| Level | File |
| Ref No | AUD/002/OHP 146 |
| Title | Kalus, Christine - Recording |
| Date | 8 February 2017 |
| Extent | 1 CD |
| Physical Description | Digital disk |
| Description | MP3 and Wav sound recording transferred to CD of an oral history interview with Christine Kalus (1944-) by Peter Barnes. c. 90 minutes 8 February 2017 at her home in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Childhood: adopted as a baby, moved home a lot as a child. At fifteen father left and went to Canada, telling her to leave school and sell the house but job fell through. Too late to go back to school. Went to College to take O levels, was married with first child by 18. Had counselling at the college learning about therapy. Was going to do volunteering work but mentor died. Did A levels at an FE college - Ecology, English and Politics but hated Politics as South Downs College - eccentric teachers begged to do Psychology even though did not have mathematics and so dropped politics. The lack of mathematics made it difficult to take a psychology degree so encouraged to do Cultural Studies instead at Portsmouth Polytechnic. Passionate about psychology and so John Dennis (the head of department) let her take the degree. Advised that could not do clinical because lacked resilience and so it was hard to get a job in late 1970s but got a stepping stone job. Working with adults at St James'. Enjoyed applying theory into practice. Did obligatory courses in Surrey - masters course.
Took a role in Winchester - older adults with mental health problems - new team. Set up a reminiscence room with items she bought in the market. After three years came back to Portsmouth - working with old people. Teaching in gerontology at Southampton and at Open University on dying and death. Developed video assisted training programme helping staff to cope with bereavement - aimed at nurses and health professionals. By early 1990s consultant psychologists but St James became a difficult place to work and so moved to hospice (Rowans) in Purbrooke in 1994 - the first full time palliative care psychologist. The first patient arrived before they had any sheets - a nurse provided some from her own home.
Set up bereavement training course which lasted six months. Stayed at Purbrooke for eighteen years. Ran roadshows around the country. Member of the Bereavement Research Forum. Many groups did not include Clinical Psychologists. Special Interest Group in Oncology and Palliative Care. Did training overseas including Israel and Hong Kong. Specialist advisor for the BPS - helping to influence job specification and service. 2004 expert witness in Joffe Assisted Dying bill. Euthanasia. 2011 Expert witness at DEMOS. Once retired never went back to hospice. |
| Format | Digital Disk |
| Notes | The History of Psychology Centre is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our users. Be aware that our catalogue contains historic terminology relating to mental health which could be considered offensive. The terminology exists within the original record and has been retained to inform users on viewpoints at the time. It in no way reflects the attitudes of the cataloguers or the British Psychological Society. |
| Sound level is very low - listen at full volume. |
| Language | English |
| AccessConditions | Authorised Users. View by Appointment |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Location | 13: BPS History of Psychology Centre, London |
| Term | Palliative care |
| Counselling |
| Copyright | Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation. Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of the History of Psychology Centre and Archives and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material |
| Rules | Description compiled in line with the following: ISAD (G) General International Standard Archival Description MAD3 Third Edition 2000 |
| ArchNote | Compiled by Claire Jackson Archivist for the History of Psychology Centre. |