Lunch & Learn: What's Next? Life after your psychology degree

We are pleased to welcome Rebecca Nolan, a PhD candidate at Dublin City University (DCU), to our upcoming Lunch & Learn session. Rebecca holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and Wellbeing from DCU and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from South East Technological University (SETU) Waterford. Her doctoral research explores the impact of technology on the online sexual exploitation of children, contributing valuable insight to an urgent and evolving area of study.

In this session, Rebecca will share her pathway to pursuing a PhD, from the early academic interests that shaped her direction to the practical steps involved in entering postgraduate research. She will also emphasise the importance of engaging with the broader psychology community, establishing professional networks, and seeking support throughout one’s academic and career journey.

This session offers a unique opportunity to learn from Rebecca’s experiences and gain guidance for those considering or preparing for research-focused careers in psychology.

Lunch and Learn: What's Next? Life after your psychology degree

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Muireann O’Dea, a proud past student of the University of Limerick (UL), to our upcoming Lunch & Learn session. Dr. O’Dea has built a distinguished academic and professional career since her time at UL, contributing meaningfully to the field of psychology through her research, and professional engagement. Dr. Muireann O’Dea is a postdoctoral researcher in social psychology at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany. Broadly, her research focuses on how positive emotions foster well-being and provide resilience to negative emotional experiences such as social exclusion and boredom. Her current postdoctoral research focuses on social exclusion, and developing interventions for well-being promotion following exclusion using intensive longitudinal methods.She earned her PhD in Psychology from the University of Limerick, Ireland, where she was awarded an Irish Research doctoral scholarship.

In this session, Dr. O’Dea will share her career journey, from her foundations at UL to the key milestones, challenges, and opportunities that shaped her path. She will offer insights into the skills and experiences that supported her progression, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at what her professional life looks like today.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from Dr. O’Dea’s expertise, hear her perspectives on career development, and gain inspiration for your own professional journey.

Our next Lunch and Learn is a special one. When we asked students to give us one word about our next speaker, students said " legend", " present" "Sandra is what's the best thing about the course", and finally, how would you phrase someone that takes time to get to know everybody individually and remember them years later?

We are so delighted and proud to have the wonderful Sandra O 'Brien as our next Lunch and Learn speaker

Sandra O’Brien is a Senior Technical Officer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Limerick.  She completed her BA degree in Psychology from 2000-2003, followed by an MSc in Neuropharmacology from 2003-2005, both at the University of Galway (UoG). She took two years away from academia to work in a record shop before returning for two years, working as a Research and Teaching Assistant in Pharmacology at UoG, a Lecturer in Pharmacology in both TUS Athlone and UoG and a Technical Officer at UoG. She completed her PhD in Pharmacology, also at UoG, between 2009 and 2012. Spotting a pattern in her academic affiliations, she began her current role at UL in 2012. In her role as part of the Psychtech team, she is one of the contact points for technical expertise in the areas of Psychology research and teaching for 400 Undergraduates, 100 Masters students, 40 PhD students, 50 Clinical Psychology Trainees and 50 Staff.

Lunch & Learn: What's Next? Life after your psychology degree.

We’re absolutely delighted to kick off our first-ever Virtual Lunch & Learn Series with the University of Limerick Psychological Society! 

This series is all about exploring life after your psychology degree, featuring real stories, unexpected turns, challenges, and the opportunities that open up once you step beyond the classroom.

Each session, we’ll be joined by both past UL psychology students and other fantastic guests who all started exactly where you are now: with a passion for psychology. They’ve since gone on to take very different, and equally inspiring, career paths.

Our speakers will share their educational journeys, the decisions that shaped their careers, and what their day-to-day work actually looks like now. Whether you’re curious, confused, excited, or all of the above, this series is here to give you real insight, real guidance, and a whole lot of inspiration.

We can’t wait to learn, connect, and grow together. Let’s make this an amazing start to something special!

Lunch & Learn: What's Next? Life after your psychology degree.

Our next speaker, Michelle Cregg, is an HCPC-registered Consultant Forensic Psychologist and an accredited Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) Practitioner specialising in the assessment, formulation and treatment of individuals with complex psychosis, complex emotional needs and personality disorder. She currently works within a specialist Complex Psychosis Team in the NHS in England, where her practice integrates relational, developmental, and systems-level approaches to support individuals with high levels of clinical risk, psychosocial needs, and long-term functional impairment.
Michelle’s clinical and research interests centre on relational continuity and its role in promoting meaningful and sustained recovery for individuals with entrenched difficulties, including personality disorder and trauma-related presentations. She has a particular academic focus on how therapeutic relationships foster engagement, stabilise risk, and enhance long-term outcomes for people with complex and co-occurring needs. Her ongoing professional work also reflects a strong commitment to reducing health inequalities in psychological services, with specific emphasis on age and gender disparities in access, experience and treatment outcomes.
Alongside her clinical roles, Michelle is an experienced Expert Witness who provides specialist assessments for Parole Boards, Immigration Tribunals and statutory agencies. She is highly skilled in risk assessment, including structured professional judgement methods for violence and self-harm, and is frequently consulted by multi-agency panels on managing risk in culturally diverse and high-stakes contexts. Her experience spans forensic, prison, community and local authority settings, giving her a broad applied understanding of how clinical, legal and social systems intersect in the management of complex risk.
Originally from Roscommon, Michelle completed her BA in Psychology at NUI Maynooth, followed by an MSc in Forensic Psychology at London Metropolitan University. She subsequently completed the British Psychological Society Qualification in Forensic Psychology, achieving Chartership in 2012, and later undertook specialist training as a Cognitive Analytic Therapy Practitioner.
Michelle brings a distinctive combination of clinical expertise, academic curiosity and policy-relevant insight, making her well positioned to contribute to health and social-care and justice sectors. Her background equips her to support in the areas of:
• advanced risk assessment and management;
• service development for people with complex psychosis and personality disorder;
• expert evidence to inform high-stakes decision-making;
• development and evaluation of trauma-informed and relationally informed practice;
• teaching, supervision and research collaboration.
Her work is shaped by a commitment to high-quality, recovery-oriented care and a strong belief in the value of evidence-based, relationally driven psychological practice.

We can’t wait to learn, connect, and grow together. Let’s make this an amazing start to something special!

Our speakers will share their educational journeys, the decisions that shaped their careers, and what their day-to-day work actually looks like now. Whether you’re curious, confused, excited, or all of the above, this series is here to give you real insight, real guidance, and a whole lot of inspiration.

Each session, we’ll be joined by both past UL psychology students and other fantastic guests who all started exactly where you are now: with a passion for psychology. They’ve since gone on to take very different, and equally inspiring, career paths.

This series is all about exploring life after your psychology degree, featuring real stories, unexpected turns, challenges, and the opportunities that open up once you step beyond the classroom.

We’re absolutely delighted to kick off our first-ever Virtual Lunch & Learn Series with the University of Limerick Psychological Society!