Often with power and success - welfare, standards and safety slip - mental agility is vital to maintain balance and connection

Integrative Psychological Practitioner

CMI Level 7 Coach/Mentor, Facilitator and Speaker

Integrative, Psychological & Trauma-Informed

Coach/Mentor, Facilitator and Speaker

The voice of compassion and challenge - My name is Gemma Watson, and I am a multi-skilled practitioner, who engages in projects around workplace improvement, youth engagement, mentoring or coaching as well as trauma-informed approaches.


With over two decades working in various roles and sectors, my work ethic was always the same. Improve and perform by delivering the standard I said I could. This approach saw me achieve three 100% mystery shopper awards, a leader award for outstanding service working with young people (Jack Petchey Award) as well as various employee of the month/year accolades. 

The voice of compassion & challenge 

My name is Gemma Watson, and I am a multi-skilled practitioner, who engages in projects around workplace improvement, youth engagement, mentoring or coaching as well as trauma-informed approaches.

With over two decades working in various roles and sectors, my work ethic was always the same. Improve and perform by delivering the standard I said I could. This approach saw me achieve three 100% mystery shopper awards, a leader award for outstanding service working with young people (Jack Petchey Award) as well as various employee of the month/year accolades. 

More About Gemma Credentials

Often advocating for fairness, I believe in social justice and understanding the complexities in change. Understanding behaviour doesn't mean to condone it, but it does mean being informed in how to get the most out of one's potential and give the best tools.

I share my lived experiences to give a contextual understanding about differences, intersectionalities and overcoming trauma/adversities. The aim is not to shame anyone but to show the impact both personally and professionally when we do not stretch ourselves to embrace change, have healthy work cultures, work through our personal experiences as well as having ethics in front of all we do.

Breaking Barriers

I'm a lover of life and all it gives. Yes, I said that, but let me tell you it wasn't always this way.

Snippet into my life

My adverse experiences started at an early age, with my biological mother suffering with poor-ill mental health, abusing drugs and alcohol as a result of all of her children being taken into care while I was classified as a child at risk. Unfortunately, my adverse experiences didn't stop there.

I'm a lover of life and all it gives. Yes, I said that, but let me tell you it wasn't always this way.

Snippet into my life

My adverse experiences started at an early age, with my biological mother suffering with poor-ill mental health, abusing drugs and alcohol as a result of all of her children being taken into care while I was classified as a child at risk. Unfortunately, my adverse experiences didn't stop there.

Using THE MINDFUL 3 METHOD underpinned by the iceberg effect -The Silent Commitment to Consistent Excellence

WELCOME TO THE MINDFUL Way

Performance and developmental support using the vessel of mentorship

Before making major changes in my life, I struggled to connect with friends and family due to a lack of belonging, fear of judgment and trapped behind shame, embarrassment and guilt because of my long list of adversities.

What I realised is that I thrived in creating solutions, delivering high standards and connected with the individuals I served.

 Often referred to as a true seller (never blagged it), champion of development and nurturer at 32, I met someone who would change my life for the better without him even realising it. A student age 12 diagnosed with PTSD.

Today, I stand as an applied lived experience expert—not because of theory alone, but because I turned insight into action. My transformation began when I combined academic understanding with real-world practice to make sense of adversity, unpack the shame often tied to it, and begin healing from the experiences that once defined me"

My areas of specialism are coaching and mentoring, trauma-informed approaches, organisation culture, leadership, healing with mindful practices and strategic implementation for change.

MORE ABOUT GEMMA

My mission is to empower others to connect to their experiences, embed a journey of applied learning and mindful habits to improve life, both personally as well as professionally using a multidimensional coaching and mentoring methodology

Within my 20 years of work I built teams, improved pastoral/welfare outcomes in education and social care fields. Led in mentoring/coaching, creating manuals/resources and trained NQT teachers in behaviour management and de-escalation.

High Performance is usually the expectation, with little or no support, attention or accountability. 

Through investment in training, facilitation and mentorship this can quickly change.

Today, I stand as an applied lived experience expert—not because of theory alone, but because I turned insight into action. My transformation began when I combined academic understanding with real-world practice to make sense of adversity, unpack the shame often tied to it, and begin healing from the experiences that once defined me."

In all sectors, my work ethic spoke for itself, my pride came from delivering high standards as well as challenging ego led practice. This was not always easy, it was often implied that tattoos, aspects of Caribbean culture were unprofessional and there were limited opportunities for me to develop in the areas I worked in. It was even implied that leaving education would change my lifestyle - little did they know that is what I wanted.

Within my 20 years of work I built teams, improved pastoral/welfare outcomes in education and social care fields. Led in mentoring/coaching, creating manuals/resources and trained NQT teachers in behaviour management and de-escalation.

High Performance is usually the expectation, with little or no support, attention or accountability. Through investment in training, facilitation and mentorship this can quickly change.

My areas of specialism are coaching and mentoring, trauma-informed approaches, organisation culture, leadership, healing with mindful practices and strategic implementation for change.

MORE ABOUT GEMMA

Current projects

CO-Production Research Member

Women and girls are four times likely to experience anxiety and depression.

A 5-year research project, close to my heart, King's College London Bridging Divides are hoping to understand what are the causes and mechanisms that impact and cause such a disparity between genders.

Freelance Facilitator

I work with a variety of organisations facilitating, training or co-facilitating projects. In this space I have worked on improvement programmes for the NHS, Retail, and Policing.

I have co-trained on safeguarding Adultification Bias.

Integrative Level 7 Coach/Mentor

Working with athletes or individuals who are self-motivated to reach new heights in mental agility. Taking high performance and fusing it with mindful habits to improve both personally and professionally.

Want Gemma on your podcast, project, panel or event? - send an email

Email

Work Spotlight

Mentoring Webinar - Mentoring – Guiding greatness and culture - College of Policing - 2025

Research contributor - King College, London - Bridging Divides Project - Mental Health Research 2024 - Present

Freelance facilitator and community member - MPS - 2021 - Present

Freelance trainer and coach - Retail - 2021 - Present

Freelance facilitator - South Wales, COLP, West Midlands

Facilitator - NHS Improvement Programme 2023

Speech - Passing Out Parade - MPS - 2023

Interview - Hidden Pain - 2022

Presentation London FA - Mental health and moving beyond COVID-19 - 2021

Podcast - KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON -Covid-19 and Mental Health - What about the teachers? - 2021

Presentation - Peacefully moving beyond trauma - Streatham peace festival - 2021

If you have any questions, contact us at themindfulpractitioner@outlook.com or visit one of our social accounts and connect.

Personal Development

Philosophy

Mental Agility

Personal development comes from a personal responsibility and commitment. I describe mental agility as the ability to adjust through life regardless of the circumstances. The way to achieve mental agility is through digging deeper at your guiding philosophy. Many of us are living from philosophies that were passed to us both personally and professionally, and too often those same philosophies are unhelpful to the very objective we are trying to achieve.

If you read this, and it hits home, you have two choices to keep doing the same things and expect different results or make a change to connect to yourself and try another path one of pride, passion and connectivity.