Dr Sophie M. Allan qualified as a Clinical Psychologist from the University of East Anglia in 2020. Prior to training she worked in a number of clinical, research and service user involvement roles in the NHS (2011-2017). Upon qualification, she worked in East Anglia as a Clinical Psychologist with people experiencing psychosis. She began a part-time PhD in the School of Health Sciences in February 2023, investigating inequalities in treatment and long-term outcome of first episode psychosis under the supervision of Dr Sheri Oduola and Dr Jo Hodgekins.

Sophie joined the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapies (CPPT) department as a Clinical Lecturer on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (ClinPsyD) programme in September 2023. In this teaching role she supports trainees, lectures, supervises thesis and service evaluation projects, facilitates reflective practice groups, and contributes to the service user and carer involvement on the programme.

Sophie is a collaborator in a number of national grant-funded projects, including "Early Psychosis Informatics into Care" (EPICare), and the Early Psychosis arm of the Mental Health Mission. She holds an honorary researcher contract with the University of Birmingham.

Sophie's key research interests include:

• Psychosis, Bipolar Disorder and At-Risk Mental States, including pathways to accessing support, efficacy of treatments, "recovery", and long-term outcomes
• Health inequalities and how these can be addressed
• Service user involvement/co-production

Her work is informed by her own lived experiences of mental illness, alongside her clinical expertise.