My research, teaching, and social work practice have focused on supporting marginalised people who have experienced violence. I am passionate about uplifting the perspectives of service users/survivors/lived experience experts and challenging the power inequalities in who is listened to in social research and social work practice. I am especially interested in Disability Studies, Mad Studies, and feminist research methods. My present research focus is on institutional violence and the pathologisation of youth in the USA 'troubled teen industry'. Prior to moving into academia, I worked with LGBTQ+ victims/survivors of domestic abuse and LGBTQ+ homeless youth.

• Troubled teen industry and therapeutic boarding schools
• Mad Studies & Critical Disability Studies
• Service user/survivor-led research
• Social work with LGBTQ+ people

My research focuses on the so-called 'troubled teen industry' in the USA. The troubled teen industry is a network of private residential youth reform programmes, including therapeutic boarding schools and wilderness therapy programmes. I have conducted mixed methods research on the retrospective accounts of former therapeutic boarding school students. My work has uncovered emotional, physical, and sexual abuse and neglect, as well as numerous human rights violations within the industry. My dedication to researching and raising awareness about this topic is underlined by my own history of having been a therapeutic boarding school student.

I have a background in teaching and course design at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In 2023, I was a Teaching Fellow in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh and in 2021-2022 I worked with CAPS Independent Advocacy and Queen Marget University to establish the world's first Mad Studies degree programme.

I am currently the lead on several social work courses:

• Individuals, Communities and Society
• Psychology for Social Work
• Understanding Risk and Protection

PhD Social Work, MScR SW, PgCAP - University of Edinburgh
MA Social Work - University of Sussex
BA Sociology (Minor in Psychology) - McGill University

Professional registrations:

• Social Worker, Scottish Social Services Council
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy