More ABOUT ME

I was born in the Middle East, in Iran at the start of the 70's, before my family was evacuated during the revolution when I was 8.  After an unsettled period I went to school in the UK, in Yorkshire, then University at Leeds, travelling to see my parents in different parts of the world (Bahrain in the Middle East and Alaska, Houston and San Francisco in the States)

 

When I was about 15 I had a crisis of confidence and and took it out on my body by exercising to excess and severely restricting my eating, developing anorexia, depression and anxiety.  It took me a few years and a very strong support network to find myself again but this experience left me with a deep fascination not only in what makes us tick but in what makes for a good life.

 

It is no surprise then that I chose to study Psychology at University.  When considering what to do next I struggled with the fact that so many of the options focused on illness - clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, etc.   My interest in wellbeing and prevention rather than illness and cure led me to a post graduate course in International Health Improvement and employment in that field for all of my career to date.

 

I've worked in health improvement/public health in the NHS for almost 30 years working at both local and national level in England and Scotland, as well as internationally.  For most of this time I have specialised in the improvement of mental wellbeing and prevention of mental health problems at a population (as opposed to individual) level. This involves a focus on addressing the structural/societal causes of poor mental wellbeing or mental health problems (things like poverty, poor work, unemployment, discrimination, etc). I have recently moved into another area of public health (after a period of burnout) and in my current post I am responsible leading work on a public health approach to climate and sustainable environments (open space, transport, housing) in Scotland's national public health organisation.

 

I've held a variety of roles during this time including research, programme design and delivery, resource development, training and practice improvement.  I also worked for the Scottish Government for a couple of years on a secondment as Team Head responsible for leading Mental Health Improvement policy - Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland.

 

Alongside these work roles I've pursued and developed my interest in advanced group facilitation, high performing teams, systems thinking and practice, and networks.

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I've enjoyed the work but at this point in my career, since what I have focused on has been about long term changes to society, I've more recently had a desire to work at an individual level to support more immediate change in other people's lives.

 

I've worked informally as a coach and mentor throughout my career in the NHS as both a colleague and a manager and loved this more direct work.  More formally I provide coaching as part of the NHS Coaching Matters service.  Coaching Matters is an NHSScotland National Boards' collaborative that offers resources, CPD events and coaching support for all eight NHS National Boards: Public Health Scotland, NHS National Services Scotland, NHS 24, NHS Education for Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, State Hospital and Scottish Ambulance Service.

 

The joy I experience in doing this work and seeing people transform their lives in the here and now has led me to establish myself as a professional/private coach alongside my full time job in public health.  I also work as an affiliate coach for Know You More, a socially driven coaching provider, to provide free coaching for young people (https://www.knowyoumore.com/levelup) 

 

In addition to my psychology and health improvements qualifications and formal coach training I add long-held interests in the neuroscience of change, systems thinking and practice, relaxation and breath-work, physical intelligence and productivity to my coaching.

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In my life outside work things that interest me and keep me out of trouble include being physically active (I trained as an aerobics/gym instructor in my youth), anything crafty (silversmithing, woodwork, wirework, etc), DIY and of course spending time with my partner, family, friends and cat!