My Experience 

My practice has grown from more than 35 years’ experience across mental health, advocacy, suicide prevention, equality and inclusion, and community wellbeing. My career has taken me from frontline and direct-support work through service development and management to senior and executive leadership within statutory, community and voluntary sectors.

Much of this experience has involved developing and leading specialist and by-and-for services. This includes more than 20 years in LGBTQ+ mental health, alongside work in suicide prevention, independent mental health advocacy and support for migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking communities. I have developed services, managed complex programmes and led organisations, while also contributing to partnership work, research, consultation and policy development.

Throughout my career, I have worked with the realities of trauma, distress, suicidal thoughts, safeguarding, risk, discrimination and social exclusion. Across these settings, I have also supported neurodivergent people, with attention to identity, access needs, strengths and wellbeing. I understand the responsibility involved in supporting people and communities, as well as the emotional, relational and ethical impact this work can have on those carrying and leading it.

I have spent many years working alongside, supporting and managing volunteers, practitioners, managers and leaders, including through supervision, coaching, mentoring and reflective practice. This experience also informs my coaching with people seeking space to explore personal or professional change, identity, confidence, relationships, wellbeing and what they want from the next stage of their lives.

My professional experience sits alongside lived experience and personal insight. Together, they help me understand how identity, power, inequality, organisational culture and wider social circumstances can shape people’s lives, their work and the support they need.