University of York

Doctoral researcher/graduate teaching assistant, Sociology

Wentworth

Thesis Title: Therapeutic Emotional Labour and Ethics of Psychic and Mediumship Work

About

PhD in Sociology (In progress), University of York
MA in Social Research, University of York
BA with honours in Sociology (First Class), University of York

Sarah Metcalfe has a first class honours degree in Sociology and has recently completed her Masters in Social Research Methods here at the University of York. She is now in the second year of her PhD which explores the emotional labour, relational dynamics and ethics of psychic and mediumship work and practices.

Her interests include sociological approaches to extra-ordinary phenomena, emotion theory and interaction, feminist concepts, gender and identity and reflexivity.


Sarah’s doctorial research adopts a primarily qualitative approach reflecting upon concepts such as ‘emotional labour’, ‘emotion management’ and ‘body work’ in order to examine the relational and ethical complexities of mediumship and psychic service encounters. Practitioners promote eclectic mixes of new age and parapsychological phenomena to mainly female clients. They also focus upon life and relationship complexities, self esteem and health issues, and grieving so in many ways reflect provision offered within the family or conventional health and counselling practice.

It is clear then that mediums and psychics offer a form of therapeutic orientated consultation which requires relational skill. Acknowledging that these practices are emotional and embodied but also managed social interactions, Sarah explores esoteric and cultural feeling rules in relation to the social presentation of the psychic practitioner and the consumer.

Moreover, these practitioners explicitly orient to the ethical and emotional implications of their work but also have limited standardised codes of conduct to abide by. Despite this there has been upsurge in individuals seeking alternative or what could be termed as ‘New Age’ therapeutic services.

She also examines participants’ understanding of ethical and moral components and explores how such factors guide emotion concepts. The use of these services raises many issues relating to the changing nature of the family, self-help and New- Age culture, feminist and gender concepts, ethics and the commercialization of human emotion.

Research group(s)

Sociology of Emotions Research Network

The Sociology of Emotions Research Network brings together researchers with an interest in emotions who share a range of substantive research themes anddraw upon diverse methodologies'.  The website is at http://socemot.com/

Exploring the Extra-ordinary Network

The aim of this group is to provide an agnostic, supportive and interdisciplinary network for those involved in research into extraordinary experiences and phenomena that are often peripheral to mainstream academia;to keep each other in the know about what research is going on, what publications are coming to light, and what relevant events are taking place


Metcalfe, S Therapeutic Emotional Labour, Emotion Management and Ethics of Mediums and Psychic Workers. Exploring the Extraordinary Conference. 24th Sept-25th Sept 2010 University of York

Gilbert, H. and Metcalfe, S. 'New Approaches to the Study of Extraordinary Experiences' presented at the The Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies conference: Paranormal Cultures University of Sussex, 4th June 2010


Sarah also teaches first year seminar groups for the Introducing Social Psychology module with will run throughout the year

Metcalfe, S. ‘Therapeutic Emotional Labour, Relational Dynamics and Ethics in the Work of Mediums and other Psychic Practitioners’. Intellectual Party 2010 Lancaster Sociology Summer Conference 28th - 29 th June 2010

Contact Information