Lisa's PhD explores the impact of trauma on the lives of criminal justice-involved women who have used violence. Lisa is designing and applying a trauma-informed methodology to capture the experiences and biopsychosocial processes which provide context for understanding women who have used violence, the worlds they live in, the motivation behind their use of violence, and the interventions required to improve the quality of their lives.

Introduction

In the neoliberal university, which heavily markets itself on values of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), mental health awareness campaigns are regularly flaunted throughout higher education (HE) institutions. Being seen to challenge mental health stigma with messages like ‘it's okay not to be okay’ is a popular business strategy. However, accepting poor mental health as ‘just the way it is’ prevents critical enquiry into the multiple, often socio-economic factors which generate and maintain suffering and inequality among some of the most disadvantaged sections of society. The chronic destitution endured by many with complex trauma is not ‘okay’, and within the backdrop of a culture which insists ‘mental health matters’, there appears to be little genuine enthusiasm within UK universities to acknowledge and actively tackle the structural part they play in sustaining this adversity.

This chapter, written in the third person, is a critical and personal reflection on the systemic and cultural barriers faced by a PhD student with complex trauma, in particular reference to the importance of building trust and safety in supervisory relationships.