Dr Lucy Prodgers
- Position: Lecturer in Psychological and Social Medicine
- Areas of expertise: Qualitative research; critical health psychology; dialogical, narrative and arts-based methods; patient experiences of chronic illness and "invisible" conditions; social media data analysis
- Email: L.Prodgers@leeds.ac.uk
- Location: Level 10 Worsley Building
- Website: Twitter | LinkedIn | Researchgate | ORCID
Profile
I am a Chartered Psychologist and Lecturer in Psychological and Social Medicine at the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, where my research centres on the lived experiences of individuals with chronic illness, with a particular focus on "invisible" conditions. My work explores how individuals use stories to make sense of themselves, their symptoms and their changing identities in relation to ill health. Drawing from an interdisciplinary foundation in Psychology and English, I specialise in qualitative research utilising critical, narrative, and dialogical approaches, as well as creative and arts-based methodologies. My research incorporates both primary data and secondary sources, such as social media content, to enrich understanding of personal illness stories over time. I am also co-lead of the Qualitative Reflective Practice Group, a friendly network of around 160 researchers interested in qualitative methods.
Before joining the University, I gained substantial experience working with individuals affected by long-term physical health conditions, particularly those with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. I have received training in person-centred counselling and served as a facilitator for the NHS Expert Patient Programme.
As someone navigating multiple chronic illnesses myself, I bring a strong emphasis on researcher subjectivity and reflexivity to my work, which enriches my approach to understanding and representing the nuanced realities of living with chronic illness.
Qualifications
- PhD Psychology (Awarded with research excellence)
- MPhil English Literature
- MSc Psychology (conversion)
- MA English Studies
- BA English Lit/Lang
Professional memberships
- Chartered member of the British Psychological Society
- FHEA
- International Society of Critical Health Psychology
Student education
I presently teach on Individuals and Populations 1 & 2 on the MBChB programme and supervise on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
Doctoral Supervision:
- Fabiola Guerra, Exploring the perspectives on menstrual health among mental health practitioners working with young people in community settings, DClin
- Sarah Jewers, DClin
- Anna McNulty, What is the experience of individual psychological therapy for cisgender women with endometriosis?, DClin
Research groups and institutes
- Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
- Psychological and Social Medicine