About

My interest in peace psychology stems from my 20 years of work in conflict resolution as an organisational psychologist. In 2013, seeking to understand people in conflict at work, I undertook an MSc in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Derby, which then rolled into a part-time PhD.

My PhD study is a rather long leap from my familiar organisational context. I am now exploring peacebuilding in communities, specifically, how women in Northern Ireland experience the peace process through their everyday life activities. My research has provided me with the means to integrate my interest in photojournalism, from my previous career in documentary production, with a new interest in phenomenology. I have enjoyed being able to bring photo voice and photo elicitation methods into an interpretative phenomenological analysis of my PhD data.

I am also interested in the field of compassion and has been co-delivering compassionate mind training in schools, on behalf of the University of Derby and the Compassionate Mind Foundation.

Title of thesis

Women’s experiences of everyday life peacebuilding in Northern Ireland, post the Belfast Peace Agreement

Supervisor 

• Professor James Elander

Teaching responsibilities

Associate Lecturer, contributing to a range of modules in particular Qualitative Research Methods and Behaviour Change. 

Qualifications

• MSc Occupational Psychology, University of Nottingham
• Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society