I'm a Nature Allied Psychotherapist and ethnographer who teaches natural history and woodland living skills. I specialise in supporting people experiencing relational trauma in their connections with people, and with nature.
In 2013 I set up Wild in the City to create community for people of colour to enjoy nature, we provide programmes in natural history, woodland living skills, hikes and ecotherapy. I lead on strategy, thought leadership and programme development, sharing knowledge about natural history and helping people of colour find their place as part of the natural world and within the British countryside.
I have been one of the first to conduct in-depth ethnographic research into people of colour's relationship with nature in the UK, influencing mainstream discussion by introducing Black perspectives on disparities in engagement with nature, for example Black Absence in Green Spaces, The Ecologist, Oct 2019.
I have also written extensively about the challenges of leading whilst Black in the environmental field, turning an anthropological lens on the attitudes of white others and working with the 'shadow' of an environmental field which perceives itself as welcoming, including the chapter Not my green space? White attitudes towards Black presence in Green spaces: An Auto-ethnography, Springer 2022.
In 2015 I established the Nature Therapy School to train psychotherapists and associated professionals in working with clients in nature, offering a year long Diploma and CPD courses.
I originated the modality of Nature Allied Psychotherapy, theorising our relationships with nature from an applied psychotherapeutic perspective, developing a practice of ongoing client work taking place in natural settings - in allegiance with nature - creating the opportunity to explore our relationship with nature as well as our human-social relationships. I'm currently writing a book, Nature Allied Psychotherapy; Exploring Relationships with Self, Others and Nature, to be published by Routledge.