Dr Sarah Robins-Hobden, CPsychol, MISCP Accred, MIoL, FHEA
I’m Sarah – coaching psychologist and researcher developer. I help people identify the gap between where they are, and where they want to be – and then support them to close it. I am a Chartered Psychologist, ISCP Accredited Coaching Psychologist, Member of the Institute of Leadership, and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
The short story
After gaining my doctorate as a mature student, I progressed to teaching undergraduates, then segued into Researcher Development, before moving into learning consultancy.
Having dabbled in roles such as groom, horticultural secretary, DJ, telesales, NVQ assessor, and IT technician, I embarked on a formal education in my late twenties. I arrived at the University of Sussex in 2002 as a mature undergraduate, and liked it so much they were unable to get rid of me until 2014, by which time I’d also gained a PhD in Psychology and a PGCertHE.
With the unwavering support and encouragement of a previous line-manager – whose belief in me was greater than my belief in myself – I set about becoming a freelance coach and researcher developer. That was eleven years ago, thus making this the longest period of time I have ever spent in one ‘job’.
My love of learning has continued and even picked up in pace. I hold an Advanced Certificate in Coaching Psychology, and a Primary Certificate in Coaching Psychology Supervision.
If you think we may have synergies or might work together, I’d love to hear from you – please contact me.
The long story
My ‘career path’ has been one of discovery and serendipitous happenstance, propelled by making some good (and some not so good) decisions, often drawing on reserves of courage I didn’t always believe I had.
I left school at 16 with a single GCSE (in Horsemanship) and an unshakable belief that there was no place in the round-hole educational system for a square-peg person like me.
So off I went to agricultural college, where I learned horsemanship, and – two years later and against emphatic advice – shorthand and typing.
In my late twenties, after discovering I was quite good with computers, I found myself drawn back to learning on my own terms. I started with adult evening classes (HNC in Computing; Maths GCSE) and progressing along a zig-zag path with no clear plan, I gained my PhD in Psychology in 2012.
I learned a lot about myself: I learned that I could learn.
And I loved it.
While writing up my thesis I decided a linear research-career path was not for me. Instead, I pursued the aspects of my HE experiences that I found most rewarding: learning, teaching, and development.
I taught on undergraduate psychology programmes and International summer schools. I mentored new students. I immersed myself in every aspect of learning and development, spotted gaps in provision for doctoral researchers and designed training programmes and materials that addressed them. I gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (PGCertHE).
I learned more about myself: I learned that I could teach.
And I loved it.
Along the way I accumulated 12 years experience in the hallowed halls of learning that we know as HE: as student, researcher, tutor, and researcher developer.
Moving into consultancy, I discovered the power of working with individuals as well as with groups. I learned coaching skills, and how to integrate them into group training. I practiced stepping back and allowing people the space and framework for creating their own learning journey, and to support them while they do this. I saw how powerful this was for learners.
I learned even more about myself: I learned I could enable and empower others to learn.
And I love it.
And then came a side-quest. I took up archery 2 years ago to take refuge whilst I was dealing with a personal loss. My bow-and-arrow journey has been a wonderful lesson in the parallels between archery and learning. Archery doesn’t require a specific body shape or fitness level. You can start any time in life and do really well – age is not a significant disadvantage when embarking on the sport. It is accessible to all, and there’s a growing body of archers and coaches determined to make it even more so.
And often there’s a strong sense of community. Archers stand on the same shooting line, but they shoot for their own target, and often the competition is not just with others but with our ourselves. It’s an activity where the participants don’t necessarily have a common goal, but collectively they have a goal-in-common.
I’m now on the path to becoming an Archery GB licensed coach.
And of course, I love it.
My experiences have convinced me that learning and development happen at every stage in life, providing you are willing, supported, and challenged to:
- understand yourself better
- identify opportunities
- source support
- draw on your courage
- experiment
I am delighted to be working in the nexus of my passion and my purpose. To support others in their own development journeys, wherever they may be headed, is an honour.
Oddities about me:
- The first careers advice I ever received was “never learn to type”. I ignored it, and learned shorthand as well.
- My barebow is named Binky, and my longbow is called Esme.
- One of my thumb joints is hyper-mobile: I can make weird shapes with my hand.
- I love the smell of old books, and get disproportionately excited about unwrapping new stationery.
- The scariest talk I’ve given was about my doctoral research to an audience of 15-year-old pupils at a school. The best question I’ve ever been asked was at the same event by one of those pupils… “but why?”.
- I frequently trip over my own feet for no discernible reason.
- I have finally achieved a tongue-in-cheek goal of having more letters after my name, than within it.