Ellen Lavender, PhD Student, Department of Psychology

Ellen graduated from the University of York with an integrated Masters in Psychology from the University of York in 2023. She had been awarded ESRC funding for a 3.75 PhD and PGCert in Psychology which she started in September 2024. Her PhD project involves developing interventions to protect children from the negative effects of misogyny on social media.

Email: erl541@york.ac.uk  

Our 60-second interview with Ellen:

Could you please tell us what work you do in the field of mental health?

The impact of extreme misogyny on children's mental health is especially worrisome. As such, I hope my project will help to develop an intervention that will protect children from misogyny online to help with this worry.

What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?

I find it most rewarding to know that I am doing something to try to make a positive difference in adolescents' lives.

What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?

Hearing stories and statistics about women regarding online misogyny, especially in schools, is challenging at times. It makes me glad that I pursued my research topic every time though.

What impact do you hope your work is having - or can potentially have?

I hope that my research will help to contribute towards a kinder society if we can try and reduce the influence of misogyny online.

Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?

Plan in time every week for your hobbies and your own space to re-energise. For me, that's reading my books, attending dance classes, or sewing!