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The aim of this study was to explore experienced teachers' thoughts and feelings about wellbeing and resilience at work. A qualitative methodology and critical realist stance were adopted and a semi-structured interview was designed. Ten teachers were recruited via purposive, snowball sampling and interviews were recorded and transcribed before being subjected to reflective thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Nine key themes were developed, these included: 'Well-being has multiple dimensions', 'Resilience is a response to adversity', 'Multiple factors support well-being & resilience', 'Beliefs about resilience diverge', 'Fundamental pressures impact well-being and resilience', 'Senior managers can create stressful school cultures', 'Parental and public disrespect is detrimental to well-being', 'Attitudes and approaches to teacher well-being are problematic' and 'Teacher responses to pressures can be problematic'. My analysis, therefore, helps to elucidate and problematise wellbeing and resilience in teaching, with implications for interventions designed to address both constructs. Limitations related to subjectivity mean that generalisations cannot be made.

Background and research aims: Little is known about single adult women's experiences of homelessness due to a concentration of literature on male homelessness. Furthermore, the empirical and statistical nature of much homelessness research, including that on skills and educational training needs, does not allow for in depth exploration of homeless women's perceptions and experiences. This study seeks to address these knowledge gaps and add to the limited existing literature on single women's homelessness, drawing on social justice and critical feminist frameworks to explore this underrepresented phenomenon. Method and methodology: This study is informed by a transformative research paradigm, adopting both social justice and critical feminist frameworks, and a qualitative methodology, to explore the lived experiences of single, homeless women. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to produce three key themes. Analysis: The analysis produced three themes, the third of which was divided into two sub-themes. The themes are as follows: 1) "I have the fear. Now the fear starts". Experiences of threat and perceptions of vulnerability; 2) "She's still stuck by me, and I love that about her". Attachment bonds between the women and the staff as a precursor to healing and growth; 3) The importance of choice and freedom; 3.1) "Because there was nothing…nowhere else you could turn to". Loss of choice and freedoms during homelessness is damaging to women's emotional, psychological, and physical wellbeing; 3.2) "Now I have my own goals, I want to do something in the future". Fostering a sense of choice and freedom within skills and education pathways has positive outcomes for self-development and self-efficacy. Discussion: The findings of this thesis were able to elucidate the experiences of single, homeless women across seven key areas: 1) Loss of home as a gendered issue; 2) Rough sleeping; 3) Perceptions and conceptualisations of vulnerability; 4) Relational disintegration and redevelopment: the power of the relationship; 5) Economic marginalisation during homelessness and restricted access to the labour market; 6) Learning environments, engagement, and traumainformed care; 7) Limitation of liberties. Limitations, reflexive considerations, implications for CP, directions for future research, and implications for frontline practitioners are offered.

Background: Calls for the meaningful enactment of counselling psychology's social justice agenda have emphasised educational settings as a feasible site for social justice work, emphasising transdisciplinary considerations of relational inequality and power as vital within this. It has been argued that existing attempts to redress pervasive educational inequalities, both within educational policy and teacher education, have lacked emphasis on vital relational elements. Further, the perspectives and experiences of student-teachers (STs) and teacher- educators (TEs) have been largely absent from explorations and conceptualisations of relational (in)equality. Aims: This study aimed to explore STs' and TEs' understandings, experiences and enactments of relational (in)equality across two settings: the secondary school classroom and the PGCE tutor group. Further, this study aimed to identify factors participants perceive to be helping and hindering relational equality. Methodology: A qualitative case study design was adopted to explore this phenomenon. Data were generated across two phases using a range of methods, including semi-structured interviews, a focus group and observations. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Findings: 8 main themes were generated: (1) The function of relational inequality in the teacher-student relationship, (2) Relational equality is about community, (3) Role modelling an ethos of relational equality, (4) Reflexivity is key to enacting relational equality, (5) What the 'other' is bringing to the dynamic: the reciprocal nature of relational (in)equality, (6) Identity, privilege and personal power, (7) The role of time in relational (in)equality and (8) Navigating the structures of educational contexts Conclusions: This study sheds light on the complex, nuanced and contextual nature of relational (in)equality within secondary teacher education in England. The findings bring a new perspective and in doing so provide a starting point for a conversation about the applicability and enactment of relational (in)equality within teacher education. Specifically, these findings encourage a transdisciplinary conversation across teacher education and counselling psychology around the points at which unequal power relations are helpful or harmful. Further, this study provides insight into the perceived intrapersonal, interpersonal and systemic barriers to enacting relational equality and potential means by which this may be mitigated. This study offers a transdisciplinary exploration of relational (in)equality, highlighting the relational nature of such endeavours and emphasising the reciprocal learning opportunities for both teacher education and counselling psychology.

