A New Chapter: Psychology, Neuropsychology and the Bridge Between US and UK Brain Injury Care

I've just walked through the doors of the Psychology Department at Aberystwyth University. Lanyard on, notebook in hand, and honestly — a few nerves too. I'm starting a Psychology degree, and if all goes to plan, I'll be pushing on toward a PhD in neuropsychology, neuroscience and neuroimaging, with a real focus on fMRI.

It's a strange feeling, sitting in a lecture hall again. But it's also one of the most exciting things I've done in a long time.

Why I'm doing this

I've talked before about my own journey — the years of being failed by the system here in the UK, the trip out to Cognitive FX in the United States, and the treatment that finally gave me my life back. That experience is what built Unite. It's why I wake up every morning and do this work.

But here's the thing: advocacy only gets you so far. If we want to actually change how brain injuries are diagnosed and treated in this country, we need to understand the science behind it — deeply, properly, from the inside. Not just enough to talk about it, but enough to build on it.

That's what this is about. I'm not studying for the certificate. I'm studying because the more I understand about neuropsychology and neuroimaging, the better placed Unite is to do something that's never really been done properly here: take the rehabilitative practices that work in the US and bring them across to the UK, in a way that actually fits our system.

The bigger picture for Unite

This isn't just about me sitting in a classroom. It's about what it opens up for all of us.

Being inside a university — being around researchers, specialists, facilities — changes what's possible. It means real conversations with people who've spent their lives studying the brain. It means access to the kind of imaging and research that, right now, most TBI survivors in the UK never get near. And it means I can start building the academic relationships that Unite needs to grow into something bigger than an advocacy organisation — into something that can actually help drive the research and the treatment pathways forward.

I've already started reaching out to universities and institutions. Some of those conversations are further along than you might think. I'll share more as they develop.

The plan from here

The Psychology degree is the foundation. The PhD is where it gets serious — neuropsychology, neuroscience, neuroimaging, fMRI. That's the territory where diagnostics actually happen, where the science of brain injury is being pushed forward, and where Unite needs to be if we're going to be part of the conversation that matters.

A lot of this work happens behind the scenes. Every day I'm building relationships, exploring opportunities, and pushing for the changes I believe the TBI community deserves. Most of it you won't see — not yet. But it's happening.

We're only just getting started

I know there's a long road ahead. I know a degree and a PhD won't fix everything overnight. But I also know that change starts with taking action — and this is me taking it.

This is a new chapter for me, and it's a new chapter for Unite. I'll be sharing updates as I go — the academic relationships we're building, the initiatives we're developing, and the events we've got coming up.

We are only just getting started.

The mission continues. The work continues. And together, we will keep pushing forward.