Former BBC broadcaster, child therapist and author Kate Silverton delivered an inspirational talk to students, staff and external practitioners to celebrate 50 years of Psychology at Manchester Met.
Silverton visited Manchester Met to speak at a special celebration event to mark 50 years of Psychology which featured interactive activities, exhibitions, and discussions.
In conversation with Professor Marc Jones and reflecting on her impressive career journey, Silverton discussed her bold career change in 2021 stepping back from journalism to return to her love of psychology, becoming a qualified child therapist and bestselling author of the influential parenting books There’s Still No Such Thing As ‘Naughty’ 2024 and There’s No Such Thing As ‘Naughty’ 2021 which offer an evidence based and trauma informed approach to understanding children’s behaviour.
She was the first in her family to go to university and inspired by her father’s work ethic, decided to follow her passion for social mobility and study Psychology: “I was very interested in exploring what makes people tick and what makes us human. This curiosity of people and understanding people really played into my journalism career.”
Silverton is best known for her work with the BBC covering major global events including conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, presenting flagship news programmes, covering the Oscars and Hollywood, as well as hitting the dancefloor with an appearance on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
She spoke about her contributions to child psychology, her voluntary work with children’s mental health charities Place2Be, The Anna Freud Centre, and Trauma Informed Schools UK, and how motherhood and her own experience of trauma have shaped her current work supporting children’s emotional wellbeing and helping parents to build stronger, more empathetic relationships with children.
During her talk, Silverton gave some valuable advice to psychology students: “My advice would be to always be curious about yourself above and beyond anything else. By staying curious and doing that personal work, it really allows your passion and calling to come through. When you follow your heart and your calling, you’ll be able to make a difference to the world and people’s lives.”
Following her talk, Silverton joined a lively panel discussion alongside Nicola Ray, Professor of Neuroscience at Manchester Met, Dr Jon Sutton, Editor of The Psychologist, Andy Spinoza, author of Manchester Unspun, and Cassidy Pickeril, Psychology PhD student at Manchester Met.
Looking ahead to the future, the thought-provoking discussion explored what the next 50 years of psychology might look like, and the panel welcomed questions from the audience around this topic.
The celebratory events also included interactive displays and installations in Brooks building reflecting on the Psychology department’s rich history and impactful research.
This includes pioneering research into endometriosis and pain, the use of wearable ‘headcams’ to shed light on complex teen emotion, and ‘digital twin brain’ technology to revolutionise Parkinson’s treatment.
Dr Jo Ashby, Head of Psychology at Manchester Met, said: “It was wonderful for Kate to join us in celebrating 50 years of Psychology at Manchester Met. Kate took us on an insightful journey through her remarkable career and it was a joy to hear about how she returned to her lifelong passion of psychology. Her valuable contributions to this field are an inspiration to us all.
“It was fantastic to come together and celebrate the achievements of the School of Psychology as well reflecting on what the next 50 years could look like. Our School is leading the way in solving some of society’s most pressing challenges through our pioneering research and education where students are at the heart of everything we do. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.”
