It is sad to see a national news item about the shortcomings of a psychologist, a profession I hold close to heart. In this instance it may well of been a quiet news days to the papers had to fill column widths however they most certainly got a kick out of delivering the news. Dr Helen Winter took a recreational drug (MDMA) on 24.01.2014 at a club in Vaxhaul. She also offered it to patients who were under her care. This woman had been working at the now closed down charity called Kids Company. Which is a charity I also very nearly donated money, but didn't. A charity which had done great good while it was open for the people of East London and especially for under privileged children.Becoming a clinical psychologist is a long and hard road to take, the opportunities are rare and fearsomely fort over. Places are exceptionally low and unless you are dedicated to the highest level of giving up everything else in your life it will not happen. It often would mean living on loans and low wages for many years, before gaining qualification. Dr Helen Winter has in this respect disgraced the profession of psychology and she has exceptionally let herself down. I can't express adequately how this woman is living the dream of any budding clinical psychologist and how esteemed a role her vocational choice has been. Since Kids Company closed her skills were used by East London Foundation NHS Trust as she works with teenage children. So perhaps it is also pertinent to ask given her fondness for drugs as a leisure pursuit should she still be allowed to work with kids?
Perhaps this article which has been elaborated more in such news papers as the Daily Mail, Sun and the Mirror is about being human and making a mistake. Unfortunately many would be clinical psychologists who never got the opportunities Dr Winter had would never have the chance to make such a mistake and possible not be so stupid as to make it. She is at fault and she should receive a punishment suitable to her err.
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