Nadine is an experienced children and young people’s counselling practitioner, having worked in the field since 2019. She began her career at EVA Women’s Aid in Redcar, where she provided therapeutic support to children who had experienced trauma. Nadine has a particular passion for working with neurodivergent children, especially those who are often overlooked by mainstream mental health services.

Currently, Nadine serves as Counselling Manager, Designated Safeguarding Lead, and Clinical Supervisor at a Kent-based charity. This multifaceted role directly informs and supports her ongoing PhD research.

Nadine holds a BA in Integrative Counselling (theory and practice) and an MA in Early Years and Childhood Studies. Her MA dissertation explored the stigma faced by autistic girls in secondary school, drawing on her professional experiences through an autoethnographic lens.

Her doctoral research explores how mental health professionals perceive and navigate the complex intersection of autism, trauma, and attachment in their clinical work with adolescent females. It also examines the specific challenges of safeguarding and multi-agency collaboration within this context, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Wider research areas:

• Autistic females in the media
• Female equality in sport
• The impact of music on children
• Self-harm and autistic girls
• Healthy relationships and autistic females
• The impact of domestic violence on children