I am Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Greenwich, where I run the BSc Psychology and BSc Psychology with Counselling degrees. My research specialism is adult development. I investigate how adults change as they age, including how they can transform and grow through periods of crisis and transition. My textbook on adult development is used across many universities in the US and Europe. I have conducted a series of research studies into the antecedents, contents and outcomes of quarter-life crisis, midlife crisis and later life crisis. I also research how curiosity and the search for authenticity acts as drivers for adult development. I have developed a resilience intervention for students to support positive development, and am interested in the role of psychedelics and meditation in personal development too. I am currently President of the European Society for Research in Adult Development (ESRAD). 

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Alongside my work on adult development, I write on matters that intersect health, science, psychology and philosophy, including on government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

I am also interested in how the rational and empirical ethos of science and the intuitive and relational focus of spirituality can play a complementary role in balanced and healthy development. I have written a book Paths Between Head and Heart on this topic, as well as a number of articles.

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I co-organise the Beyond the Brain conference series for the Scientific and Medical Network, with David Lorimer.

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I am married, have a young daughter and live in South East London. Alongside my work and family life, I meditate regularly, try to find time to do a bit of painting (view my paintings here). In my late twenties, I was in a folk band called The Antics (tunes on Youtube here), and still love to play the piano.