Background: The number of Gulf Arab students in the UK has been steadily increasing in the past years. Despite the increasing number of Gulf Arab students, little research has been conducted on their emotional well-being. This project, therefore, aimed to contribute to the existing literature regarding Gulf Arab students and the opportunities and challenges that they face in their host country. Furthermore, it sheds light on their perceptions towards seeking help when experiencing psychological difficulties and the coping strategies they used. Methodology: A qualitative design was adopted to elicit eight Gulf Arab students' experiences of studying in the UK. All participants were in full-time education, both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, participants had the choice to conduct the interviews in their preferred language (Arabic or English). The interviews' transcripts were translated to English then analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Analysis resulted in the development of five main themes: 'Concerns before departure', 'Adjustment difficulties', 'Opportunities of being in the UK', 'Experiences and beliefs about seeking help', and 'Coping strategies'. Conclusion: The present research appears to be the first UK study to explore, in-depth, and from their own perspectives, how Gulf Arab international students experience studying in the UK. Furthermore, findings illustrate their negative perceptions towards professional and psychological help, as well as unveiling their own coping strategies. Gulf Arab students mostly utilise faith, social support networks, engage in activities, and 'life coach' support to cope with their difficulties. However, the findings of the current study have revealed that Western culture has made some Gulf Arab international students accept seeking psychological services when needed. Potential implications for counselling psychology and organisations reflect that more needs to be done to help Gulf Arab students to access psychological help when they need it. Policy changes in both home and host countries can make the transition undergone by the students smoother and the associated experience less stressful and disorienting. Limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed.

Background: Research suggests that 75% of people who develop a mental health illness are more likely to do so between 16 and 25 years of age. Higher Education (HE) digital native students are at greater risk of experiencing psychological distress due to this transitional life stage but have the potential for greater targeted social and emotional support. Kooth Student was developed in 2017 offering online counselling to HE students between 18 and 25 years. The use of online counselling is growing particularly with HE digital native students however, further research is needed to understand how online counselling is experienced by this population and how services may be improved. Aim: The aim of this research was to further understanding of what HE digital native students find helpful/unhelpful in this type of support, why online counselling may be a preferred medium of therapeutic communication to in-person counselling and how the therapeutic relationship is subjectively experienced. Methodology: The design of the study is a qualitative reflexive thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke's (2019) six stages of analysis. Eight participants, recruited through the Kooth service, engaged in semi-structured, online (text-based) interviews via the Kooth platform. Interview transcripts were then analysed to develop themes. Findings: The analysis generated five themes: 1) the context of seeking online counselling; 2) Assumptions and expectations; 3) safe and familiar context to facilitate the shaping of identity; 4) development of self in relationship; and 5) support and information at the touch of a button. Discussion: The study highlights assumptions made about HE digital native students and their technical and communication skill ability. Accordingly, there is a lack of understanding of the online counselling structure, process and therapeutic communication. Despite this, HE digital native students experience safety, control and freedom in online counselling that offers an escape and relief from reality and a space to develop a sense of self and interpersonal skills with others whilst also facilitating the avoidance of social anxiety experienced in in-person counselling. Online counselling offers several unique factors which meet students' needs. Potential implications and recommendations for Kooth, other online counselling services and counselling psychology are considered.

Background: Despite growing media interest into the effects of organised sport on children and young people's mental health, there remains a dearth of research in this area. The study therefore aimed to explore sport professionals' views of how football academies support the mental health and wellbeing of academy footballers. Methods: A qualitative design was utilised to generate a rich dataset to gain insights into the views of sport professionals. Eleven individuals who worked at football academies were interviewed for this study. Reflexive thematic analysis was engaged with in order to identify key themes within the interviews. Findings: The analysis led to the creation of three major themes related to the experience of sports professionals in football academes. These were: (i) understanding the uniqueness of the culture and experience; (ii) the therapist's role; and (iii) integrating the role (finding a place for therapy). Conclusion: The findings support existing literature and government initiatives with a collective agreement of aiming to improve the facility of mental health support within football academies. Reflecting upon the findings and existing literature, a unique approach to integrate therapy within academy football is proposed. This emphasises a need for therapeutic support across the whole academy system. A collective term was coined within this research as 'The Three Ps' (the players, their support network (parents), and the professionals). This requires applied psychologists to offer support in ways that do not alienate them from the football academy community. Suggestions and implications are discussed, including the provision of flexible holistic support, tailored athlete-centred therapeutic practice, and counselling acting as a platform to connect the whole academy community. Further research is required to assess bi-directional communication between counselling and psychotherapy and football academies to ensure that therapy is adaptable throughout the environment.

Background and aims: Research indicates academics experience a range of challenges to their wellbeing. Social class is a key indicator of wellbeing, yet it remains neglected in UK Counselling Psychology (CP). The classed and gendered nature of academia is well-documented. Yet, no study to-date specifically explores working-class women academics' lived experiences of wellbeing. Drawing upon social justice, feminist and intersectional approaches, this thesis seeks to address gaps in the literature by offering an original contribution to knowledge on the intersectional lived experiences and wellbeing of working-class women academics. Methodology and methods: Located in the transformative feminist paradigm, the thesis used a qualitative methodology to explore the subjective lived experiences of working-class women in UK Higher Education (HE). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 working-class women academics from different HE institutions across the UK. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis: Analysis of the data generated four key themes: 1) My working-class identity never leaves me, and it's complicated in academia; 2) The system wasn't built for us, it doesn't understand us, and it can negatively impact our wellbeing; 3) Working-class values and experiences protect my wellbeing; 4) My wellbeing is impacted by the emotional labour I carry out in HE. Discussion: Synthesising the analysis with previous studies and feminist, intersectional, social-justice-informed literatures, the thesis concludes that working-class women academics' wellbeing is experienced and influenced across three areas: 1) Working-classness does not just disappear when you become an academic; 2) Surviving and thriving in HE; 3) Class blindness and classism in HE: the silent oppression. Limitations, potential implications and recommendations for CP, HE and future research are offered. The thesis suggests ending class blindness is crucial, in order to redress classism and support working-class women academics' wellbeing in HE.