Over the past 30 years, Nicole has worked in various public, private and charity mental health sectors. On qualifying as an Occupational Therapist, she worked for the NHS in a medium secure forensic unit and then in community settings helping those with mental health issues get back into a vocation of some sort. She then worked for Mind, The Mental Health Foundation and Single Parents Wellbeing managing projects, teams and research.
During her working history, she has attended, developed and delivered training sessions in the area of mental health and she is a master trainer in Applied Suicide Interventions Skills Training (ASIST) . Since embarking and receiving her PhD in the experience of receiving a mental health diagnosis, she has become an independent researcher, utilising her clinical experience when engaging with participants.
All these experiences of working and training in mental health have led to a natural championing of the service user’s voice and subsequently promoting involvement of those with lived experience through co-production. It has also made her a highly reflective practitioner. In addition, travelling for 2 years through South-East Asia and Australia, gave her insight into other cultures and connecting with different groups, experiencing different social interactions and ways of communication.
She practices yoga and enjoys outdoor activities such as running, cycling and mountain walking.