Poppy began her career in psychology volunteering as a research assistant for Professor David Canter. This involved conducting research in HMP Liverpool, which formed part of her MSc qualification in Investigative Psychology in 2008. Poppy then joined the Forensic Psychology in Practice Doctorate at the University of Birmingham and completed a three-year placement based at the Bracton Centre within Oxleas NHS. During this time she gained invaluable experience running a community adolescent sex offender treatment group (Transform) from Guys Hospital, holding a forensic outpatient caseload and providing psychological input to an inpatient ward.

Following her qualification in 2011, Poppy moved to New Zealand where she worked in a maximum-security prison for 2 years conducting a variety of assessments for the parole board and for court as well as delivering group and individual treatment. During this time Poppy also ran a community probation treatment group for female offenders. Poppy then moved to Australia in 2014 where she worked with Aboriginal children in out-of-home care facilities to ensure that they were provided with adequate care through in-depth assessment and the training of staff.

In 2016, Poppy returned to the UK where she was employed as a senior forensic psychologist at a secure hospital. She regularly conducted a range of assessments including the PCL-R, RSVP, HCR-20 and START as well as group and individual treatment programmes. Poppy has experience of training staff in the care, support and treatment of women offenders and young people, positive behaviour support and risk assessments. She currently holds a lead psychologist role at a 64-bed male and female hospital.