
University Academic becomes Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society
A Psychology academic at Wrexham University has been recognised for her research and passion for the profession from a national body.
Dr. Shubha Sreenivas, Programme Leader of the University's MSc Psychology (Conversion programme) and Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Biological), has been named an Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Her Associate Fellow status has been given in recognition of her years of experience, expertise, and contribution to the field of Psychology.
Dr. Sreenivas has been involved with psychological research since 2006, supporting multi-centre trials as Data Manager with NWORTH (North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health) at Bangor University's Clinical Trials unit, and has been leading independent research from 2012 onwards.
Other areas of research that Dr. Sreenivas has led on includes looking at psychosocial problems of institutionalised, destitute women in India. While in the UK, she supported research exploring brain activations relating to mood disorders and treatment response.
She has also explored the use of dogs and robotic dogs in improving reading confidence in primary school age children and the benefits of pet therapy for university students, and the difference they make to their anxiety and stress levels.
Dr. Sreenivas also has clinical experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist with the Adult and Older Adults Psychology Services for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Speaking about her Associate Fellow status, Dr. Sreenivas said:
'I'm extremely excited about this professional recognition as it demonstrates how far I've come in the field.
'From gaining my first degree in English Literature and Journalism in India to then making my way into the Psychology pathway as a mature student, after completing my postgraduate degree in the subject. I then completed a Masters in Foundations of Clinical Psychology and a PhD at Bangor University, which has opened up so many opportunities for me.
'I feel proud of how far I've come and feel particularly pleased to be the Programme Leader of the Psychology Conversion programme at Wrexham.
'The programme is incredibly important to me, as it offers those, who have gained an undergraduate degree in another subject area but want to change direction and study or pursue a career in Psychology, do so.
'I think one of the main reasons I am so passionate about the Conversion programme is that those students remind me of myself and my own journey into Psychology.'
There are still some places remaining for the September 2025 intake of the MSc Psychology (Conversion programme) at Wrexham University, you can find out more about the course here .
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Business News Wales
a day ago
- Business News Wales
University Academic becomes Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society
A Psychology academic at Wrexham University has been recognised for her research and passion for the profession from a national body. Dr. Shubha Sreenivas, Programme Leader of the University's MSc Psychology (Conversion programme) and Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Biological), has been named an Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society (BPS). Her Associate Fellow status has been given in recognition of her years of experience, expertise, and contribution to the field of Psychology. Dr. Sreenivas has been involved with psychological research since 2006, supporting multi-centre trials as Data Manager with NWORTH (North Wales Organisation for Randomised Trials in Health) at Bangor University's Clinical Trials unit, and has been leading independent research from 2012 onwards. Other areas of research that Dr. Sreenivas has led on includes looking at psychosocial problems of institutionalised, destitute women in India. While in the UK, she supported research exploring brain activations relating to mood disorders and treatment response. She has also explored the use of dogs and robotic dogs in improving reading confidence in primary school age children and the benefits of pet therapy for university students, and the difference they make to their anxiety and stress levels. Dr. Sreenivas also has clinical experience of working as an Assistant Psychologist with the Adult and Older Adults Psychology Services for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Speaking about her Associate Fellow status, Dr. Sreenivas said: 'I'm extremely excited about this professional recognition as it demonstrates how far I've come in the field. 'From gaining my first degree in English Literature and Journalism in India to then making my way into the Psychology pathway as a mature student, after completing my postgraduate degree in the subject. I then completed a Masters in Foundations of Clinical Psychology and a PhD at Bangor University, which has opened up so many opportunities for me. 'I feel proud of how far I've come and feel particularly pleased to be the Programme Leader of the Psychology Conversion programme at Wrexham. 'The programme is incredibly important to me, as it offers those, who have gained an undergraduate degree in another subject area but want to change direction and study or pursue a career in Psychology, do so. 'I think one of the main reasons I am so passionate about the Conversion programme is that those students remind me of myself and my own journey into Psychology.' There are still some places remaining for the September 2025 intake of the MSc Psychology (Conversion programme) at Wrexham University, you can find out more about the course here .


Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
I drank 4 bottles of wine a day after getting dumped, not even AA or a broken face could stop me…a call changed it all
Amy lived life as a functioning alcoholic for over 10 years until a humiliating incident at work made her feel 'pure shame' BOOZE HELL I drank 4 bottles of wine a day after getting dumped, not even AA or a broken face could stop me…a call changed it all MY world fell apart on New Year's Eve 2008 when my fiance of six years told me he didn't love me anymore. I moved out of his flat that we shared the next day - heartbroken and lost. I didn't know what to do with the emotional pain, so I drank. Advertisement 7 Amy now, having been sober for six years Credit: supplied 7 Amy's relationship with alcohol was a desperate coping mechanism Credit: SUPPLIED My relationship with alcohol quickly shifted from something social to a desperate coping mechanism. Nights were spent in a local pub with friends, and bottles of wine consumed with my mum Caroline until the anger or sadness passed. I wouldn't go out sober. Drinking felt essential. It gave me confidence, made me feel fun. But things began to spiral. I lost my job at New Look not long after. Someone had complained I smelled of alcohol. Advertisement READ MORE REAL LIFE STORIES CLEAN SLATE I was a middle-class girl then became a crack addict, I even set myself on fire That part wasn't upheld - but instead of seeing it as a warning sign, I used it as justification. I told myself it was their fault I'd lost my job. It didn't stop me drinking - I drank more. In the jobs that followed, mainly in retail, I'd count down the hours until I could get home and pour a glass of wine. I was high-functioning enough that no one really knew. Or, at least, no one said anything. Advertisement By 2015, I started hiding bottles of booze. That's when I knew, deep down, that something wasn't right. But I convinced myself it was no one else's business. I was living at my mum's while saving to move to Cambodia. 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That was my mindset. I hoped coming back to the UK after a year would fix me - but even on the flight back, and drinking a beer at the airport, I knew it wouldn't. 7 Amy once drank so much she fell and fractured her face Credit: supplied I got my own place, which meant there was no one around to see what I was doing. Advertisement My mum tried to talk to me gently about it sometimes, and I'd make these half-hearted promises to cut down. But the truth is, living alone made it way too easy to carry on. Then came Christmas 2018 when I was 38. I was working in a pub, and after one of my shifts, I drank way too much. I ended up drink-driving home. I don't even remember doing it. My colleagues were so concerned they called the police. But again, I didn't see the danger - or my own responsibility. I blamed them. In my head, I was the victim. I never went back to that job but I also didn't drive again until I got sober in 2019, so a part of me knew. Advertisement What to do if you think are an alcoholic IF you're struggling with alcohol addiction, the most important thing is to recognise the problem and seek support - You don't have to face it alone. Seek Professional Help GP or Doctor – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. – A medical professional can assess your situation and provide advice on treatment options. Therapists or Counsellors – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. – Talking to an addiction specialist can help address underlying causes and develop coping strategies. Rehab or Detox Programmes – If physical dependence is severe, medically supervised detox may be necessary. Consider Support Groups Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. – A well-known 12-step programme that provides peer support. SMART Recovery – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. – A science-based alternative to AA, focusing on self-empowerment. Local Support Groups – Many communities have groups tailored to different needs. By the end, I was drinking between three and four bottles of wine a day. That had become my normal. I didn't even think it was excessive - it was just what I needed to get through the day. I stopped going out as much because it was easier to drink at home. When I did go out, I'd usually end up black-out drunk. I'd fall over, lose my keys, wake up in places I had no memory of ever going. It became too risky, too unpredictable. So I started choosing the sofa, a bottle - or four - and my own little bubble of self-pity. Eventually, I couldn't do anything without a drink in me. I needed at least two glasses of wine just to get ready for work because my hands would be shaking so much. Advertisement I isolated myself a lot because I was trying so hard to hide what was really going on, as I didn't want to face questions from friends or family. I wasn't in a romantic relationship during that time. But I was promiscuous. I had a lot of one-night stands, thinking they'd somehow make me feel better. They didn't. I'd wake up filled with shame and self-loathing, and then use that as another excuse to drink. 7 On one occasion, Amy ended up driving herself home, drunk Credit: supplied Advertisement 7 Amy with a black eye after a fall when drunk Credit: SUPPLIED In the summer of 2018, I experienced what should have been a rock bottom moment. That was when I fractured my face after a fall while drunk. But it wasn't. Not yet. I had to stop drinking for eight days while I was on antibiotics. But, the following week I celebrated by drinking again. A reward. I knew then I was in trouble. I went to my first AA meeting in January 2019. I was drunk when I went. I don't even remember much about it, but that was the first time I admitted something was wrong - even if I wasn't ready to deal with it yet. Advertisement Alcohol and addiction had affected my confidence, my sense of self, my ability to trust my own thoughts. I stopped making plans for the future. I lived day-to-day, hour-to-hour, bottle-to-bottle. It robbed me of time. And, it impacted my health - my body was exhausted, my hands shook, I sweated constantly, my anxiety was through the roof. But I didn't care - my main concern was hiding the truth, from others, and most importantly, from myself. I told lies. I lived a double life: the version I showed the world and the one that sat at home pouring another glass. 7 Amy called the Samaritans for help Credit: supplied The moment it all stopped wasn't loud or dramatic. It was May 2019, and I passed out at work working as a store manager of a retail shop. I was drinking all day, every day - even at work. 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Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Why did chicken go to the court?
