Medstars in their Eyes | Dr Sukbinder Bilkhu
You can no longer book an appointment with Dr Sukie Bilkhu via Medstars. However, you can still learn more about Sukie and her role as a psychologist from our Q&A below. If you’re looking for specialist mental health care, take a look at our mental health specialists at the bottom of this page. Looking for extra guidance when it comes to your healthcare? Learn more about Medstars Medical Concierge Service.
Medstars loved meeting clinical psychologist, Dr Sukbinder Bilkhu (or Sukie as she prefers to be known), at her Birmingham home.
Sukie is a specialist in the psychology of eating disorders and due to her experience working with both adults and children, she is particularly skilled at dealing with problems arising in adolescence and early adulthood.
Having gained extensive experience working both in the NHS and privately, Sukie has a solid background in a range of therapy treatments including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Family Therapy (FT).
Passionate about increasing awareness of mental health issues in the Punjabi and Sikh community, Sukie is proud to be one of the founding members of Birmingham-based charity, Sikh your mind.
Now we’ve been introduced, let’s hear from Sukie herself!
My friends and family describe me as…
“Kind, caring and compassionate.”
If I wasn’t a clinical psychologist, I would be a…
“Midwife. I always wanted to be a midwife but I’ve always been better at psychology and sociology than biology. To be present when a child is born is just amazing and so grounding. When I do picture myself as a midwife, it’s usually in true 1950’s Call The Midwife style! Similarly, when I spent time working in palliative care I felt a sense of belonging. It’s an honour to help people die with dignity. I’m very much attuned to life and death and I think I’m able to relate to people experiencing difficult times because of the adversity I have faced in my own life.
My favourite element of the job is…
“The humility I feel every day. To share another’s pain and be present with someone when they’re at their most vulnerable is one of life’s most humbling experiences. I never see clients as “them” and healthcare professionals as “us” because life can change for everyone and we could always find ourselves on the other side.”
My greatest professional accomplishment is…
“Being able to understand someone’s pain without breaking down myself. I vividly remember hearing Adele’s ‘Hello’ as I was rushing past a family in the waiting area of Staffordshire hospital. It was a pivotal moment for me. The family were all sat there in silence looking at the floor and I remember thinking, this isn’t how it should be. In response to this moment, I reorganised the waiting room area. Looking at the walls it was all mental health, mental health, mental health. It can’t just be mental health. We should be advertising other services, services that we access like libraries, gyms, yoga etc. It’s important to think about how waiting room environments affect patients and their families. The organisation and decor of these spaces should aim to reduce stress and calm nerves – not exacerbate them.”
My greatest personal accomplishment is…
“Learning to parent. It’s the hardest job and it’s given me the opportunity to learn and develop so many things about myself. Patience is something I’ve had to work on quite a bit. You forge one identity and then you have to forge another identity where every decision you make revolves around raising these three children. All of my children have completely different temperaments too and you have to learn to adapt. One of my children is so resilient, he’ll fall and he’ll be okay whereas with my middle child it’s the end of the world and she has to have plasters all over her body. Becoming a mother was very much a defining moment in my life and my greatest accomplishment.”
I’m inspired by…
“The people that I work with. I take something away from every patient encounter and I learn just as much from them as they do from me. Sometimes it’s really hard to accept there’s nothing more you can do for a patient on both a professional and personal level.”
The best advice I have been given is…
“During my clinical training the importance of maintaining professional boundaries was emphasised time and time again. Of course maintaining such boundaries is a necessity but someone once told me you can maintain professional boundaries whilst staying true to yourself. When I had completed my training, I felt I had to change who I was as a person and keep a distance with clients but this advice helped me to realise I could be both professional and compassionate.”
My favourite place to visit is…
“My home. I could say to you Australia, Thailand etc but my favourite moments are here, at home, with my family. I also love spending time at my Mom’s house. These are my favourite places to be with my favourite people. I hope this doesn’t sound too cheesy!”
The music that makes me happy is…
“I like ABBA! The Mama Mia soundtrack is probably the only music I can dance to (or at least attempt to dance to!)”
I like Medstars because…
“Medstars take the time to get to know each of their clinicians individually. My experience with other companies has lacked this sort of connection, which is a shame. Medstars have a personable approach and I know my values are aligned with theirs. I also appreciate being introduced to other professionals on the platform. It has a real community feel. We are all part of the Medstars community to work together for the people we chose our professions for. It’s almost like a big extended family.”
You can no longer book an appointment with Dr Sukie Bilkhu via Medstars. However, you can book an appointment with one of our expert mental health specialists below:
Medstars Medical Concierge Service
Looking for extra guidance when it comes to your healthcare? Sometimes interpreting medical information and making the best decisions can be daunting and complicated. Our private medical concierge service provides easy access to top UK health experts. We guide our patients with genuine choice and trust, offering a bespoke service for anyone in the world seeking private UK healthcare. Learn more about Medstars Medical Concierge Service. Want to learn more about providing our medical concierge service as an employee benefit? Learn more about Medstars Medical Concierge for Business.