My research interests are centred around helping people live healthier and happier lives. In particular, I am interested in health promotion and self-help, including online resources; stepped care treatments and evidence-based practice; psychosocial aspects of skin conditions (psychodermatology); mental health, particularly depression and anxiety disorders; and compassion and self-compassion.

In 2005 I completed my Psychology BSc (Hons) at the University of Sheffield. I then worked with adults with learning disabilities for three years before becoming an early member of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) workforce in England. I began my part-time PhD in 2014 under the supervision of Prof. Andrew R. Thompson (now at Cardiff University) and Prof. Paul Norman (The University of Sheffield). My PhD research used mixed methods to investigate compassion and depression in people with skin conditions, which included creating a compassion-based self-help website. I passed my viva in January 2021. 

I am currently involved in CeBSAP projects on people’s adherence with Covid-19 health measures, vaccine hesitancy, and promoting health behaviours.