Jessica Satchell is the AVATAR-RW Study Coordinator at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.

Jessica's research examines psychological impact, coping and support for challenging life circumstances including homelessness, criminal victimisation, and serious mental illness. Her work spans national and international contexts and combines diverse methodological approaches with collaboration with lived experience, academic and cross-sector partners.

Alongside her expertise in quantitative and qualitative research, evidence synthesis, experience sampling, and study coordination, she has a growing interest in developing and implementing innovative, technology-enabled approaches to mental health research and support.

Jessica is currently the study coordinator for AVATAR-RW, an implementation study which aims to generate real world evidence of the effectiveness of AVATAR therapy – a digital therapy for distressing voices in psychosis – when delivered in routine care across diverse NHS settings.

This follows on from her work as study coordinator for INTREPID III, an MRC-funded international research programme, aiming to advance understanding and responses to psychotic disorders globally.

Prior to King’s, Jessica worked as a postdoctoral researcher for The Social Health Hub at Queen Mary University, exploring social influences on recovery from severe mental illness. She was also the trial manager for The Victim Improvement Package Trial at UCL, which evaluated adapted cognitive-behavioural therapy for older crime victims. She completed her PhD at UCL, using mixed methods to explore the psychological impact and coping styles of older crime victims.

Jessica’s research is grounded in her frontline experience across health, social care and community settings, providing a practical understanding of the contexts in which people experience and respond to adversity.

Research interests

• Mental health of underserved populations
• Psychological impact of traumatic or stressful events
• Coping styles and help-seeking
• Psychological interventions
• Global mental health
• Digital innovation in mental health