Psychology in public conversation and psychologist expert commentary.
Dr Shungu Hilda M’gadzah is a Chartered Educational Psychologist, author and founder of the Six Stages Framework (SSF)
Alongside her academic and professional publications, she has contributed psychological insight to national and specialist media on issues including racism and hate crime, discrimination and inclusion, mental health and wellbeing, education and SEND, workplace culture, leadership, artificial intelligence, identity and human behaviour.
Her media work reflects a central principle of the Six Stages Framework: psychological knowledge should not remain confined to professional or academic spaces. It can help us understand the events, behaviours and systems shaping everyday life.
This page brings together selected broadcast appearances, interviews, expert commentary and contributions to public and professional debate.
Race, Racism, Hate Crime and Inclusion
British Psychological Society / The Psychologist
‘Deeply worrying’ rise in hate crimes — 7 November 2022
Dr M’gadzah provided expert psychological commentary following increases in recorded hate crime in England and Wales.
She highlighted the importance of moving beyond simply recording increases in hate and towards understanding why discriminatory attitudes and behaviours develop, how they become normalised and what can be done through education and early intervention to prevent escalation.
The Voice
Black special needs kids failed by schools — March 2023
Dr M’gadzah was interviewed by journalist Sinai Fleary for The Voice about the experiences of Black children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and the difficulties some families face in securing appropriate assessment and support.
Her commentary considered the intersection between race, SEND, misinterpretation of behaviour, exclusion and systemic inequalities, including the responsibilities of Local Authorities and professionals working within education systems.
Read the related article and commentary
Workplace Inclusion, Discrimination and Leadership
People Management
Should positive discrimination be legal in the UK? — 6 July 2023
Dr M’gadzah was one of a group of HR, employment-law and EDI specialists invited to respond to debate about whether UK law should permit positive discrimination.
She argued that positive discrimination alone does not address the underlying problem. Instead, organisations must identify and remove discriminatory practices within recruitment and selection, recognise the signs and symptoms of bias and racism, and address the processes that create an uneven playing field.
Read the People Management article
HRZone
How can we create a workplace where ‘masks of tolerance’ do not exist? — 5 January 2023
In this HRZone feature, Ekua Cant and Dr M’gadzah explored what happens when organisational statements about inclusion are not reflected in everyday behaviour.
The article introduces the idea of “masks of tolerance”: the possibility that people may outwardly conform to workplace expectations around equality and inclusion without those behaviours reflecting deeper attitudes or beliefs.
It asks organisations to consider whether their stated values are genuinely experienced by employees and whether leaders are creating cultures of authentic inclusion rather than performative tolerance.
TrainingZone
Become a change maker in fighting workplace discrimination
Dr M’gadzah and Ekua Cant extended this discussion in TrainingZone, exploring the relationship between personal values, professional behaviour and workplace discrimination.
The piece invites individuals and leaders to examine the actions they can take to confront bias and contribute to safer, more inclusive organisational cultures. The article forms part of the wider development of SSF thinking around bias, congruence, organisational behaviour and cultural change.
Artificial Intelligence, HR and Human Judgement
People Management
Can ChatGPT write HR policy? — 10 March 2023
People Management asked ChatGPT to produce workplace policies and invited experts to assess the results.
Commenting on an AI-generated equality, diversity and inclusion policy, Dr M’gadzah observed that although AI could provide a useful framework or starting point, the result was generic and impersonal.
She argued that meaningful inclusion requires the “special human ingredient”: organisational context, lived experience, accountability and genuine human engagement rather than policies that exist only as documents.
The contribution anticipated an increasingly important question within organisational psychology and leadership:
What should technology help us to do — and what aspects of judgement, empathy and responsibility must remain profoundly human?
Read the People Management article
Mental Health, Psychology and Everyday Life
ITV Lunchtime News
Mental health — 5 May 2021
Dr M’gadzah appeared on ITV Lunchtime News discussing mental health and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 period. Her media archive records the national television interview as part of a series of contributions during 2021 addressing the psychological impact of the pandemic.
BBC Radio Leicester
Seasonal Affective Disorder — 2 September 2021
Dr M’gadzah contributed psychological commentary on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and the impact that changes in season, environment and routine can have upon wellbeing.
BBC Radio London
Seasonal Affective Disorder — 2 September 2021
On the same day, Dr M’gadzah joined BBC Radio London live to discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder and mental health.
Citiesabc
ONS Report: Coronavirus and Depression in Adults — Reaction from Experts — 1 October 2021
Following publication of Office for National Statistics findings on depression during the pandemic, Dr M’gadzah was invited to contribute alongside other mental-health specialists.
