I am a practising Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer in Clinical Psychology / Clinical Tutor on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology programme at Queen’s University Belfast.

I trained as a Clinical Psychologist at Queen's University Belfast and my doctoral (DClinPsych) research was on the impact of hyperemesis gravidarum on maternal mental health and maternal–fetal attachment. After qualifying in 2009, I worked as a Clinical Psychologist at the Royal Hospitals in Belfast, dividing my time between the children’s, maternity and general adult hospitals. It was here I became interested in psychological trauma and the impact of physical health problems on psychological wellbeing and quality of life. Between 2014 and 2019, I worked as a Clinical Psychologist at the Maudsley Hospital, London. In June 2018 I was appointed as Lecturer (Education) in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast.

My clinical interests include, psychological trauma, anxiety problems, and persistent symptoms. 

I am particularly interested in, (1) better understanding the lived experience of people with persistent physical symptoms; (2) behavioural and cognitive approaches which enable people to better manage and cope with chronic health problems and have an improved quality of life; (3) psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and their parents following distressing medical procedures and hospitalisation.