Published Date: 17 March, 2023
International Day of Happiness is dedicated to spreading joy and improving mental health around the world. It’s a reminder that happiness is not something we can achieve in one single moment, but rather it’s an ongoing journey. To mark this day, we spoke to a DataFlow applicant and clinical psychologist, Dr. Charlotte Cousins, about the importance of happiness in people’s lives and why communities, employers, and organizations must continue promoting happiness and well-being.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Dr. Charlotte Cousins. I’m a Clinical Psychologist. I work at Sage Clinics. I’m originally from the UK. I trained in the UK and have recently moved over to Dubai.
I specialize in working with children, adolescents, and families experiencing mental health difficulties, neurodevelopmental difficulties, or difficulties attending school. I also specialize in working with women and men during pregnancy and the postnatal period, where there might be difficulties in adjusting to parenthood or bonding with the baby.
What key message would you like to send our viewers for International Day of Happiness?
A key message that I would like to send to the viewers for International Day of Happiness is that happiness is a journey, not a destination. Often we have unrealistic and unhelpful views of what happiness is, and we strive for something that is unattainable.
Happiness is not a state of being or a way of feeling that’s permanent. Happiness is a feeling that is felt to varying degrees and comes and goes over time, as with all other emotions. So, happiness exists and can only be experienced alongside all other emotions. So, a key piece of advice I would give to anyone that wants to feel happier is to start looking and cherishing any small amounts of happiness during each day. These might be small things like feeling the sun on your face or a hug from a loved one. The more we look out for and cherish these experiences, we start to notice these feelings of happiness regularly throughout each day.
What measures are you or your organization taking to raise mental health awareness?
The theme for International Day of Happiness is ‘Keep Calm, Stay Wise and Be Kind’. At Sage clinics, we’re passionate about improving people’s mental health and helping them to lead a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life. We do this in a range of ways. Our Sage Team comprises international specialists that include psychiatrists, clinical and educational psychologists, therapists, counselors, occupational therapists, and a dietitian. Collectively, we bring decades of experience and work as an integrated team using evidence-based practice to deliver the best outcomes for every individual and family or group that we work with. In addition to the treatment we offer within our clinic, we also offer a wide range of talks, workshops, training, and teaching sessions on topics related to mental health for various audiences, such as parents, schools, and corporate organizations.
What prompted you to choose this career?
From a very young age, I was absolutely fascinated by people. I used to spend a lot of time people-watching and was really intrigued by what people were doing. I desperately tried to understand why people said and did the things that they did.
Would you recommend a career as a clinical psychologist?
Yes, absolutely. I think it is an absolute privilege and incredibly rewarding to be able to work alongside someone and be a part of their journey to better health, whether that’s physical or mental health.
Happiness is a way of living, being, and serving communities and society. Does your role accommodate that?
Yes, I would really hope so. My role involves supporting individuals and their families to be the best versions of themselves and the versions that they really want to be.
What makes you happy?
I really try and practice what I preach. And so, for me, it’s the small things in life that make me happy. This includes spending time with my family and friends, enjoying being outside in the sunshine, and connecting with nature.
How has DataFlow supported your career as a clinical psychologist?
I first heard about DataFlow when I was offered my job here in Dubai. I used DataFlow to verify all my documents and get licensed here and in Dubai. DataFlow was incredibly helpful for me.
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