Questions on the subject of causation can be some of the most interesting in the whole of law, argues Toni Ashby Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... To a greater or lesser extent, everyone suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. Questions are now coming before civil courts in the UK on whether the suffering of some was caused, in law, by the fault or negligence of others. Questions of causation can be some of the most interesting in law. The test traditionally applied by the UK civil courts on causation is to ask whether 'but for' a particular breach of duty, the injury or loss would have happened. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the 20th century, two further tests were expounded by the courts. These are: whether a particular breach made a 'material contribution' to the injury sustained; or whether any breach constituted a 'material increase in risk' of the injury being sustained. Workers at a chicken processing plant took their employer to court after catching Covid-19 (Picture: Adobe) In the early 21st century, the House of Lords created, in the English case of Fairchild, an exception to these three, alternative, causation tests, making certain claims easier to pursue. The 'Fairchild exception' is a narrow one, with carefully defined criteria, and has never been extended beyond certain asbestos-related claims. Focusing on Covid-19, causation is considered in the ongoing litigation in Edwards and others v 2 Sisters Food Group Limited. In this case, on 28 May 2025, the High Court at Cardiff overturned a decision of 18 July 2024 by Caernarfon County Court. In doing so, the High Court allowed, subject to any further appeal, certain Covid-19 claimants to take their case to a trial on the evidence. The claimants in Edwards developed Covid-19 in or around June 2020. They were employed at that time by the defendant in a chicken processing factory. They allege inadequate workplace safety provisions to protect them from development of the disease, also alleging that, in law, those inadequacies caused them to suffer it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The first court to hear Edwards ruled out any extension of the Fairchild exception and, on 18 July 2024, summarily dismissed the proceedings on the basis that none of the standard tests on causation could be met, regardless of what evidence may subsequently be heard. This was because 'ultimately, this workforce was exposed to Covid everywhere, not just in the chicken processing plant'. Toni Ashby says the test traditionally applied by the UK civil courts on causation centres on the phrase 'but for' The appeal decision of 28 May 2025 agrees the Fairchild exception should not be extended to Covid-19 claims but, nonetheless, reinstated the claims in this case so that evidence could later be heard on them. Key to the appeal decision was that the first judge to hear the case had, without evidence, discounted the possibility that it could, conceivably and not fancifully, be proven that one or more of the claimants 'lived alone, travelled to work alone and had not gone out at all' such that 'he or she could prove that their sole exposure to the virus was the workplace'. Further points made in justifying the appeal decision were that the claimants had 'asserted that a very large number of employees at the factory caught Covid-19 over a short period in mid-2020; that they were required to work in very close proximity, shoulder to shoulder with each other, and that the factory was closed shortly thereafter as a result of the intervention of Public Health Wales.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It will be interesting to see what happens next in the Edwards case. The point remains, though, that with coronavirus particles so small that around 1000 could fit on the width of a human hair and given the prevalence of such particles during the pandemic, Covid-19 claimants will generally face considerable difficulties in establishing causation.