Dr Victoria Uwannah; counselling psychologist
WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU DO?
I’m Vicki; my official government name is Dr Victoria Uwannah and I’m a Counselling Psychologist. I work in private practice and I provide therapy for individuals and couples. I also co-own a business – The Untamed Collective with my friend and business partner and we aim to empower women to live boundary-free, meaningful and courageous lives. We do this by providing therapeutic, online courses.
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?
I did an undergraduate degree in Psychology, worked for 2 years within psychiatric hospitals, and then went on to do my doctorate. After qualifying as a Psychologist I worked in the NHS for a few years, then onto schools and educational settings before finally deciding to launch into the void, to work independently. Although I get so much fulfilment through providing therapy, I’ve always loved working with women to build them up and encourage them to be the fearless and fierce powerhouses they truly are.
There are so many voices telling women how they should dress, behave, think, what they should look like, how much they should earn; I’m really passionate about encouraging women to find and own their voice.
LOOKING BACK, WHAT AREAS OF SCHOOL LIFE AND STUDY DO YOU THINK HELPED YOU ESTABLISH YOUR ‘WORK LIFE’?
I think studying subjects which involved coursework was really instrumental in learning how to be disciplined with working to deadlines and setting up my own study schedule. Working for myself, I have no one to hold me to account and if I don’t work, I don’t eat!
Vicki and and Kirstie co-founded The Untamed Collective in 2020
Having to structure my day and have the motivation to get up every day and organise myself efficiently has been easier given that I learned the art of self-study at school and uni.
IF A STUDENT WAS INTERESTED IN PURSUING SIMILAR AREAS AS YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEY LEARN AND DO?
Get work experience as soon as you can. Working in settings where you can act in a supportive role is ideal, especially if you are supervised by a Psychologist.
OVERALL, WHAT WOULD YOUR 3 PIECES OF WISDOM BE FOR A TEENAGER AT SCHOOL NOW?
Try to enjoy the process of learning as much as possible. Be curious about the world – its history, its systems and processes. That curiosity will set you up for a world of exploration and adventure in your working life.
Don’t stress! Even if you don’t get the best grades in the world, or even if you’ve chosen subjects you don’t like, it’s ok. The great thing is that learning is a lifelong process and it’s perfectly ok to change your mind even as an adult and decide to change track.
If there’s a course on financial literacy – snap that up! Don’t even think twice about it.
Dr Victoria Uwannah can be found @theuntamedcollective and on LinkedIn. Find out more about about the variety of things she has to offer at www.theuntamedcollective.com