I’m Grace Quantock, a cross-disciplinary academic and activist researcher in psychotherapy and counselling, emerging digital technologies and inclusion. I graduated from the School of Education at Bath Spa University with a Masters in 2021. I’m a guest lecturer at the University of South Wales, supporting the Children and Adolescent Mental Health MA.
I have research experience in psychotherapy and emerging technologies. I have undertaken AHRC-funded research fellowships with UWE Bristol, in partnership with Watershed, Bristol, Kaleider in Exeter and Bath Spa University, the University of Plymouth and Falmouth University.
I’m a resident of the Pervasive Media Studio, Watershed, Bristol.
I am exploring how news can be accessed without re-traumatisation and distress. While much research has explored effective news delivery for engagement. I am researching how therapeutic principles can impact how people with trauma can access potentially triggering news safely.
This research has applications beyond news delivery, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, shifts to telemedicine have rapidly accelerated. With the delivery of more and more distressing information being online, this is a rich opportunity to understand how difficult material can be delivered in a format which makes it possible to process it.
Since 2020, I’ve been supported by Clwstwr Creu to develop Trauma Toggle. Trauma Toggle is a prototype software which will allow users to titrate language and triggering material to control their media consumption. With climate breakdown, COVID-19, political upheaval and worsening mental health, Trauma Toggle aims to increase citizen engagement, reducing news avoidance and vulnerability to predatory misinformation. I’m combining real-world clinical experience as a counsellor and will co-create with journalists working in the field, marginalised audiences and technology developers to create a news prototype that’s trauma-informed.
Trauma Toggle is part of my wider post-graduate research, focusing on exploring experiences of embodiment and attachment for marginalised survivors of trauma. I am particularly interested in exploring the question of creating a marginalised-body-centred methodology for developing attachment in othered bodies, working with emerging digital technologies.
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