Research & Practice Development

Practice-based research

Research and practice development at the intersection of neuroaffirming counselling and rights-based Behaviour Support. See also Systems Change.

This is practice-development work. It is not treatment-validation research, and it is not evidence that any developing framework is already a validated intervention.

The capstone

A supervised postgraduate capstone

Research in progress

Access Before Intervention: Developing an Evidence-Informed Nervous System Nourishment Practice Guide for Neurodivergent-Affirming Counselling and Behaviour Support Practice

A supervised capstone and practice-development project. It is not a treatment-validation trial, and not evidence that Nervous System Nourishment is already a validated intervention. It is a critical development of pre-existing work rather than its unexamined reproduction.

PhD by Publication

One research programme, two forms of translation

The professional books translate the work for practice. Peer-reviewed publications and an integrating exegesis carry the doctoral contribution.

Access Before Intervention

Conceptual framework, therapeutic access, formulation and hidden access-cost measurement.

Behaviour Makes Sense

Critical neuroaffirming PBS review, rights, restrictive-practice reduction and implementation quality.

Beyond Regulation

Nervous System Nourishment evidence review, capstone practice guide and later co-design and evaluation.

Practice That Holds

Supervision, workforce capability, shared and asynchronous environments and implementation systems.

Commercial publication does not itself establish peer review or doctoral equivalence. The final portfolio must meet the selected university's current requirements.

Master of Counselling integration

Grounding disciplines

  • Therapeutic relationship and skills
  • Assessment and formulation
  • CBT, ACT, mindfulness and narrative practice
  • Human development
  • Trauma and crisis
  • Mental-health counselling
  • Alcohol and other drugs
  • Research design and critical appraisal
  • Supervised placement
How claims are labelled

Evidence classifications

Established evidence

Well-supported in the existing literature.

Emerging or contested evidence

Promising or debated; not settled.

Tanya Hicks' integrative model

Original synthesis under development and critical review.

Future programme

Where this is heading

  • Nervous System Nourishment
  • Access and conditions
  • Masking and therapeutic access
  • Behaviour in context
  • Hidden access costs and the Ledgers
  • Implementation
  • Future co-design and evaluation
  • PhD by Publication