Emily's interest in forensic psychology and mental health started during her undergraduate degree in Psychology, during which time she was involved with a national research project exploring the prevalence of dual diagnosis – substance misuse and mental health problems – and the relationship to violence. On completion of this degree in 1999, Emily worked on a number of national research projects exploring the mental health of people in contact with the criminal justice system. She completed her MSc Forensic Psychology in 2000 at the University of Surrey, during which she conducted research on the speech, language, and communication difficulties of people in a high secure hospital who had a history of violence and experienced psychotic symptomatology. She then went on to complete a PhD at the University of Surrey, exploring the interpersonal styles of men who had a history of violent behaviour. Simultaneously, Emily continued to work on national research projects and completed her training as a forensic psychologist in a high secure hospital, where she continued to work until 2012, undertaking assessments, individual and group therapeutic interventions across a range of assessment and treatment models and frameworks.

Since 2012, Emily has worked in an academic context where she has designed and run Masters programmes in Forensic Psychology, taught a range of subjects across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to psychology, criminology, and law students, supervised PhD and clinical doctorate research, and undertaken her own research exploring issues relating to the mental health of people in the criminal justice system (e.g. brain injury among women in prison, standards of mental health care in prisons, factors contributing to recovery and risk reduction) and offending behaviour (e.g. online child sexual exploitation material users). Emily is also an active contributor to Government consultations and national working groups on issues relating to the mental health of people in the criminal justice system. She was an active member of the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology committee for 10 years and is a current member of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Advisory Board. Emily draws on her research and policy experience to inform her assessment and consultation work.

Since qualification as a Chartered (British Psychological Society; BPS) and Registered Forensic Psychologist (Health and Care Professions Council), Emily has maintained her commitment to professional development. She is an Associate Fellow of the BPS, a Registered Test User in Forensic Contexts (BPS), Registered Applied Psychologist in Practice Supervisor (BPS), and Chartered Scientist (The Science Council). She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.