I am a Clinical Psychologist with a strong commitment to evidence-based psychological therapy and the integration of research and clinical practice. My academic and professional interests centre on supporting learners at all stages of their development, from those considering entry into the field of clinical psychology to advanced trainees progressing toward professional practice.

At Queen’s University Belfast, I am a Lecturer (Education) in the School of Psychology with a focus on postgraduate, professional, and doctoral training in clinical psychology. I teach across taught and research programmes and supervise research at master’s and doctoral levels. My educational work centres on curriculum leadership, interprofessional education, and simulation-based learning, with an emphasis on designing learning experiences that support progression into clinical and professional roles.

I contribute to programme leadership, cross-programme curriculum development at postgraduate level, and interprofessional simulation-based education in partnership with colleagues in drama, medicine, and nursing. I conduct regular placement planning and face-to-face placement visits across diverse clinical contexts for the DClinPsych, ensuring consistent, high-quality clinical oversight over the past eight years. I also provide academic mentoring and research supervision across MSc and DClinPsych / PhD pathways.

I contribute to academic standards and professional leadership at national and regional levels through external examining and quality assurance activities, and I served as Director for Northern Ireland for the Association of Clinical Psychologists for six years, including service on the Board of Directors during this time, concluding this role in 2025.

A central focus of my ongoing research is clinical child and family psychology, with particular attention to psychological trauma and post-traumatic stress symptoms in children and parents. I am also interested in the lived experiences of individuals with persistent physical symptoms and how these shape adjustment, relationships, and quality of life.

I supervise doctoral and master’s research projects on psychological trauma, child and family psychology, and children’s sleep difficulties. These projects employ qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches, including scoping and systematic reviews. Populations studied include children with sleep problems, those in foster care, and families affected by medical conditions or requiring hospitalisation or intensive care. A number of papers from these projects have now been published.

Building on this work, I am initiating a programme of research focused on the development and evaluation of brief, scalable, and cost-effective psychological interventions; primarily behavioural and cognitive in nature, designed to reduce symptoms, alleviate distress, and improve functioning.

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, Belfast. It was here I became interested in psychological trauma and the impact of physical health problems on psychological wellbeing and quality of life. In 2014 I moved to Oxford and worked for the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust before moving to The Maudsley Hospital, London where I worked until 2019. During this time I completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy at Oxford University. In June 2018, while still at the Maudsley, I was appointed as Lecturer (Education) in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University. In 2019 I moved to work full time as a lecturer at Queen's University. I was a visiting lecturer at King's College London between 2019 and 2023, and from November 2021 to October 2024 I served as Clinical Director on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology programme at Queen’s University.

Professional Registration

Registered and insured to practise as a Clinical Psychologist in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. HCPC Registration: PYL24053.