She discussed increases in reported depression and anxiety, the isolating effects of working from home for some people and the particular vulnerability of children, young people and other groups already experiencing disadvantage.
Social Media, Identity and Human Behaviour
GLAMOUR
Have you got ‘Main Character Syndrome’? — 14 June 2021
Dr M’gadzah contributed psychological commentary to GLAMOUR on the phenomenon popularly described as “Main Character Syndrome” and the influence of social media on identity and self-perception.
She discussed how, at its more extreme, becoming absorbed in a constructed social-media identity can affect a person’s relationship with reality, while also recognising that for some young people social media may become a form of escape from difficult circumstances and wider social pressures.
Mamamia
What exactly is ‘Main Character Syndrome’? And how can you tell if you have it?
Dr M’gadzah’s psychological commentary on the emerging social-media phenomenon was also included in international discussion of Main Character Syndrome, identity and online behaviour. The media archive records coverage in MamiaMia alongside the UK commentary.
Coping with Disappointment, Loss and Difficult Emotions
HuffPost UK
How to handle disappointment following England’s Euros defeat — July 2021
Following England’s defeat in the UEFA European Championship final, Dr M’gadzah contributed psychological advice about dealing with disappointment and strong emotional reactions.
The coverage considered the importance of recognising difficult emotions rather than dismissing them, while maintaining perspective and empathy for the players experiencing the defeat themselves.
The Sun
The 4 ways to cope with England’s heart-breaking Euros defeat — 2021
Dr M’gadzah’s psychological guidance on processing disappointment following England’s Euros defeat also featured in The Sun, extending the discussion about resilience, emotional processing and coping with collective disappointment.
Human Connection After the Pandemic
The Independent
The physical and psychological benefits of being able to hug again could be huge — May 2021
As COVID-19 restrictions began to ease, Dr M’gadzah contributed to public discussion about the psychological importance of physical connection and what the return of ordinary human contact could mean after prolonged periods of social distancing.
The feature considered the emotional and psychological significance of touch, connection and human relationships following isolation during the pandemic. The article appeared in The Independent on 4 May 2021.
Education, Examinations and Young People
A-Level Results — 2021
During the unusual examination period following COVID-19 disruption, Dr M’gadzah contributed psychological advice to media coverage about helping young people manage results day, uncertainty and disappointment.
Her commentary appeared across regional and specialist coverage including:
Essex Live — Live Essex A-Level Results Day 2021: Updates as students collect results across county after pandemic.
Reading / Berkshire Live — Berkshire students receive A-Level results from a year like no other.
The Phoenix Newspaper — A-Level results: advice for coping with disappointment from 3 psychologists.
These contributions focused on helping young people and families understand disappointment as an emotional experience, maintain perspective and think constructively about next steps.
From Commentary to Psychological Formulation
Media stories often appear to be about a single event: an examination result, an act of hate, a new technology, a workplace controversy or a change in social behaviour.
Through the Six Stages Framework, Dr M’gadzah’s work asks a further set of questions:
What psychological processes sit beneath what we can see?
What assumptions, fears, biases or beliefs may be shaping behaviour?
What role do relationships, environments and systems play?
Are we seeing an isolated event — or part of a direction of travel?
And what might help individuals, organisations and communities move towards greater awareness, empathy, psychological safety, inclusion and belonging?
This approach now informs the ongoing Through the SSF Lens series, SSF Weekly Reflections, Visual Psychological Formulations, podcasts and public commentary.
Areas of Expert Commentary
Dr M’gadzah is available to contribute psychological analysis and expert commentary in areas including:
- racism, prejudice, bias and discrimination;
- hate speech, hate crime and pathways towards extremism;
- inclusion, belonging and psychological safety;
- workplace culture, leadership and organisational behaviour;
- education, SEND and Educational Psychology;
- racial disparities affecting children and young people;
- mental health and emotional wellbeing;
- identity, relationships and human behaviour;
- social media and its psychological impact;
- artificial intelligence, bias and human judgement;
- diversity, equity and systemic change; and
- application of the Six Stages Framework to current social and organisational issues.
Media Enquiries
For media interviews, expert commentary, podcasts, panel discussions or speaking enquiries, please contact Dr Shungu Hilda M’gadzah / Six Stages Framework through the website contact page.
Journalists are welcome to enquire about both rapid-response commentary on current stories and longer-form psychological analysis through the Six Stages Framework.
