MSc Psychiatric Research, King’s College London, BSc Psychology, Loughborough University

Psychology captivated me in early childhood. I seized the first opportunity to study it at A-Level, allowing my raw curiosity to guide my academic progression. My BSc and MSc dissertations focussed on psychedelic-assisted therapy, systematically comparing them to SSRI’s and psychological interventions, respectively. Publishing these will edge this novel therapy closer to implementation in the UK, at which point I plan to qualify as a psychedelic-assisted therapist.

 A critical thinker and science-driven by nature, I am also a creative. I began Ballroom/Latin dancing aged 4, exploring various genres before discovering Street Dance styles, primarily Hip Hop, by 18. ‘Hip Hop’, meaning ‘intelligent movement’, not only refers to dance, but a culture that speaks to one’s soul. Alongside writing poetry, dance is akin to my personal therapist, even holding me through bereavements.

 Dance predates language as a form of connection and communication, the essence of our humanity. My PhD aims to draw upon therapeutic models and techniques in designing a street dance intervention for young adults - perhaps the first of its kind!

 In today’s mental health crisis, conventional treatments are no longer adequate. During COVID-19, I was an Assistant Psychologist and Healthcare Assistant on a children and adolescents’ inpatient ward. The lack of psychological knowledge among staff hindered the quality of care, and therapies offered struggled to engage patients. Likewise, young people in the community also face several barriers to treatment.

This has fuelled my career goal – To research and implement effective, accessible, and engaging, alternative novel interventions, that radically improve quality of life.