My research brings together psychological theory, applied mental health practice, and service innovation to examine how individuals and systems respond to complex transitions, adversity, and change within the Irish context. Across this body of work, I focus on the space between formal structures such as institutions, diagnostic frameworks, and evidence based models and the lived experiences of the people who must navigate them. A central theme running throughout my research is transition: the transition from military to civilian life, from training to real world clinical practice, from treatment to long term recovery, and from theoretical models to meaningful human outcomes. These transitions are often points of heightened vulnerability, where identity, wellbeing, and support systems are tested. My work consistently highlights how gaps in recognition, continuity, and implementation can amplify psychological distress, while responsive, person centered approaches can foster resilience, engagement, and recovery.

Several of my studies focus on populations that are frequently underserved or misunderstood, including military veterans, individuals experiencing addiction and recovery, and people living with mood disorders. Within these contexts, I examine issues such as identity disruption, emotional regulation, resilience, and diagnostic classification, drawing attention to how psychological wellbeing is shaped not only by individual factors but also by social, cultural, and organisational environments. Another key strand of my research examines implementation and innovation in mental health and addiction services. This includes critical exploration of how evidence based models are translated into everyday practice, the challenges practitioners face in maintaining fidelity within real world constraints, and the role of organisational culture, supervision, and practitioner confidence in shaping service delivery. I am particularly interested in how innovation such as the use of no-code and low-code digital technologies can enhance accessibility, continuity of care, and service user engagement without undermining the therapeutic relationship. Theoretical inquiry also plays an important role in my work. I engage with foundational questions in psychology and neuroscience, including the nature of emotion, the relationship between personality and resilience, and the classification of mental disorders within diagnostic systems. These explorations provide a conceptual backbone for my applied research, reinforcing the view that emotional experience and mental health emerge from dynamic interactions between biology, cognition, personality, and context.

Collectively, these works advocate for mental health and social care systems that are flexible, context-sensitive, and grounded in lived experience. They challenge one size fits all approaches and emphasise the importance of adaptive supports that recognise identity, agency, and the realities of practice on the ground. Through this research, I aim to contribute evidence-based insights that inform policy, improve service design, and ultimately support individuals navigating some of life’s most challenging transitions within Ireland’s health and social care landscape.