Mia Bennion

Mia is currently a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM) PhD Fellow, working alongside the Mental Health research theme. Her project is focused on CBT-based low intensity interventions and engagement with between-session work. 

She also works as a lecturer on the Primary Mental Health Care pathway which supports individuals to acquire a qualification as a Psychological Well-being Practitioner (PWP).

Alongside this she is also a research associate for a global health project (STAND-Indonesia) focused on the implementation of low intensity interventions for depression and anxiety in Indonesia.

In 2018, Mia graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a First-class Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She went on to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Interventions for Mental Health (Primary Mental Health Care) at the University of Manchester. This was a one year part-time taught programme in which she also worked as a Trainee Psychological Well-being Practitioner at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) in Bolton Primary Care Psychological Therapy Service (Bolton PCPTS). Upon successful completion, she continued to work at Bolton PCPTS as a qualified Psychological Well-being Practitioner until September 2020, which is when Mia joined the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work as a PhD student at the University. In 2022, Mia was employed as a lecturer at the University before also acquiring a research associate role in 2024.

Stemming from her clinical background, Mia's primary research interests sit within Primary Care Mental Health and IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies), for example CBT-based low intensity interventions and guided self-help.  

Mia's PhD project is currently supervised by Professor Penny Bee, Professor Karina Lovell and Dr Amy Blakemore. 

2015-2018 BA (Hons) Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University

2018-2019 Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice Interventions for Mental Health (Primary Mental Health Care), University of Manchester