Dr Vanessa Lawrence
Following a first degree in psychology, Vanessa completed a PhD at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience in which she used a grounded theory methodology to explore the subjective reality of living with dementia and caring for a person with dementia within multicultural Britain. She subsequently co-authored a book on how best to provide culturally sensitive dementia care (Managing Dementia in a Multicultural Society, Wiley) and is Associate Editor for Qualitative Research for the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. She is passionate about using qualitative methods to understand and improve the experiences of service users.
Vanessa designs and conducts high quality applied qualitative research. She is interested in using traditional and innovative methods of data collection to develop, evaluate and implement therapeutic interventions that are grounded in the priorities of service users, families and health care professionals. She has methodological expertise in grounded theory, thematic analysis, framework analysis and Interpretative Phenological Analysis and her research interests include older adults’ mental health, recovery and eating disorders. Most recently, she has enjoyed discovering Narrative Inquiry and using virtual qualitative diary methods to help understand individual’s experiences and beliefs in the context of their everyday lives. Vanessa is affiliated with the King’s Clinical Trials Unit and provides expert advice on applying qualitative methods in clinical trials across King’s Health Partners.
