Patricia Murray, Organisational Psychologist Posted on February 27, 2023 by planirl

Patricia Murray is Organisational Psychologist at the Health and Safety Authority, where she manages the agency’s mental health at work programme nationally.

This means developing and promoting tools – Codes of Practice, reports, research and guidance - to be used within Irish organisations to promote healthier and safer workplaces and  hopefully happier and higher performing  people.

Patricia holds an Honours degree in Psychology, an MSc in Organisational Psychology and an M Phil in Psychoanalytic Studies.

Because I am a Girl I ask …for directions. Especially when stuck on the AP 4592 route between the Alps and the Italian coast in a snow storm or even just driving somewhere south of Borrisonossory and the ‘map’s not working’. Point being: I ask for directions when lost.

Because I am a Girl I believe…that asking for directions will just result in time saving, stress-reducing map clarification, and won’t put me in any danger of  being marked out as less than adequate in any geographical or other map-reading related way. Who cares about  map reading anyhow? When’s the last time you thought ‘we just MUST’ have Mark/ Mary over for drinks soon, they’re fantastic at map reading you know’? Thought so.

Because I am a Girl I hope…the maps we have at our disposal, whether to guide us through unchartered terrain on the ground or more importantly to help us through tough times, will be better, clearer and in full colour, to encourage all the boys, girls, women and men out there who need a bit of direction now and then not to be afraid, unable, or unwilling to ask for help.

Because I am a Girl I wonder…why? Okay, I know little boys do it too but men…seem to lose it; it’s all about the engineering for them, the ‘how’, the process. Maybe that’s why they refuse to stop to get directions and get stuck on questions like ‘how the *** did we get here’ when I’m thinking ‘why don’t we just ask this old guy for directions out’. Why, you can’t beat it. If we all asked it more often, before blindly accepting so-called ‘givens’, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in.

Because I am a Girl I dream…in directionless, colourful, emotion-packed scenes usually including a scene of massive social embarrassment or failure for myself – forgot to put clothes on, forgot my Leaving Cert is next day, fell down stairs in front of everyone….

Because I am a Girl I remember…other gals, at Birthdays and times of celebration or indeed, times of non-celebration, more important still.

Because I am a Girl I like…to be remembered, as above. And to get to call the shots re asking for help when lost. And that’s all types of lost. I’d be the one still shouting ‘HELP’ from the teeny deserted island in the middle of nowhere 5 years later. ‘Just in case’.

Because I am a Girl I dislike…silly, teeny, multicoloured maps that just confuse everyone. Ahem.

Because I am a Girl I feel…yup, you got that one right. I feel; I admit it.

Because I am a Girl I celebrate…mmmmnnn…whatever, whenever….hey, it’s cold, dark and raining…we’re lost and arguing/not speaking, the map is torn…..Looks like we’re stuck in Borrisonossory, sleeping in the car for the night……So, will we go for a few pints, there’s a great pub I heard of round here somewhere……

- Patricia Murray