Biography

I have a long standing interest in the parenting experience of parents who experience mental health concerns, and parent carers who are raising neurodiverse children and/or developmental conditions. This interest has been fostered through more than 20 years of research and clinical work, as a clinical psychologist, working closely with young people with genetic syndromes associated with complex medical and behavioural needs and a more recent focus on understanding the experiences by autistic people and their families. I supervise students exploring the lived experiences of children and young people with a focus on both strengths and challenges, and the parental journey of raising a child that does not easily fit in with the ‘societal norms’ with a focus on mental health and well-being. The research includes a variety of methodologies ranging from neuroimaging and eye-tracking to observational play and developmental assessments to interviews and focus groups. More recently, I am also interested in devleoping novel ehealth interventions aimed at parental wellbeing.