My teaching focus is around autism, emotional psychology, factors that contribute to stigma, social exclusion, trauma and how to promote positive psychological growth. I predominantly teach Emotion-Focused Counselling Skills for Autism Spectrum and for other hard to reach populations. In 2022-2023 I am the academic lead for the new participatory co-design PgCert Neurodiversity-Affirmative Creative-Relational Inquiry.
I supervise PhD in Applied Autism Research/EdD Education (Autism) & PGT Masters research projects that align with my own research interests: Emotion-Focused Counselling and Coaching Skills; humanistic-experiential psychotherapy; pre-therapy; trauma; creative methods to support voice, self-expression and healing emotional injuries and compassion focused practice.
Research Interest
My research mainly focuses on Humanistic-Experiential Autism Research Therapy (HEART) with a particular emphasis on exploring emotional processing, trauma-related experiences, and psychological growth. I have particular interest on process and outcome research in Humanistic-Experiential Psychotherapies (HEPs) for clients with autistic process. This includes accessibility of counselling, group psychotherapy and the use of expressive and creative art to explore emotional experiences, self and other intersubjectivity. I am interested in giving voice to clients’ experiences and use creative methods and affective technology to aid those who have difficulties speaking, exploring non-verbal strategies of expression and narration.
PGR Supervision
I am the primary supervisor to the following doctoral students:
PhD Students:
- Elise, Stirling (Applied Autism Research, 2021 -) on exploring authentic autistic play and teacher professional learning to promote successful inclusion of autistic children in education
- Christine, Sousa Marmoy (Applied Autism Research, 2020 -) on exploring how autistic players relate to their avatars to learn and collaborate in MPOGs
- Mert Ozakca (Turkey PhD Scholarship, 2019-2022) on exploring cross-cultural analysis of parenting autistic children and emotion-focused parent coaching
- Owen McGill (Education, 2017-) on exploring autistic girls experiences of education through a feminist lens to inform teacher professional learning
EdD Students:
- Kat McClure (2022) On exploring of how to elicit voice of autistic young people with complex communication needs to influence educational experiences
- Lynn McNally (2021) On investigating autistic children exploring me with mum and art
- Kerrie Highcock (2021) On exploring experiences of ‘autism support’ in mainstream secondary school
- David Duncan (2019-) On Capturing the voice of bereaved children through a participatory and arts-based approach
Selected Masters Supervision (Alumni):
- Anna, Stopinska-Lewucha (MEd 2021) “My Child is a Happy Flapper”: Parents celebration of happiness in autistic children
- Christine, Sousa Marmoy (MSc 2020) The World I Sense is the World I Live in!
- Highcock, Kerrie (MEd 2019) on Young Autistic Activists Use of Art for Self-Expression
- Friedman, Samantha (USA Fulbright Scholarship MSc 2019) on Exploring Outdoor Learning Environments on Emotional Processing Skills in Students with Autism
- Yong, Ennie (Chevening Scholarship MSc 2019) on Developing an Emotion-Focused Skills Training for Parents from Experiences of Expert Trainers
- Galbraith, Ian (MSc 2018) Practitioners Experiences of Applying Person-Centred and Pre-Therapy Counselling Skills with Clients with Autistic Process
- Owen, McGill (MSc 2017) Autistic Adult Reflections of Applied Behavioural Analysis Experiences in Childhood: A Thematic Analysis
- Christina Symeonidou (MSc 2017) An Investigation into the effectiveness of nurture groups in supporting autistic children: A Scottish teacher’s perspective