, Sifa Fireside, tried to capture some of what it means to me personally and what it represents more broadly. Given my love for the place it was a pleasure to speak to the psychologists featured in this issue who are working with Birmingham's communities and beyond.
'Helping others gives people so much meaning in their life'

2 months ago | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

You are originally from Canada. What are the differences you've seen in community and society after moving to the University of Birmingham? I really noticed the poor state of housing, how the cost of living crisis was impacting people, and the levels of poverty. I feel like despair and hopelessness permeate everything here, and it's present in a lot of people's lives. I work with an organisation called the Intergenerational Foundation.
'I was always really interested in why people would act in deviant ways'

2 months ago | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

How did you become interested in psychology in the first place? My interest was always in forensic psychology. Like many people, I became hooked on crime dramas and films like Silence of the Lambs. I was always really interested in why people would act in deviant ways and why people would break the rules. I wanted to try and understand behaviour and the factors that might be associated with it but from a compassionate point of view.
Towards ‘proper psychological support’ for jurors

Dec 10, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

BPS updates, Legal, criminological and forensicThe BPS welcomes a government trial of mental health support for jurors, that allows them access a 24/7 support helpline and more. The British Psychological Society has welcomed a government trial of mental health support for jurors which will be offered in 14 Crown Courts in England. Jurors will be able to self-refer for six free counselling sessions and access a 24/7 helpline for support.
'Environmental Psychology is broad and deep'

Nov 10, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

Ella Rhodes spoke to the first Co-Chairs of the new British Psychological Society Environmental Psychology Section – Lecturer in Environmental Psychology Dr Melissa Marselle (University of Surrey) and Associate Professor and lead of the Technology Acceptance Research Group for Energy Technologies Dr Chris Jones (University of Portsmouth). Could you tell me how you got involved in Environmental Psychology?
A damning assessment of SEND support

Nov 10, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

A 'damning' National Audit Office report has found no consistent improvements in outcomes for children with special educational needs and disabilities since 2019 on a background of increased demand. The report, Support for children and young people with special educational needs, describes special state schools which are over capacity and a financially unsustainable system in its current form.
Ensuring a thriving NHS

Nov 10, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

The UK government has asked members of the public, NHS staff and experts to help shape the next 10 years of the NHS. It has opened a consultation on its 10-year plan – something which the British Psychological Society has welcomed. In October, the government launched its Change NHS consultation, which anyone can respond to.
‘Parents and babies simply can’t wait’

Nov 10, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

The BPS has welcomed findings from a report by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, written with support from the BPS Faculty of Perinatal Psychology. The Alliance, a UK charity made up of 130 organisations including the BPS, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Mind and Family Action, has called for more investment in maternal mental health services.
The power of virtual reality

Oct 15, 2024 | bps.org.uk | Ella Rhodes

When it comes to psychology, it's hard to think of a more potentially useful tool than virtual reality (VR). Imagine telling the first psychologists that one day we would be able to observe behaviour in any situation we could conjure up, or to deliver interventions remotely using virtual therapists. But has that potential truly been realised? In a 1999 article for The Psychologist, David Rose and Nigel Foreman reflected on the many possibilities that VR presented at the time.