Ms Nicola Ryan

I have been teaching at Kingston University for the past 8 years as a senior lecturer in mental health nursing, specialising in child and adolescent mental health, neurodevelopmental conditions and cognitive behavioural therapy skills. I teach undergraduate and postgraduate mental health nursing students on various modules such as evidence based practice, life sciences i.e. genetics and the biological basis of mental health conditions, within the School of Nursing and lead on the MSc and BSc modules Coordinating Care of those with Complex Mental Health Needs and Child & Adolescent Mental Health. I also teach other fields of nursing students about child mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders as well as supervising MSc students research projects across other health disciplines and nursing fields. I teach in other departments such as the School of Education, Social Work and Paramedic Sciences and I am one of the two Disability Champions for the Faculty.

I have worked in NHS specialist CAMHS community teams and local borough children's services alongside youth offending teams, safeguarding and young peoples substance misuse teams as a clinical nurse specialist and CBT therapist for 12 years, and in private practice for a further 8 years offering CBT therapy and CBITS behavioural therapy for a range of mental health difficulties and tics disorders with both children and adults.

I continue to do diagnostic assessments for Autism (as a freelance Consultant for the National Autistic Society) as well as ADHD and Tourette Syndrome assessments. I am an occasional speaker at a charity ADHD Embrace, which delivers teaching sessions for parents and school teachers, and have been a clinician adviser for Young Minds parent helpline.

I have developed a needs assessment for a children's charity in Uganda to include neurodevelopmental and emotional behavioural screening and I'm currently developing training for staff with colleagues from Education Psychology and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry with an aim to support staff to place Ugandan orphaned children who have a range of physical, emotional and learning difficulties with local Ugandan families.

I have experience of being a panel member for validating new courses in the school of education and have an interest in antibias and inclusive education. I have been part of the development of a published international resource for teacher training as one of many co-authors.

• BSc Psychology University of Surrey (1997-2000)
• MSc Mental Health Studies King's College (2002-2004)
• Dip HE Mental Health Nursing for Graduates Kingston University & St Georges (Cohort of 2004))
• PGDip Cognitive Behavioural Therapy King's College & Anna Freud Centre (2014)
• Fellow of Higher Education Academy Kingston University (2018)
• Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBITS Therapy) Tourettes Action via Great Ormond Street Hospital
• Accredited to use diagnostic tools for Autism; 3DI DISCO. ADOS and ADHD validated assessments