Rachel Whyte
Exploring the hidden challenges of eating disorder recovery, Rachel Whyte, a NIHR BRC: Maudsley PhD student, is investigating why some people may face increased risk during recovery and how lived experience can help shape safer, more responsive care.
I wanted to pursue a PhD at the NIHR Maudsley BRC because it emphasises translational research and strives to make a real-world impact. The BRC also focuses on improving outcomes for individuals with severe and enduring mental health difficulties. Additionally, it hosts top researchers and encourages collaboration with experts by experience, both of which I could learn so much from. This aligned perfectly with my research interests and what I wanted to achieve.
My research looks at something that is rarely talked about in eating disorders, sometimes people can feel worse, or be at greater risk, when they are in ‘recovery’. We typically think of recovery as a positive and hopeful time, but for some individuals with eating disorders, it can also be a time of high vulnerability.
As people start to regain their physical health, this might cause changes in their treatment. For example, with treatment being reduced they might face difficult feelings around forming an identity outside of their eating disorder. They may also experience a loss of coping strategies for negative feelings which the eating disorder used to provide. In some cases, this can lead individuals to thoughts of self-harm or suicide during recovery.
My research looks at understanding if self-harm and suicide risk is heightened in the recovery period and the factors underlying these behaviours. Recovery should not be a time when people feel more alone, and research is not currently addressing this important problem. By being in recovery from an eating disorder, individuals have already been through so much and so have their families. If we can better understand the hidden challenges in recovery, we can improve how people are supported, making recovery not only possible, but safer and more sustainable.
After experiencing some negative life events in my younger years, I always wanted to understand why people reacted differently to things and the way they did, so that was my initial driver for pursuing psychology.
I’m an empathetic person and believe this aligns with mental health research- especially qualitatively- and it allows me to appreciate the nuance in things more easily.
I first studied psychology at A-level, and I loved how it gave me new insight into the world and people. This carried on through my undergraduate study and especially during my MSc in Clinical Psychology where I realised my knowledge could really be used to help people. In my first research role at King’s, my then line manager at the King’s Centre for Military Health Researcher- encouraged me to pursue this studentship and was very positive about my application. It is easy to doubt yourself or worry about lack of experience, but her support really gave me confirmation and belief that I was ready to move to the next stage in my career.
Being successful in getting my PhD studentship has been a highlight of my academic journey so far. My PhD supervisors have been extremely supportive and having a positive environment makes you enjoy your work more. At the start of my second year, I was offered a place on the King’s Parliamentary Research Internship Program. Working in the House of Lords has been a surreal and amazing experience.
I hope my work will encourage others to reconceptualise recovery as a complex and vulnerable period, rather than assuming improvement in eating disorder symptoms reduces mortality risk. By bringing lived experience perspectives into my research, I hope to help shape more nuanced clinical understanding and inform more responsive care practices. Ultimately, I hope my research contributes to earlier recognition of risk factors for suicidality, improved support during recovery, and a shift towards approaches that prioritise both eating disorder recovery and patient well-being together.
My biggest piece of advice would be to be passionate about what you're researching for your PhD. Also be open to continuous learning and the opportunities that arise whilst you’re completing your PhD. For example, opportunities such as teaching, placements, and presenting your work.
After completing my PhD, I intend to stay in academia. My doctoral research sets out the groundwork to inform an intervention, so I would very much like to continue this research in a post doc. This could possibly include intervention development and feasibility testing.
Diversity in academia
Diversity in academia means creating a space where regardless of individual backgrounds, lived experiences or characteristics, everyone is valued for their input. Diversity can bring new perspectives that ultimately can result in more meaningful research.
Women are significantly underrepresented in senior academic and leadership roles despite making up a lot of the early career roles, so steps towards making this more equal would be positive. Additional transparent progression pathways would be beneficial and remove a lot of uncertainty.