Where do you get your educational passion from?
‘’Teaching my field of expertise, child and adolescent psychiatry, is for me a way of contributing to good care for families facing mental health issues. This is sorely needed, because, unfortunately, mental health issues are common, often begin at an early age and, if one is unlucky, can persist throughout one’s life. They are also closely linked to physical health problems. Translating the knowledge I have been fortunate enough to gain about the development of mental health in such a way that it is accessible and applicable within the wider healthcare system is, at the same time, an honour, an enormous challenge and a lesson in humility.’’
What do you hope to pass on to students?
‘’Well, the other day I was running a seminar for a group of students I’d also taught a year earlier. When I asked if they remembered anything from last time, I was met mainly with blank stares. In the last three minutes, one of them suddenly said: ‘’Hey, I think you mentioned that last time too.” I suppose a bit of modesty is called for.
But of course I would love it if students were to take away the key messages from my teaching: that everyone’s mental health fluctuates to some extent; that our childhood experiences, together with genetic predisposition, play a significant role in the development of serious psychiatric disorders; and that this vulnerability is often passed down within families and across generations. At the same time, I hope they take away the realisation that psychiatric disorders, just like other medical conditions, can sometimes be effectively treated. This can create space for growth and development once again and improve quality of life.’’
What did you learn from your students?
‘’Every single time I teach, I’m asked a question to which I haven’t yet found the answer. That ensures that I, too, continue to learn from the next generation of students about my subject, in which nobody has all the answers. The fancy term for this is mutual-transgenerational learning. That concept fits in well with what I’ve learnt about parenting from child and adolescent psychiatry. Children naturally learn a great deal from their parents, but every parent knows that, as you go along, you can also learn an enormous amount from your children: about yourself, about them, but also about specific things or about how to cope with life.’’
What are you proud of as a lecturer?
‘’Usually, when I’m teaching, I manage to engage students, encourage them to think for themselves and get them actively involved. Recently, I was asked to run a seminar on psychiatric interview techniques on a Friday afternoon. I arrived a little early and happened to overhear three students in the corridor saying to each other that they really didn’t fancy it at all, and how pointless and useless these seminars always are. When, an hour and a half later, they’re enthusiastically discussing what they’ve learnt and walking out the door with a smile, then my weekend will be great.”
What would you like to try out again in your teaching?
“There are a few things I’d like to try out in the coming years in the field of psychiatric education. We are currently launching an educational intervention in partnership with MIND (a charity dedicated to promoting better mental health in the Netherlands) that focuses on experiential expertise, in which we encourage students to empathise with others experiencing mental health issues, to link this to their own experiences, and to apply this insight to their role as care providers. In the longer term, I’d like to develop a tool for personalised online simulation and conversation techniques. Also on my wish list is a form of cross-cultural case discussion, where contact with doctors (in training) from other countries can help students to better understand the effects of our culture on mental health and the healthcare system.’’