Sonja Cowling
@sonjacowling.bsky.social
Psychiatry resident in north West UK. Special interest in mental health difficulties resulting from trauma, psychotherapy and holistic approach to mental health. Finnish, animal lover, recurrent depressive, always reading, student of life.
Coming to the end of my year-long placement at a mental health inpatient unit and my time as a core trainee. I have so much love and respect for all the patients that I have gotten to know during this time. They have taught me more than any supervisors or books ever could.
July 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Coming to the end of my year-long placement at a mental health inpatient unit and my time as a core trainee. I have so much love and respect for all the patients that I have gotten to know during this time. They have taught me more than any supervisors or books ever could.
Only a month left of being a psychiatry core trainee. Exams passed, final appraisal passed. What a journey it's been. Excited about what lies ahead as a general adult middle grade psychiatrist.
July 2, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Only a month left of being a psychiatry core trainee. Exams passed, final appraisal passed. What a journey it's been. Excited about what lies ahead as a general adult middle grade psychiatrist.
So excited to realise my favourite account is on bluesky 🥰
In Silence (2009), by Japanese installation artist Chiharu Shiota #womensart
March 29, 2025 at 10:01 AM
So excited to realise my favourite account is on bluesky 🥰
I wish learning wasn't so expensive. So many courses and conferences I'd love to go to but everything is so expensive.
March 29, 2025 at 9:57 AM
I wish learning wasn't so expensive. So many courses and conferences I'd love to go to but everything is so expensive.
An excellent piece of writing about freedom of speech and cancel culture.
We need to talk about what we can't talk about.
with @janeogden.bsky.social
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
with @janeogden.bsky.social
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...
I'm a lecturer - I used to love student debates, now I'm called 'triggering'
As Sussex University has been fined a record £585,000 for 'failing to uphold freedom of speech' - one lecturer fears debate and discussion has become dangerous territory
inews.co.uk
March 29, 2025 at 8:18 AM
An excellent piece of writing about freedom of speech and cancel culture.
Nervously waiting to hear whether I get a speciality training post and whether a close colleague gets into core training. 🫣
March 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Nervously waiting to hear whether I get a speciality training post and whether a close colleague gets into core training. 🫣
Gem thinks that to get the benefits of cold water swimming the experience needs to include as much mud as possible.
December 1, 2024 at 9:56 AM
Gem thinks that to get the benefits of cold water swimming the experience needs to include as much mud as possible.
Found this BMJ article eye opening. A bit worrying if the psychedelic studies have really been of such poor quality and reporting so misleading. I think we are so desperate for "miracle" cures that we want to believe when told they might exist.
Our new short new piece in @bmj.com summarizes problems in psychedelic science, incl.
-regulatory challenges
-changing authorization standards
-scientific concerns
-safety concerns.
We also suggest ways forward.
🧪 #psychscisky #psychsky #psychiatry
Open Access here: www.bmj.com/content/387/...
-regulatory challenges
-changing authorization standards
-scientific concerns
-safety concerns.
We also suggest ways forward.
🧪 #psychscisky #psychsky #psychiatry
Open Access here: www.bmj.com/content/387/...
December 1, 2024 at 9:29 AM
Found this BMJ article eye opening. A bit worrying if the psychedelic studies have really been of such poor quality and reporting so misleading. I think we are so desperate for "miracle" cures that we want to believe when told they might exist.
Introduce yourself with your worst feedback from school 👇
I'm Sonja, good job I'm clever because I'm certainly not athletic.
I'm Sonja, good job I'm clever because I'm certainly not athletic.
Introduce yourself with your worst feedback from school 👇
I'm Zoë, I won't go far
I'm Zoë, I won't go far
November 25, 2024 at 11:41 PM
Introduce yourself with your worst feedback from school 👇
I'm Sonja, good job I'm clever because I'm certainly not athletic.
I'm Sonja, good job I'm clever because I'm certainly not athletic.
This sounds like a must-buy for all of us medics. Definitely going to order to see what it's like.
