Miss Rachel Miller

I’ve always been drawn to the ways mental health, wellbeing, and education can create lasting change — for individuals, communities, and systems. Over the past 11 years, I’ve worked across clinical, academic, humanitarian, and public health settings to support people in high-pressure environments and to make mental health care more accessible, sustainable, and trauma-informed.

At the University of Exeter, I am a Senior Lecturer and No Health Without Mental Health Lead in the Academy of Nursing, alongside my role as a Research Fellow in Public Health. My work focuses on building inclusive curricula, co-creating knowledge partnerships, and supporting action to address structural health inequalities — ensuring that research leads to meaningful, real-world impact.

As a Registered Mental Health Nurse, I have worked with veterans, military personnel, frontline responders, and humanitarian workers — with a particular focus on post-trauma recovery, occupational mental health, and psychosocial support in crisis contexts. My practice experience includes roles with Combat Stress, the British Red Cross, Public Health England, and the armed forces. This is complemented by consultancy and voluntary work in Zimbabwe, Nepal, and India, where I’ve contributed to international workforce transition, safeguarding, and community-led mental health programmes.

I hold an MSc in War and Psychiatry (Distinction) and a BSc (Hons) in Mental Health Nursing, and have trained in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), EMDR (Parts 1 & 2), and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies. I am currently completing a Diploma in Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine, further developing my understanding of healthcare in fragile and humanitarian settings.

My main areas of interest and expertise include the psychosocial implications of trauma, mental health in high-stress professions, and how we can build more inclusive, trauma-informed systems across health, education, and humanitarian contexts.

I always welcome conversations, collaborations, and shared reflections — particularly around global mental health, strategy development, research leadership, and cross-sector wellbeing initiatives.