Dr Lisa Gentle appointed as trustee of the Attachment Research Community

Dr Lisa Gentle, Research Manager and Research Fellow at Norland has been appointed to the Attachment Research Community (ARC) Board of Trustees. 

The Attachment Research Community (ARC) is a charity founded by school leaders, psychologists, training organisations and academics who recognise the impact attachment and trauma responsive approaches can have for children and young people, as well as adults, within  educational and other settings. Its mission is to support all schools and  settings to be attachment and trauma aware in their practice for the benefit of all members of the learning community and particularly the most vulnerable, by bringing together, sharing and celebrating best practice. 

This prestigious appointment highlights Dr Lisa Gentle’s contributions to the field of attachment and trauma-aware education. Lisa’s PhD in psychology studied relationships between attachment and mentoring. Her research led to recommendations for using these assessments in education, mental health, and business settings.  

As Research Manager and Research Fellow at Norland, Lisa’s role includes supporting and conducting research and developing the research community. She is currently involved in several impactful projects relating to attachment, including examining the impact of Emotion Coaching on practice in schools as well as an analysis of staff perceptions of Attachment Aware Schools programmes. 

Prior to Norland, Lisa worked as a nursery nurse, nursery lead, and a college course leader for Early Years Care NVQ programmes. She has also worked as a mental health worker, student counsellor, and as an author for courses delivered nationally to individuals in prison and on probation.  

“It is a privilege to be appointed as an ARC trustee,” shared Lisa. “The work that ARC does is fundamental to the lives of all children, especially the most vulnerable and I am delighted to be able to use my research to support their important work”.