About

I am a Senior Lecturer in the Psychology department, supporting both undergraduate, masters and PhD students in modules and research projects that link with health and wellbeing. I am actively engaged in research and I have a particular interest in nature connection, behaviour change, motivational interviewing and positive psychology. I also work in academic enterprise, conducting consultancy for external partners to support them in designing and evaluating behaviour change and nature-based interventions. As a MINT (Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers) member, I also offer motivational interviewing training to students and external organisations.

Research interests

My research interests all sit within health and well-being. I am part of the Nature Connectedness Research group. 

I am particularly interested in:

• Behaviour Change
• Nature Connection
• Compassionate communication
• Qualitative research, particularly IPA
• Body esteem
• Benefits of well-being interventions on psychological health

I supervise postgraduate research and have a particular interest in qualitative projects that explore the lived experiences of participants. I have expertise in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Reflexive Thematic Analysis. I am available for external examination for IPA doctoral projects. Please email me if you would like to explore a research idea.

Recent publications

Visit my complete research profile

Phillips, E. & Holland, F. (2026). Designing semi-structured interview guides for interpretative phenomenological analysis and reflexive thematic analysis: A practical guide. Qualitative Research in Psychology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2026.2719595

Furlong, R., Harvey, C., Holland, F. & Hallam, J. (2026). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of a year's allotment gardening for people living in low-income areas in Nottingham, UK. Cities and Health. DOI: 10.24339/25def775-0c29-4a69-97ff-4d686681f549

Furlong, R., Harvey, C., Holland, F. & Hallam, J. (2025). "I came here and it flows": An interpretative phenomenological analysis of low income residents' experiences with allotment gardening. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2024.128646

Phillips, E., Holland, F., Garip, G. & Harvey, C. (2025, April 3). Developing expertise with interpretative phenomenological analysis. The Psychologist. https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/developing-expertise-interpretative-phenomenological-analysis

Phillips, E., Holland, F., Montague, J. & Archer, S. (2025). Together and apart: Successful collaboration over time and distance. Chapter in Norton, L. & Aiken, V., Writing partnerships in higher education: A guide for academics and HE professionals. Routledge.

Holland, F., Harvey, C., Ferris, E., Furlong, R. & Gibson, S. (2024). 'It was a whole other world': The impact of residential outdoor trips on nature connectedness and wellbeing in young people. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/14729679.2024.2350972

Holland, F., Harvey, C. & Barnes, C. (2024). Connecting families with nature: A nature connectedness activity handbook. University of Derby Repository

Barnes, C., Harvey, C., Holland, F. & Wall, S. (2021). Development and testing of the Nature Connectedness Parental Self-Efficacy (NCPSE) scale. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 127343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127343

Laurent, N., Holland, F. & Sheffield, D. (2021). Exploring Buddhism as a 'tool' to support well-being: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of Western adopters' experiences. Pastoral Psychology, 20, 471–485.

Montague, J., Phillips, E., Holland, F. & Archer, S. (2020). Expanding hermeneutic horizons: Working as multiple researchers and with multiple participants. Research Methods in Medicine and Health Sciences, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2632084320947571

Khan, S., Holland, F., Williams, S. & Montague, J. (2019). Dispositive analysis: Overview and proposed approach. Qualitative Methods in Psychology, 28.

Holland, F., Peterson, K. & Archer, S. (2018). Thresholds of size: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of childhood messages around food, body, health and weight. Journal of Critical Dietetics, 4(1), 25–35. http://hdl.handle.net/10545/622747

Archer, S., Holland, F. & Montague, J. (2016). 'Do you mean I'm not whole?' Exploring the role of support in women's experiences of mastectomy without reconstruction. Journal of Health Psychology, 1359105316664135.

Holland, F., Archer, S. & Montague, J. (2014). Younger women's experiences of deciding against delayed breast reconstruction post-mastectomy following breast cancer: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Journal of Health Psychology.

Holland, F. (2014). Teaching in higher education: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. In Sage Research Methods Cases. London: Sage.

Wagstaff, C., Jeong, H., Nolan, M., Wilson, A., Tweedlie, J., Phillips, E., Senu, H. & Holland, F. (2014). The accordion and the deep bowl of spaghetti: Eight researchers' experiences of using IPA as a methodology. The Qualitative Report, 19(47), 1–15.

Membership of professional bodies

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and MINT UK and Ireland

Professional interests

I am an active member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, both within the UK and Ireland chapter, and in the broader international community. I regularly present at MI gatherings within the UK and internationally, and have been a support trainer on the Training of New Trainers (TNT) programme.

Qualifications

Undergraduate Qualifications

• BA PE/Sports Science and English Literature, Loughborough University

Postgraduate Qualifications 

• MA Kinesiology (Sport Psychology focus), University of Minnesota
• PGCE PE/ English, Loughborough University

Research Qualifications 

• Professional Doctorate (Ed. D), University of Derby

Recent conferences

• Recent conferences have offered me the chance to disseminate work I have done with colleagues on the impact of time in nature for young people from areas of social deprivation, particularly the evaluation of DEFRA funded Generation Green 1 and 2.
• I have also presented work based on the development of a new Motivational Interviewing Knowledge Assessment (MIKA) and a systematic review of MI within criminal justice settings.
• I have been a co-author on successful PhD students' work and this has been disseminated in a variety of fields at regional conferences (behaviour change, health psychology, qualitative methods)
• I have offered evaluation workshops annually at the Nature Connections conference which are always well received, offering insights from over a decade of evaluation experience via consultancy projects.

Experience in industry

After completing my masters degree in Minnesota, I spent 16 years working in a variety of health and well-being roles in the USA including directing wellness programmes for University employees and at a large retirement community. I also had my own wellness-based business for 9 years in North Carolina.

I have experience working collaboratively with professionals in a variety of industries and charities. These include evaluation work for the Derbyshire and Suffolk Wildlife Trusts, The Youth Hostel Association, Voice for Nature, resource development work with Derby City Council, and Motivational Interviewing training for Active Lincolnshire, Health Education England, Thrive Tribe, Chersterfield Hospital's cancer care teams and Derbyshire Addiction Advice Service. 

I continue to be involved in behaviour change in practice outside of my academic role. I do behaviour change consultancy work, freelance qualitative research and Motivational Interviewing training.

Please contact me if you are interested in working collaboratively on a project.

In the media

I have been an invited speaker for a variety of media outlets including BBC Radio Derby, Radio Nottingham and Radio Sheffield. My work has also been featured in the mainstream press.

International experience

I studied, worked and taught in the USA for 16 years. I have also taught in Finland on an Erasmus Exchange programme for a University 'health and wellbeing' summer school.

I have been an invited speaker in the USA, and have presented research and training internationally. 

I have collaborated with research colleagues from overseas and enjoy cross-disciplinary working.

Teaching responsibilities

I am a core member of the teaching team on the MSc in Behaviour Change. I also teach on both on our the undergraduate and MSc programmes, particularly in the areas of qualitative research methods, professional applications of psychology and motivational interviewing/communication skills. I supervise postgraduate research projects. 

Additional interests and activities

Outside of academia I train people and horses using 'horsemanship' principles and compassionate coaching, and volunteer with a local community arts group which promotes environmental awareness and community spirit.

Courses

• Behaviour Change (incorporating PG Dip/PG Cert) MSc