精东传媒

June 1, 2020

Top psychology graduate working to address mental health stigma

Thomas Rout awarded 精东传媒 Medal for outstanding academic achievements

Thomas Rout鈥檚 drive to study psychology has been shaped by the experiences of those around him.

Seeing some of his family and friends grapple with mental illness left a lasting impression on Thomas, who wanted to do what he could to make an impact in this growing area.

鈥淭hroughout high school, I wasn鈥檛 sure what I wanted to do or to study. I was thinking about medicine and health. A lot of people close to me were experiencing mental health issues, and there was a lot about it in the media,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a huge area of concern and it鈥檚 going to be even more relevant in the future.鈥�

Thomas was the first in his family to attend university. Now, after graduating from the 精东传媒 of 精东传媒 (UOW) with a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), he is undertaking a PhD exploring the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety.

It is a tremendous achievement and proof that Thomas has found his passion. 

While he originally had planned to become a counsellor, once he started studying, Thomas discovered a love of research that has seen him pivot to a PhD. His thesis, under the supervision of Associate Professor Adam Clarke and Professor Robert Barry, is examining how mindfulness and guided meditation change brain patterns that are commonly associated with anxiety. 

鈥淧sychology is such a broad area, there are so many different areas that can be studied,鈥� he said.

鈥淢y research is looking at people experiencing high levels of anxiety. Research has shown that guided meditation may change a person鈥檚 physiological symptoms, but often people don鈥檛 have the money or the time to take part in an intensive mindfulness program.

鈥淗elping people with the tools to do their own mindfulness-based stress reduction and guided meditation seems to be lower effort and more beneficial to the everyday person.

鈥淓ventually, I want to work with people with anxiety disorders. they often really struggle and it can affect their day to day lives. I have seen people with anxiety at the peak of their suffering, and it takes time, but with the right support, they can manage their anxiety.鈥� 

Thomas has thrived at UOW; upon graduation, he received the 精东传媒 Medal for the School of Psychology for his academic achievements. He also made the Dean鈥檚 Merit List every year of his degree. 

He attributes his success to hard work, the help of his family and friends, and the support of the Woolyungah Indigenous Centre at UOW.

鈥淲hen I received the 精东传媒 Medal, I was really proud of myself.  It felt like a lot of years of hard work had been recognised. My family were really impressed with me,鈥� Thomas said.

鈥淚鈥檓 really thankful to my family and friends for being a source of support when uni was tough. They helped me to keep a level head when things were intense.

鈥淲oolyungah has been awesome throughout my degree and checked in with me often. They gave me a scholarship in 2018 which really helped to set me up for that year.鈥�

While Thomas believes the stigma attached to mental health is reducing, he said there is still a long way to go and that comes down to talking openly about the problems that life can present.

鈥淭here is still a long way to go, but we are definitely taking steps in the right direction to reduce stigma around mental health,鈥� Thomas said.

鈥淢ental health should be viewed the same as physical health. It鈥檚 becoming a more normal and accepted part of life, and there is no shame in speaking out and getting help. Some people experience issues and need support to get through, and we need to push back against the stigma so there is no hesitation to reach out for support.鈥