Quick questions & answers...

Why a pic with your nan?

Truthfully? I hate having my photo taken and was dreading having a formal one done for book stuff – then my sister got married recently and this pic was taken and I thought it was ideal because it is more me than a formal one and my grans are the reason why I write. Sadly one is no longer with us, but this particular nan is still going strong at 91!!! She’s trying to look serious here because we’d just been caught wheeling about in her chair. My sister and I used to pester the living daylights out of her to tell us 'head stories' (ones she made up as she went along) before going to sleep when we were little. Her imagination is fantastic.

Have you ever been bullied?

Several times but not for years and years now. The first time happened when I was 4 - by my mum’s next door neighbour who I now get along with brilliantly. My dad’s response at the time was to get me to practice punching a pillow!!! – but I was so shy as a child that there was no way I was ever going to punch anyone! Instead I think I jammed her fingers in a cupboard one day and then ran like mad! Not a strategy I would recommend!

What are your scariest bullying moments?

At Uni a friend and I were cornered late one night by a notorious gang of men with weapons. By sheer wit and luck we escaped, but they actually murdered their next victims – that was pretty scary. And also when I first joined the NHS I was stalked for 2 years by a patient.

What’s the best bullying advice you could give?

Usually there’s the bullying incident AND then there are the 1000s of times we replay it in our head and worry about it in between it happening again. Sometimes you can’t seem to do anything fast about the bullying incidents themselves, but you can always do something about the replays and the bit in between.

What made you write about bullying?

I’ve been writing since I was 4 and I write about lots of things really – mostly anything that I think might help someone else. Years ago, my undergraduate dissertation reviewed a bullying resource years and my supervisor was Professor Peter Smith – one of the UK's leading researchers on bullying – my stuff is not as high brow! When I worked for the NHS I wrote a story about a child who stammered, to help children and their parents talk about it and find ways to cope with it. The first little boy who read it identified with it so much that he slept with it under his pillow – and that really amazed me! As a psychologist seeing people face to face, I can only see a certain number of people a day, but if I can find other ways, through books or interactive CDROMS maybe I can help a little bit more

Do you still see people face to face?

Sadly not at the moment. I do see old clients if they get in touch but I am absolutely fully booked researching the next bullying resource and consulting for some other wellbeing resources for children.

What bullying resource is coming out next?

I’m in the middle of researching the best way of creating a resource to help re-build confidence when someone’s been bullied – which is why I’d love to give people the opportunity to talk to me as I create it.

Sian has a four year Bachelor of Medical Science (Hons) degree from Sheffield University, a postgraduate diploma in psychology, a Masters degree in psychology and a postgraduate diploma in designing online resources. Her thesis investigating the use of online resources in psychology was awarded a distinction. She was one of the youngest specialists in her field in the NHS after graduating and has worked in the NHS, Education and privately to help children and adults rebuild their confidence. She has several books published and has advised on various educational videos, radio programmes and TV. You can tell Sian what you'd like most in the next bullying resource by using the questionnaire on the talk to us page or by emailing her directly at sian@stopthespiral.com.