A Level Psychology trip provokes much food for thought

A two-day A Level Psychology trip to the Freud Museum and the Bethlem Museum of the Mind was an insightful opportunity for students to question the methods of Freud and to explore the complexity of mental health issues and their treatment.

A talk about the history of Freud's work and the psychoanalytic approach he conducted in the treatment room of his splendid London home was hugely engaging. Students had an opportunity to question his approach and the methods of free association, whilst seeing his iconic therapy couch, which still resides within the Museum.

The Museum visit was followed by an evening performance of the Life of Pi, seen from the dizzying heights of the Grand Circle of the Wyndham Theatre. It was a dramatic and deeply moving performance, which students found:

'Fascinating to watch, especially in relation to the visit to the Freud Museum and the contents of our Psychology course, as it depicts how the mind can alter memories to make them easier to handle and more approachable.'

An appreciation of the complexity and range of mental illnesses was enhanced by a visit to the Bethlem Museum of the Mind, where students learned how illnesses were first identified, and how the range of possible diagnoses has subsequently grown from just two to over 200 different conditions.

Read the students' own account, to learn about Freud's false jaw and other interesting snippets from the trip.