Staff Profile
Dr Leah Merle Batty-Hibbs
Lecturer in Mental Health and Counselling
I am a lecturer, counselling psychotherapist, and supervisor with a strong commitment to trauma-informed, relational, and socially just practice in counselling and psychotherapy. I hold a PhD in Counselling Education and Supervision and bring extensive experience across higher education, clinical practice, and professional training in both the UK and the United States. My teaching is informed by over a decade of work in mental health services, leadership, and counsellor education, and I am particularly passionate about supporting students to develop ethical, reflective, and embodied therapeutic practice.
My academic and professional interests include integrative counselling, neurodivergent-affirming practice, trauma-informed pedagogy, professional identity development, and the intersection of personal experience with therapeutic work. I take a student-centred and inclusive approach to teaching, creating learning environments that prioritise psychological safety, critical thinking, and reflective depth. Alongside my academic role, I remain actively engaged in clinical supervision, research, writing, and professional development, ensuring my teaching remains grounded in contemporary practice and real-world application.
- School – School of Education, Language and Psychology
- Email – l.battyhibbs@yorksj.ac.uk
Further information
Teaching
My teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate counselling and psychotherapy programmes, with a focus on developing reflective, ethically grounded, and practice-ready practitioners. I teach across a range of core areas including integrative counselling theory, trauma-informed practice, professional identity and fitness to practise, ethics and safeguarding, supervision, and research-informed therapeutic practice.
I take an experiential and relational approach to teaching, integrating theory with skills practice, case material, and critical reflection. My sessions are designed to support students in linking academic learning with lived experience and clinical application, while maintaining clear professional and ethical boundaries. I place strong emphasis on inclusivity, neurodivergent-affirming pedagogy, and culturally responsive practice, creating learning environments that prioritise psychological safety and engagement.
I am experienced in curriculum design, assessment development, marking and feedback, and internal quality assurance, and I work closely with academic teams to ensure teaching aligns with professional standards and regulatory requirements. Across all modules, my aim is to support students to develop confidence, reflexivity, and professional integrity as emerging counselling practitioners.
Research
My doctoral research, completed in 2022 as part of my PhD in Counsellor Education and Supervision at Antioch University (Seattle), examined the use of an attachment- and creativity-focused counselling intervention with parents and adolescents presenting with a trauma history. The central research question guiding this study was: How do attachment- and creativity-focused counselling interventions encourage connection between an adolescent and their parent or caregiver?
The study focused on mother–child dyads who participated in a six-week therapeutic intervention developed by me, integrating attachment theory with creative and relational counselling practices. Data were collected through post-intervention semi-structured interviews with the parent participants and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Analysis was undertaken collaboratively with a research team, resulting in the identification of six key themes that illuminated how attachment-based and creative processes supported relational connection, emotional attunement, and repair within parent–adolescent relationships.
The findings contribute to clinical understanding of trauma-informed family work and suggest that attachment- and creativity-focused interventions may offer a meaningful and accessible approach for supporting relational healing between parents and adolescents. This research continues to inform my teaching, supervision, and clinical practice, particularly in relation to integrative, creative, and relational approaches to trauma-informed counselling.
Professional activities
Alongside my academic role, I am an active counselling psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, and consultant, maintaining close engagement with contemporary practice to inform my teaching and research. I am a registered and licensed practitioner with experience across the UK and the United States, and I have worked in a range of clinical, leadership, and training roles within community mental health, higher education, and professional development settings.
I am actively involved in counsellor training, supervision, and assessment, including curriculum development, internal quality assurance, and alignment with professional and ethical standards. I regularly contribute to continuing professional development through workshops, training delivery, invited talks, and consultancy, with a particular focus on trauma-informed practice, neurodivergent-affirming approaches, professional identity, and practitioner wellbeing.
In addition to my teaching and clinical work, I am engaged in speaking, writing, podcasting, and public scholarship, aimed at bridging academic knowledge and real-world practice. I collaborate with professionals across disciplines and remain committed to ethical leadership, reflective practice, and the ongoing development of inclusive and socially responsive counselling education.
