From advertising to psychology

Vicki Williams

After 15 years in the television industry, Vicki Williams changed track and undertook a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University. Upon completing her undergraduate degree with honours in 2003, Williams jumped straight into her PhD.

It was her years of work in advertising, programming and publicity that provided Williams with the skills to see her successfully complete her degree. “Those years were great fun but hard work,” she says. “The most valuable skill I took away from that work was a great time-management skill. When every second counts for something as it does in television, you do become very focused on the use of time.”

Role of positive emotions on health and wellbeing

Williams’ PhD topic is the role of positive emotions on stress and health. She has given herself three years to complete her study with plans to submit her thesis in early 2007.

“My thesis aims to investigate the role of the discrete positive emotions of joy and interest in stress regulation and health protection in adults,” she says.

Previous research estimates that between 40 and 60 percent of visits to a general practitioner are associated with symptoms that are emotion-related.

Williams will conduct a number of studies with people from across Sydney to analyse the physiological impact of cumulative, chronic experiences of the discrete emotions of joy and interest. She will particularly look into emotion experience, personality, as well as behavioural and physiological responses to laboratory stressors.

“At the end of this degree I will be an expert in the area of positive emotion, stress, and health,” she says.

Studying at Macquarie

Macquarie University has proved to be a successful place to study for Williams who has received great support from her supervisors and fellow students.

“All you have to do is ask!” says Williams. “Of course I couldn’t forget the Library, all of the staff at the Library are absolutely outstanding.”

The biggest highlight for Williams so far has not been of the academic kind. “The friendships that I’ve established during my time at Macquarie will last a lifetime.”

Future plans

Williams aspires to gain registration as a psychologist and would like to have the best of practice, teaching and research. “Ultimately, I’d like to continue research and teaching, and be involved in a ‘stress clinic’ that provided multi-disciplinary care and education for stress management,” she says. “I think that the opportunities to work in the area of health promotion will continue to increase over the coming years as the health system buckles under the pressure of stress-related illnesses, and as the aging population increases.”

There have been a number of positives for Williams since undertaking her new ‘career’ the most surprising has been of the personal kind. “There is something inherent in the process of doing a research degree that unexpectedly promotes personal growth,” says Williams. “I think that it is a privilege to be doing a PhD and I look forward to the remainder of the degree.”

For further information contact Williams’s supervisor Julie Fitness:julie.fitness@psy.mq.edu.au

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