I am a chartered Psychologist in the British Psychological Society and Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychology at Queen's University Belfast.

I completed my PhD at Queen Mary, University of London in 2012, where I employed 3D motion capture techniques to investigate social deficits in psychosis. From here, I held Research Fellow positions in King’s College London, Imperial College London and City, University of London developing a programme of research focusing on communication and patient safety in healthcare contexts.

My research focuses on how people engage in social interaction in the context of healthcare. I examine social exchanges in clinical populations where communication may be problematic (e.g. psychosis) and in healthcare teams where communication is critical to patient safety. This overarching aim of this research is to provide empirical evidence that can inform clinical training and practice and improve patient care.

Alongside peer reviewed publications, this research has led to the development of observational frameworks and self-report tools that can be used to evaluate clinical training and analyse communication in clinical teams.

I currently lead a programme of research funded by the NIHR designed to identify the communication that characterises successful management of aggressive behaviour in acute mental health inpatient wards, reducing the need for restrictive practices such as physical restraint or seclusion.