Laura is a very team spirited and engaging speaker which provided an ideal environment for the half day Mental Health First Aid training course she ran with us. We had a range of attendees in the room from different backgrounds, and Laura found many opportunities to prompt group discussion that helped accentuate key points within the training she delivered. I would be very interested in attending future training events run by Laura, as I found her both eloquent and knowledgeable on this topic, able to provide practical solutions to scenarios that were raised in the room during the course of the training.

Lulu Burrough, Vice President, Digital Experience Design & Research, Global Investment Management Services, T. Rowe Price

I attended the two day Mental Health First Aid course with Laura in February 2021. Despite being delivered online, Laura excelled at presenting the content and engaged the group across the four sessions. Through the opportunity to reflect on the course content, accompanied by references to additional materials outside of the session, Laura was able to encourage in-depth discussions around the MHFA syllabus. At all times, her enthusiastic and compassionate personality shone and she helped support the group undertake discussions around potentially difficult subjects. I would thoroughly recommend this course to all school leaders in order to equip them with the knowledge and understanding to support both their colleagues and members of the community.

James Dawson, Headteacher, Winsor Primary School, London

Laura is an excellent trainer. She had the knack of getting everyone involved without pressuring them, which made the training session so enriching and enticing.

Laura is a great listener. She has the ability to absorb what's being asked off her and she delivered it so beautifully. Even the reluctant participants chose to open up to Laura after the first session which in itself is a huge testament to her unique style of delivery.

We were all looking forward to the training so eagerly and even though the training was delivered remotely owing to Covid-19, we were hugely benefited by Laura's knowledge transfer, expertise and compassionate training delivery. I would highly recommend Laura!

Kavitha Balasubramanian, HR Manager, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA)

Laura is a cheerful and engaging course leader. She seamlessly ensures all participants discuss the emotive issues in a sensitive way. This results in a relaxed but meaningful environment within which to tackle the issues around mental health. I would have no hesitation in recommending Laura.

Richard Gerrard, Legal Counsel, AgDevCo

Laura trained me on the two-day Mental Health First Aid course. What struck me most was not only the course content (which Laura delivered flawlessly) but the environment that was created.  Encouraging, especially older academics, to actively engage in any kind of participatory workshop activity is never an easy task and one that requires a unique mix of skill and humility.  Laura managed not only this, but created an atmosphere where participants were comfortable enough to openly discuss mental health issues with other group members.  My lasting impression of the course was that it had been a very positive experience, and this was largely due to Laura’s facilitation.  I therefore wholeheartedly recommend her as a trainer in this field.

Graham R Davis, Professor of X-ray Imaging, Queen Mary University of London

I have recently undertaken my Mental Heath First Aider training and had the pleasure of having Laura as the group’s instructor. Laura was amazing in making sure that the group was fully included, engaged and felt safe to reflect, give their opinions and share, where comfortable, any lived experience. I could not recommend Laura enough, I and the group took so much from the session and will continue to share that learning and awareness of Mental Health with peers, friends and family.

Jenna Cotton, Head of People and Wellbeing, MyKindaFuture

Laura's training had an immediate, and noticeable impact on how I approached the topic of mental health with my directs; when a colleague shared that they were stressed I explored the concepts of stress signatures and coping strategies instead of focusing solely on the sources of stress.

J. Reeves, Engineering Manager, Improbable

Laura is a generous and engaging course leader and she holds the space in a way that allows for detailed and challenging discussion in an environment that feels safe. I now feel able to approach conversations about mental health with much more confidence and put my Mental Health First Aid training in to practice. I am looking forward to deepening my understanding in this area - thank you, Laura!

Milly Roberts, Access and Widening Participation Officer, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts

Laura is a brilliant, knowledgeable and interesting instructor and delivered the training course perfectly.

Chantel Ford, Security Officer, Interserve

This was by far the most interesting and thought provoking training course I’ve ever attended, which Laura delivered perfectly!

Adam Wilkinson, Grants Officer, Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry

Laura worked with us to create a bespoke session for PhD students considering work-life balance and supporting Mental Health.   Laura was a pleasure to work with, knowledgeable and enthusiastic and helped us form our ideas into something deliverable and most importantly impactful to our PhD students.  Our PhD students really appreciated the opportunity to think about stress and balancing work and life during their research and we hope to continue to deliver this session and expand our delivery with Laura in the future.

Zi Parker, Doctoral College Manager, Queen Mary University of London

I attended the Mental Health First Aid Training for Adults (half day course) with Laura in October 2018. Laura created a calm and collaborative environment throughout, in which I felt safe to share anecdotes and queries with the group. Even on a half day workshop, I left feeling more knowledgeable about mental health, and also better equipped to approach it in my work and personal life. What I found particularly helpful was the guidance on approaching conversations around mental health.

 Lauren Holmes, Programme Manager, 15 Billion EBP

Laura is a fabulous trainer who really explains the theory of Mental Health and the impact it has on individuals. Training as a Mental Health First Aider enabled me to provide support to students suffering from mental health issues, to transition and complete their studies. The course involved providing both teaching and hands on training and enabled me to become a competent and supportive Mental Health First Aider.

Rehana Patel, Academic Postgraduate Programmes Manager, Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine

Within the time-frame of a half day course, Laura managed to facilitate a frank discussion in which my colleagues and myself were able to speak candidly about our own experiences and preconceptions regarding mental health issues. Laura’s passion and knowledge really shone through, with anecdotes from popular culture and research making the session enjoyable and informative.

Ciaran Donnelly, Information Support Assistant, Mile End library

Laura’s training was excellent, she was down-to-earth and open, meaning that the group was able to take the time to understand each type of illness. Laura’s examples and case studies brought the materials to life and has provided me with the tools and confidence to interact with people in all aspects of my life.

Emma Taylor, Employer Engagement Manager, Queen Mary University of London

Laura was my trainer for the Adult MHFA Half Day course and she was knowledgeable and engaging. She made sure to include everyone in the room and her perspectives were very thoughtful and interesting. I would thoroughly recommend Laura as a trainer. She made me feel comfortable and I felt like I left the session with useful practical information and developed understanding of mental health.

Paul Matthew Webb, Student Volunteering Coordinator, Queen Mary University of London Students’ Union

I attended Laura’s 2 day Mental Health First Aid Course. I found Laura very insightful and engaging, which can be difficult on a course that is quite intense. Laura was a great course tutor. She was an excellent listener and managed to bring out participant’s own experiences, so we could all share something with each other. She helped me have a better understanding of the issues people face and gave us tools to help deal with these issues. I would have no hesitation in recommending the course to anyone.

Tracey Paradise, Resident Support Officer, Queen Mary University of London

I completed the Mental Health First Aid Training (half day) and during this short session, Laura’s skill as an instructor made the day what it was. Laura’s knowledge and understanding of the subject helped me to engage with the session properly and get as much out of it as I could. Her calm and compassionate manner helped us all to feel comfortable when sharing personal experiences or contributing to group discussions. The training was fun, enjoyable and most importantly, beneficial for all of us. It helped us to think about issues that we wouldn’t normally think about and developed our understanding on how to support colleagues, friends and family. I would highly recommend Laura’s teaching ability and I would love to attend further and more comprehensive sessions in the future.

Frederick Cassford, Registry Assistant, Queen Mary University of London