Ava Mason

I am a Trainee Clinical psychologist at the Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research. My first placement is within an adult mental health team at Northamptonshire Talking Therapies. 

Prior to training, I completed my PhD at University College London. My thesis tested a novel model proposing the role of aberrant hippocampal-dependent memory processing in the relationship between developmental trauma and psychosis. During this time, I also worked in various clinical research roles, teaching roles for the MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences and gained a full scholarship to work at Yale for three months on the UCL-Yale exchange. I have also completed a Master's degree in Psychiatric Research at Kings College London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Nottingham. 

I have worked in various settings, from trauma and psychosis services as an honorary assistant psychologist and PhD student, to inpatient CAMHS units as a mental healthcare assistant, and third sector organisations as a cognitive rehabilitation assistant and behaviour support therapist. I have also co-managed international networks of researchers and clinicians specialising in trauma and psychosis, which remains my research and clinical interest. 

Whilst I am entering the DClinPsy with an open mind about possible future research and clinical interests, I am passionate about improving access to and effectiveness of mental health intervention for individuals who have previously been exposed to trauma.