Unlock Wellbeing is resource hub which has been developed by the LAMP research group at the University of Bath.
The aim of Unlock Wellbeing is to provide information and brief, accessible support to young people, parents and professionals.
Unlock Wellbeing offers single session interventions for young people in the UK affected by low mood and worries.
About LAMP
LAMP (spotLight on Adolescent and young adult Mood Problems) is a group working at the University of Bath to improve access to early, effective support for young people experiencing low mood symptoms.
We aim to bridge the gap between young people’s need for help and access to services. In other words, we want to make it easier to access mental health support as soon as you need it.
Prof Maria Loades, Project Lead
I am a Reader in the Department of Psychology at the University of Bath. I am trained as a Clinical Psychologist, and have worked with children, young people and families in the NHS and in private practice. I lead the LAMP team.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
I worked in CAMHS for many years and was frustrated by the number of young people who said that they had had to struggle to get help, and by how many young people had to get worse before they met the criteria to access help. Therefore, I am keen to find ways to improve access to information and help for young people as early as possible, and in places that fit with where they look.
What I enjoy outside of work
I enjoy playing the flute, walking my dog (he’s a fox terrier x whippet), running, and reading.
@marialoades.bsky.social, https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-loades-b31890254/
Sophie Dallison
I am a LAMP Research Assistant and Psychology PhD researcher, supervised by Dr Maria Loades, focusing on how brief scalable interventions could improve access to mental health support for young people in underserved global majority communities.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
My own lived experience of mental health problems when I was younger has always motivated me to help others get help when they need it.
Unfortunately this is not always how the system works for young people, which motivates me more work in research that is striving to improve access to help, as early as possible.
What I enjoy outside of work
In my freetime you’ll find me surfing, doing yoga, going to gigs, running and travelling.
@sophiedallison.bsky.social, https://uk.linkedin.com/in/sophie-dallison-75b856187
Natalia Kika
I am a PhD Researcher in the LAMP team. My research focuses on developing an online single session intervention for parents of young people with low mood.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
While learning about clinical psychology I noticed that an issue which kept coming up was that young people struggle to get mental health support in time, which can lead to further problems in adulthood. I then also saw this in an NHS setting where many young people were already quite unwell by the time they reached help.
I therefore decided to make it my priority to contribute to increasing access to early mental health support help both for young people and those who support them through my research.
What I enjoy outside of work
I enjoy lifting weights, running and salsa dancing. @nataliakika.bsky.social
Emma Chubb
I am a PhD researcher looking at improving access to early help for LGBTQ+ young people.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
During my teenage years, I struggled with my mental health and found it really hard to get the right support. Now, I’m passionate about creating better, easier-to-access resources to help young people take care of their mental health.
What I enjoy outside of work
I like hanging out with my friends, playing Stardew Valley on my Switch and practicing Welsh.
Nina Higson-Sweeney
I am a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Bath and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford. I previously undertook a PhD within LAMP supervised by Dr Maria Loades, and continue to collaborate with the LAMP team on research projects.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
I was diagnosed with OCD and depression as a pre-teen/teenager, and was in and out of CAMHS for 8 years. I was very lucky to receive the support I did, but recognise that my story could have been very different; as such, I want to use my position to do what I can to increase access to mental health support and (ideally) intervene before it reaches a crisis point.
What I enjoy outside of work
I enjoy reading fiction, crocheting and knitting, playing video games and playing Dungeons & Dragons with friends.
Tom Jenkins
I am a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bath. My current research focuses on how mental health interventions can be made more acceptable and accessible for young people.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
I would like to live in a world where we can all live free from suffering. Early support and access for young people is therefore especially important to me because it can offer people relief from distress in the moment, as well as helping to prevent mental health difficulties developing later in life.
What I enjoy outside of work
I love being in nature and can often be found walking up hills. I also enjoy playing drums, football, and meditation.
Atiyya Nisar
I am a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Bath, working on building the evidence base for youth mental health interventions.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
I believe that all children and young people should have the opportunity to live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life and providing early, accessible mental health support is key in making this a reality.
What I enjoy outside of work
I like to read novels, bake sweet treats, lift weights and travel abroad as much as possible.
Jeff Lambert
I am a Senior Lecturer in Health and Exercise Psychology at the University of Bath, where my research focuses on physical activity, mental health, and digital interventions.
Recent work includes single-session interventions (COMET), digital procrastination (Procrastinate), and social media breaks. I am also involved in the Spotlight on Adolescent Mood Problems group, where I focus on mental health interventions for young people.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
I am passionate about early mental health support for young people because addressing challenges early can prevent long-term issues and promote resilience during critical developmental stages. My focus on physical activity stems from research showing its benefits for mental health, making it a powerful and accessible tool for young people to build healthy habits and coping mechanisms.
What I enjoy outside of work
I enjoy spending time with my two young daughters, cooking, reading, weight training, and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Noah Marshall
I am a SWDTP/ESRC Doctoral Researcher within the University of Bath’s Department for Health. As part of the LAMP team, I specialise in developing, evaluating, and implementing AI tools to deliver adaptive, personable, and cost-effective clinical interventions at scale.
Why I am interested in early help for youth mental health
Globally, health systems continue to fall short in meeting the growing mental health needs of young people. My work is driven by the strong belief that all youth deserve access to affordable, timely, and high-quality mental healthcare.
What I enjoy outside of work
In my free time, you will often find me painting, hiking, and participating in strength sports.
Enzo
I am a rescued terrier. I live with Maria, and enjoy sleeping in the sunshine.
I get involved in virtual meetings wherever I can.
Collaborations
We work together with many other groups around the world to improve youth mental health.
- Lab for Scalable Mental Health, Northwestern University
- Hamilton Lab, Rutgers University
- MindTech, UoNottingham
Partnership working
We work in partnership with young people wherever we can.