The book, First Aid for Doctors with Burnout has been quietly up to a few things:
➡️Arrived just at the right time for someone (their words)🙉
➡️Became a PDP item
➡️Is going to Southampton with its author this week 🚂
➡️Arrived just at the right time for someone (their words)🙉
➡️Became a PDP item
➡️Is going to Southampton with its author this week 🚂
First Aid for Doctors with Burnout: Healing for guilt, self-doubt and other minor injuries in medicine
Buy First Aid for Doctors with Burnout: Healing for guilt, self-doubt and other minor injuries in medicine by Davies, Dr Claire (ISBN: 9798329123456) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
November 25, 2024 at 8:46 PM
This sounds like a must-buy for all of us medics. Definitely going to order to see what it's like.
Reposted by Sonja Cowling
Great article from @elliebroughton.bsky.social asking whether it is time to dump the diagnosis of BPD/EUPD (it is)
Interesting to see support from the head of DBT in the uk and president of ESSPD
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journal...
Interesting to see support from the head of DBT in the uk and president of ESSPD
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journal...
November 25, 2024 at 8:17 PM
Great article from @elliebroughton.bsky.social asking whether it is time to dump the diagnosis of BPD/EUPD (it is)
Interesting to see support from the head of DBT in the uk and president of ESSPD
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journal...
Interesting to see support from the head of DBT in the uk and president of ESSPD
www.bacp.co.uk/bacp-journal...
Does anyone know of studies around patient satisfaction with mental health services within the UK? You get a feeling of what it might generally be like for different services but I wonder what the actual data shows.
November 25, 2024 at 5:38 PM
Does anyone know of studies around patient satisfaction with mental health services within the UK? You get a feeling of what it might generally be like for different services but I wonder what the actual data shows.
I always have so many ideas both for work and creative projects and such a strong drive to do so many things. Yet work, training, being a mother of 3 children and my own mental health difficulties mean that I never feel like I have anything left to give. The cup is permanently pretty empty.
November 23, 2024 at 8:46 PM
I always have so many ideas both for work and creative projects and such a strong drive to do so many things. Yet work, training, being a mother of 3 children and my own mental health difficulties mean that I never feel like I have anything left to give. The cup is permanently pretty empty.
@agnesayton.bsky.social The terminal anorexia suggestion has stayed with me somehow. Thought this article argued really well against it. You might have already seen it.
rdcu.be/d1dBO
rdcu.be/d1dBO
‘Terminal anorexia’: a lived experience perspective | Journal of Eating Disorders
rdcu.be
November 23, 2024 at 9:36 AM
@agnesayton.bsky.social The terminal anorexia suggestion has stayed with me somehow. Thought this article argued really well against it. You might have already seen it.
rdcu.be/d1dBO
rdcu.be/d1dBO
My husband isn't keen on pets. I'm a massive animal lover so he has to share his home with some furry friends. He's always muttering under his breath about our cat that bosses him about. Today FB suggested he'd join My cat's a little shit group. These companies know us inside out.
November 19, 2024 at 8:28 PM
My husband isn't keen on pets. I'm a massive animal lover so he has to share his home with some furry friends. He's always muttering under his breath about our cat that bosses him about. Today FB suggested he'd join My cat's a little shit group. These companies know us inside out.
I enjoyed this piece about tiredness from suppressed feelings and how psychoanalysis helped the author.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Are you tired all the time? Me too – but I think I’ve worked out why
Biting back anger, holding in tears: we use a huge amount of energy trying to avoid our emotions. And it’s exhausting
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2024 at 9:02 PM
I enjoyed this piece about tiredness from suppressed feelings and how psychoanalysis helped the author.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Reposted by Sonja Cowling
I’ve made a starter pack for people working in or advocating for mental health patient safety. I haven’t added everyone yet as I wasn’t sure who wanted attention drawn to their account so if you’d like to be added please reply
go.bsky.app/RyXc42W
go.bsky.app/RyXc42W
November 18, 2024 at 6:05 PM
I’ve made a starter pack for people working in or advocating for mental health patient safety. I haven’t added everyone yet as I wasn’t sure who wanted attention drawn to their account so if you’d like to be added please reply
go.bsky.app/RyXc42W
go.bsky.app/RyXc42W
Thinking back to 15 years ago in Finland when children's mental health services were easy to access early on. Pretty much every secondary school had a school counsellor. Now 15 years later in a different country and children's mental health care is shocking. There is just barely anything available.
