Personal Journey

My journey into aviation psychology was inspired by my experiences as a commercial pilot. I'm an airline pilot's daughter so I'm afraid that wasn't a very original career choice. I grew up being invited to the flight deck on every holiday flight and became determined to fly myself.

Shortly after I started flying as a commercial pilot, I decided that people in aviation were fascinating and that it would be amazing to combine flying with a more formal people focussed role. Spending your working life in the flight deck forges unusually meaningful short term connections and sometimes shapes conversations into what pilots sometimes call "mini therapy sessions". Being younger then and slightly naive in terms of how the industry worked, I thought that meant I should aim to become an airline manager. So I applied for and was accepted on the MSc in Air Transport Management at City University, London.

It's a fabulous course, and one of the first things it taught me was that I really didn't want to be an airline manager! When you start to look at aviation management, so many roles force managers to move away from people and manage on finance, KPIs and numbers. That's a great fit for many superb managers I know, but it's not for me. One of the great things about that MSc is that it offers a range of elective modules which cover an astonishing range of elements of aviation management. Fortunately for me, there were some aviation psychology modules. I was hooked and decided to complete the MSc with a psychology based project and then qualify as a psychologist myself.

Dear reader, I did qualify. I completed my undergraduate studies with the Open University and was then accepted on the Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (DPsych) at City University. At that stage (remember this was before the infamous GermanWings incident created a sharp focus on pilot mental health) I had become intrigued by the possibility that pilots might need specific types of psychological support because of the lifestyle they experience. My initial plan was to work on one very niche focus - pilot mental health. In the post GermanWings era, regulation and good management demands good specialist assessment and treatment for aviation professionals with mental health concerns. I offer a unique set of skills and experience to help support this.

The DPsych is another amazing - and all consuming - course. It's a combination of theoretical training, practical placements and a doctoral research project. One of my initial placements was in the counselling service of a very psychology aware GP practice and I had a period there where I was working predominantly with people who were affected by cancer or desperately worried about loved ones in that situation. I found it a privilege to work with people affected by cancer and came to love that psychological speciality too. My doctoral research became a project on the experience of therapists who work in this area.

After qualifying, which enabled me to register with the Health and Care Professions Council and use the protected title Counselling Psychologist, I was lucky enough to start working in an NHS Clinical Health Psychology Service on the basis of my research interests. Here I focussed on Oncology, Palliative Care and ME/CFS. I left that service only to give myself the opportunity to work in private practice and use both "strings" of my specialist expertise.

Along the way, I have been lucky enough to teach psychological skills to healthcare professionals and psychologists about working with aviation professionals. I have contributed to books, academic papers and international conferences. I now offer the specialist services you see on these pages.

Do get in touch.

Why Choose Dr. Margaret Oakes?

• For Aviation Professionals: As both a psychologist and a pilot, I bring a unique perspective to my practice in aviation psychology , allowing me to provide rapid assessment and treatment that fits your needs and the regulatory environment.

• For those with life limiting illness: My passion and experience in offering specialist support means I can offer appropriate and compassionate care.

• Comprehensive Care: My approach integrates thorough assessments with personalized therapy, addressing both immediate concerns and long-term mental health strategies.

• Empathy and Support: My personal and professional experiences enable me to offer empathetic and effective support, creating a safe space for clients to explore their concerns