Dr Rebecca Yeates
- Position: Lecturer in Clinical Psychology
- Areas of expertise: workplace wellbeing; organisational psychology; gender diversity; chronic health conditions; third-wave psychological approaches.
- Email: R.A.Yeates@leeds.ac.uk
- Location: 10.95 Level 10 Worsley Building
Profile
I am a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and Academic Tutor on the Clinical Psychology Training Programme at the University of Leeds.
I also work clinically in the NHS as Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s lead psychologist for staff wellbeing.
Research interests
Broadly, my research interests fall within the area of how an individual’s identity relates to their mental health.
Most recently, as part of a research group at the University of Sheffield, I have been investigating what factors support young people to cope with an aspect of their identity, a chronic health condition. As part of a grant funded by Crohn’s and Colitis UK, we have investigated whether cultivating self-compassion in a psychological intervention, as an adjunct intervention to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), can reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life in young people diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Since working clinically at the NHS Gender Identity Development Service as a Clinical Psychologist between 2017-2021, I have also been committed to supporting research which can help improve the psychological wellbeing of young gender diverse people. This has included identifying psychological constructs, such as self-compassion, which can potentially support coping efforts before and during gender exploration and/or transition and assessing the quality of clinical decision making resources and procedures.
I am particularly interested to hear from individuals interested in conducting projects in this area with this shared goal.
My most recent area of interest stems from my clinical post in the NHS; healthcare staff wellbeing. I am interested in designing and evaluating workplace interventions which can support healthcare staff’s emotional wellbeing, recognising the significant challenges they face at present. I am also interested in identifying the organisational and system-based factors which can impede or assist the implementation of such interventions.
Recent/current research supervision
- Ellen Tomlinson (2021-24): Self-compassion and ‘burnout’ in UK oncology nurses
- Rachael Jones (2021-24): How do staff working in gender diverse and eating disorder clinical services construct co-occuring gender diversity and eating difficulties
- Karmen Au-Yeung (2021-24): Environmental scan of publically avaliable resources for the use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues (puberty blockers) in young gender diverse people
- Thomas Carter (2021-24): Does gender and sexuality discourse relate to bisexual mens construction and experience of their mental health
- Elizabeth Warden (2020-23, Sheffield): Experiences of accessing societal instutions in relation to the identities of trans youth
- Scott Roache (2020-23): Exploring individual’s experience of parenting a gender diverse young person
- Chloe Lack (2019-22): Trait self-compassion and psychological outcomes in gender diverse young people
- Eva Ma (2019-22): Experiences of social transition in young people assigned male at birth
- Bethany Carrington (2019-22): Understanding non-improvement in psychological therapy: A qualitative meta-synthesis
- Annie Wray (2018-21, Sheffield): Self-compassion for parents of children with IBD
Research Grants
- Crohn's & Colitis UK. Rowse, G., Yeates, R., Sirois, F., Brooks, A., & Lobo, A. A pilot and feasibility trial of a group mindfulness and self-compassion intervention for young people diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. (awarded in 2018). £118,000
Qualifications
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) - University of Sheffield, 2017
- Masters in Applied Forensic Psychology (Msc) - University of York, 2010
- Psychology and Philosophy (Bsc, Hons), University of Leeds, 2008
Professional memberships
- Health and Care Professions Council
Research groups and institutes
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences