About

In a world that drives high performance, too often we have missed the learning and implementation that comes with that. The space to break down mistakes and make progress in areas of growth, recovery and connection.

Within my practice I use the 4rs trauma-informed framework to encourage empowerment, inform decision-making as well as adjusting our responses to adversities in a way that embraces emotional intelligence and awareness.

I have undertaken various certified courses on ACES, Trauma and Trauma-informed practice to ensure high standards in knowledge as well as delivery. In the list of certifications on Trauma I have a Bronze, Silver and Gold standard from training delivered by Nicola Lester who is a registered mental health nurse by background, specialising in working with psychological trauma and developing trauma - informed approaches to practice across a range of contexts, both in the UK and overseas.

My passions are people not sectors

In a world that drives high performance but misses the mark too often, we have missed the learning and implementation that comes with being able to be a high performing individual, both personally and professionally. The space to breakdown mistakes and make progress in areas of growth, recovery as well as connection is often missing. I know this was lacking in most of my sectors and something I want to ensure is that we dig deeper into why our sectors and personal lives are not thriving, controlling the things we can and do those things very well.

A MIXED BAG AT WORK

In my professional journey my highs were great, they still play out today, but the lows were often debilitating. Reaching middle management level across fields but experiencing this glass ceiling effect that I didn't have the words for but made me sad, angry or frustrated with systems and structures that were not equal nor fair for myself and often the individuals I served. At times my age, youthful looks, gender, race and more recently, disability were barriers that should never have been there. With this, I found myself always challenging ideologies, poor work practices, organisation culture and the lack of support in personal development.

At times, I was called soft, fluffy, aggressive or difficult.

I was the person who did more courses than needed, created resources for better practices, always found a solution in structuring teams and delivering learning.

What I witnessed was harmful professionals that didn't care about being nice/kind at work regardless of sector, I noticed a lot of self-destructive behaviours. Some individuals didn't care to connect to young people, some were annoyed at clients in social care, while some didn't bother in retail.

My work journey was filled with always trying to prove my worth and experience, often bullied because I did my job well or challenged poor practice. Sectors hardly invested in my development to ensure I carried out the best job I could, but a personal change came at the age of 32 while working in education when a student who had PSTD took me on a journey of learning about trauma and the impact.

This led me to a mirror of my own life and started a road of healing and upskilling my professional practice.

This student did not trust anyone in the school, which took me a year to build trust with him and move my mentorship into therapeutic practice.

Psychological mentor/coach, facilitator, speaker, youth advocate and champion, advisory member and research contributor. As you can see, I wear many hats but consider myself as a psychological, therapeutic practitioner who understands the fundamentals needed to thrive both personally and professionally.

Passionate about social change, I engage in projects that support better practices and reform in different sectors, improvement in welfare, leadership, mental health or mentoring.

My working background is made up from over two decades working across education, social care, retail and hospitality sectors. Reaching middle management level across fields but experiencing this glass ceiling effect that many speak of. Age, Gender, Race and more recently, disability are barriers that should never be there. With not having the language to understand or describe my experiences, filled with challenging ideologies of poor work practices, culture and personal development. At 32, I decided to make a personal change that aligned with my values, passions and a desire to grow in understanding of the impact of my adversities.

I want to use my experiences to not shame anyone but to show the impact when we do not stretch ourselves to embrace change, having healthy work cultures, working through our personal experiences and having ethics in front of all we do.

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.

Change is often slow, why? - "Most people are living in their ego, held by fear or trapped behind traumatic experiences.

Giving a celebratory speech at an MPS passing parade for almost 400 recruits with their family and many others.

What others say"

Gemma's professional nature always comes across in her work, she is fun, supportive and flexible in how she approaches reaching outcomes. While her adversities were hardships that provided many barriers, they gave her the desire to work hard, focus on the objective and be evidence-based in her mindset. Many will say she is raw and authentic in how she now shares her adversities and how she navigates these challenges, but Gemma will always say life did not always look like that.

THE PERSONAL STORY - Adversities Are Only One Part Of my Story

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. I don't have many memories of my early childhood, but I was classified as a child at risk, and let me say my layers of adversity are complex, but connecting to them is where things changed.

Looking back, not growing up and speaking about my biological mother had a profound impact on me, it impacted my sense of belonging and understanding of self. The layers of this are complex because of some of my cultural teachings are both positive and negative but not wanting to hurt my dad or sept mother by asking questions and them not speaking about things in the hope of protecting me (which I didn't understand until I was much older), meant I developed a response of getting on with things rather than addressing them. In my early childhood I spent some time in Jamaica and my education experience of school was harsh, disciplined and exciting in many aspects.

While being in Jamaica, I experienced connection, culture, nuances of unspoken modes of respect, happiness alongside abuse and horror. How does a young child understand that? Well, at the age of 12 I tried to jump out of a window. A decision, I am so happy, didn't happen.

The truth is, most cultures don’t speak about things that seem difficult. However, those same things come back and manifest in our relationships later in life.

Growing up, none really spoke about their vulnerabilities, we spoke about how great we were and then whether it was in friendships or relationships, the impact of our adversities always reared their head in relationships, at work throughout daily life.

My biggest adverse experience thus far

At the end of 2023, I almost lost my life! I almost did not see 40 due to sepsis but the habits I built in the last 8 years, changes to my lifestyle and people around me. I was able to fight and recover. Meditation, understanding recovery, embracing my emotions supported then and still does now.

The barriers that still exist are not okay!

LIVING WITH A STOMA

I have a life motto - life will give you challenge, conflict and disruption, sometimes all at once. This experience did just that. I have always championed difference in education and social care. I believe in social justice, even when it's hard.

Adversities are not always the barrier we think they are and mental health, overcoming trauma/adverse experiences and mental excellence will always start with the person in the mirror. With my lived experience and knowledge of psychology I have been able to turn theory into practice and be a better version of myself. That close, cut off and angry person is filled with love, hope and joy.

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.

Raising awareness

Have you ever head of the sunflower scheme? The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a simple tool for you to voluntarily share that you have a disability or condition that may not be immediately apparent. There are various items you can purchase to wear - just head over to the website.