Who I am

My name is Jacob Maspero Bottaio and I am a trainee clinical psychologist and dual-perspective specialist with a particular interest in how we make sense of psychological distress.

Alongside my training, I write about the intersect of psychology and my own lived experiences, and the lessons this can teach us about academic and applied psychology.

The reason I began this website was in order to host a blog. I wanted to begin writing a blog that would allow me to blend all areas of my learning and synthesise these in a place that was free from the constraints of typical academic or professional writing.

This idea came to me after I appeared on ‘The Aspiring Psychologist Podcast’ with Dr Marianne Trent and a cascade of in-person and virtual reflections were shared with me by my peers. I wanted a place to continue these important conversations on.

My personal journey of growing-up in care reminds me to value the lessons I have learned along the way. My professional journey reminds me of the need for these lived experiences to be better reflected in public discourse around psychological distress, which is a particular area of interest of mine.

For now, I continue my journey as a trainee clinical psychologist, which admittedly takes up most of my time. However, I find enjoyment in continuing to do my bit, where time warrants, to represent the majority of practitioners who have lived experiences but may find it too risky to reflect on these publicly.

I hope you find value in connecting with me and my work, and please do feel free to reach out.