Designing and delivering student welfare and wellbeing support

I’m a linguist by training with a specialisation in Arabic philology. A part-time evening course in counselling skills led me to train to become a psychotherapist, which I pursued alongside my work as a Senior Teaching Officer with ADTIS. Having taught, directed studies and tutored for many years, I made the shift to working fully with student welfare and mental health.

In my current role, I combine my experience as an educator, trainer and mental health professional with strategic thinking around the design and delivery of student welfare and wellbeing support. I am motivated to improve student mental health literacy and to understand the key risks and protective factors for student mental health. In my view, Cambridge colleges are important ecosystems in which we learn, live and build key relationships. With the right conditions, I feel they can positively impact students’ mental, physical and emotional health.

Lucy’s ethos, mission and values have made it unique since its inception. I was proud to join it and feel proud of having been part of its evolution and growth. I have long felt that Lucy is one of Cambridge’s best-kept secrets; I now feel that Lucy represents the future of Cambridge.

About Kate

After graduating with a BA in Arabic and Islamic Studies from Exeter University, Kate gained a PhD in Modern Arabic Literature from SOAS, University of London. In 2002, she joined the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Cambridge, where she held the Mellon Fellowship in the Modern Middle East and for eight years lectured in Arabic language and literature. In 2009, she moved to the Academic Development & Training for International Students team (ADTIS), where she taught academic literacies and offered academic performance coaching. A psychotherapist in private practice, Kate is now Head of Student Wellbeing at Downing College and a Graduate Tutor at Lucy.