Beyond the manual: What therapeutic work taught me about being an EP

This paper reflects on my experience as a trainee educational psychologist using the Homunculi Approach to support children and young people who experience social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) differences. The approach, grounded in cognitive-behavioural principles, uses visual and narrative tools to help learners understand and manage their thoughts and feelings. Through this work, I explore how theory met the reality of school-based practice, where progress often depended as much on relationships, context, and flexibility as on the intervention itself. I consider the practical and ethical challenges of delivering therapeutic work within the structures of an educational psychology service, including issues of equity, role clarity, and cultural responsiveness. The paper concludes with reflections on what this experience taught me about being an educational psychologist: balancing theory with creativity, evidence with equity, and structured approaches with human connection.