November 18, 2024 at 5:26 PM
Thinking back to 15 years ago in Finland when children's mental health services were easy to access early on. Pretty much every secondary school had a school counsellor. Now 15 years later in a different country and children's mental health care is shocking. There is just barely anything available.
Reposted by Sonja Cowling
Just shared this elsewhere so to make my Bluesky “sharing nonsense” debut, here it is! (And for the first time in a while maybe people will see it!) #bpd #eupd
www.beamconsultancy.co.uk/the-blog/202...
www.beamconsultancy.co.uk/the-blog/202...
Why You Don't Want A Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder — Beam Consultancy
Who the hell am I to say this? Well, I’ve worked in mental health services for over 25 years. The last 10 have been in services specifically for people who hurt themselves and want to die. ...
www.beamconsultancy.co.uk
November 16, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Just shared this elsewhere so to make my Bluesky “sharing nonsense” debut, here it is! (And for the first time in a while maybe people will see it!) #bpd #eupd
www.beamconsultancy.co.uk/the-blog/202...
www.beamconsultancy.co.uk/the-blog/202...
Never read as much as this year since discovering libraries lending audio books for free. Just about to finish Unsettled ground by Claire Fuller. Not sure I'd recommend. Stunning writing but the most depressing book I've ever read with just back to back misery and adversity.
November 17, 2024 at 4:48 PM
Never read as much as this year since discovering libraries lending audio books for free. Just about to finish Unsettled ground by Claire Fuller. Not sure I'd recommend. Stunning writing but the most depressing book I've ever read with just back to back misery and adversity.
Reposted by Sonja Cowling
Yes agree. We're in a situation where everyone at the MDT table is traumatised and carrying pain - not only patients but their families too - & now very stressed clinical staff. We need to make it visible. The first step is articulating the harms and being heard. Family/care givers are allies here ❤️
November 17, 2024 at 10:17 AM
Yes agree. We're in a situation where everyone at the MDT table is traumatised and carrying pain - not only patients but their families too - & now very stressed clinical staff. We need to make it visible. The first step is articulating the harms and being heard. Family/care givers are allies here ❤️
I've always wondered why an app/service doesn't exist where it would be possible to subscribe to multiple scientific journals and see a feed of recent publications. It would be incredibly valuable to so many scientists and professionals. Or maybe something exists and I'm just not aware of it?
November 17, 2024 at 9:19 AM
I've always wondered why an app/service doesn't exist where it would be possible to subscribe to multiple scientific journals and see a feed of recent publications. It would be incredibly valuable to so many scientists and professionals. Or maybe something exists and I'm just not aware of it?
I feel like we're not talking enough about the moral injury that we sustain from working in poorly funded mental health services. Poor resources make it so difficult provide good quality care to all that need it.
November 15, 2024 at 9:38 AM
I feel like we're not talking enough about the moral injury that we sustain from working in poorly funded mental health services. Poor resources make it so difficult provide good quality care to all that need it.
Getting started on a new platform is always so frustrating and slow. At first your posts are just you talking to yourself. On twitter it took me a couple of months to get going before using the app started feeling more meaningful. Hopefully this place will similarly start interesting conversations.
November 14, 2024 at 2:21 PM
Getting started on a new platform is always so frustrating and slow. At first your posts are just you talking to yourself. On twitter it took me a couple of months to get going before using the app started feeling more meaningful. Hopefully this place will similarly start interesting conversations.
An introduction.. Finland to UK move 12 years ago. I had worked in mental health first as a domestic》health care support worker》nursing student and now having passed my exams, as a psychiatrist. Severe episodes of recurrent depression and 3 children made the journey long but here I am,still going.
November 13, 2024 at 2:19 PM
An introduction.. Finland to UK move 12 years ago. I had worked in mental health first as a domestic》health care support worker》nursing student and now having passed my exams, as a psychiatrist. Severe episodes of recurrent depression and 3 children made the journey long but here I am,still going.