A b O u t
O u R w o R k

We are committed to gently, courageously, and creatively rehumanising health and educational spaces by nurturing a culture that is trauma-informed and values belonging, dignity and justice. 

We hold space for deep listening, co-creation, and gentle disruption.
Our work brings together educators, clinicians, students, and communities to:

  • Rehumanise healthcare education through reflective, creative, and relational practices

  • Support cultural change through storytelling, evidence, and imagination

  • Research flourishing using design-based, participatory, and arts-informed methods

  • Build local/global community to share practice and insight across healthcare and higher education

We root our work in shared values:
Curiosity, Compassion, Creativity, and Connection.

A b O u t
O u R t e A m

  • ACADEMIC PRACTISE AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT MANAGER @ QUEEN MARY ACADEMY

    Ana's areas of work include student engagement, co-creation and recognition of students' contribution to the enhancement of teaching and learning through co-creation (SEED award - Student Enhanced Engagement and Development).

  • DEAN FOR DIGITAL EDUCATION @ QMUL

    Chie leads the new Digital Education Studio at QMUL, which consists of a multi-disciplinary team of academics and professionals to carry out both strategic and operational work of transforming digital education practices for the Faculty and beyond.

    Her research interests lie at the intersection of critical digital pedagogy, with a focus on humanising digital spaces, educational/medical technology and interculturalism in re-thinking how they might enhance teaching and learning practice within the higher education sector.

    @chieadachi

  • TEACHING RECOGNITION PROGRAMME MANAGER @ QUEEN MARY ACADEMY

    Maxis responsible for Advance HE Teaching Recognition Programmes (TRP) at QMUL. He leads the development of the QMUL Higher Education Academy Fellowships Mentoring and Reviewer programmes and focuses on strategic continuing professional development. Max is passionate about flourishing and continuing professional development. His current research interests include reflective practice in dental education, curriculum development and co-creation.

  • FRCP SF HEA. CLINICAL READER | HEAD OF YEAR 5 | DEPUTY HEAD FOR MBBS YEARS 3–5

    She is a consultant hepatologist at the Royal London Hospital and involved in delivering undergraduate & postgraduate medical education over the last 25 years. She has applied her first-hand experience of education in diverse training environments to ensure authenticity, relevance and integrity within training programs.  

    “I am so thrilled to join the Flourishing family, as it resonates with my vision of an education that nurtures and empowers our students. I look forward to embedding Flourishing within the MBBS program to help our students maximise their potential while adapting to the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.”

  • TEACHING ASSOCIATE, THEATRE-MAKER, WRITER, DIRECTOR, RESEARCHER

    Pedro is a PhD Drama Candidate at Queen Mary University of London with the support of an International Fellowship from “la Caixa” Foundation. His doctoral thesis “Dramaturgies of Urban Mental Health'' focuses on the links between theatres, cities and mental health, within the broad spectrum of arts and health, by looking at case studies in London (Arcola Theatre), Barcelona (Teatre Lliure) and São Paulo (Teatro Oficina).

    Pedro holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Cultural Management (both from the University of Barcelona) and an MA in Dramatic Writing (University of the Arts London).

  • STUDENT ADVISOR, DIGITAL COMMUNITY MANAGER & NEWSLETTER EDITOR

    Elle Tallgren is a final year medical student at Queen Mary University of London with a strong interest in creative enquiry and its role in humanising medical education after taking Professor Younie’s Creative Arts Student Selected Component. Since her first year, she has been passionate about fostering environments that integrate creativity to enhance the human dimension of medicine. She actively pursues this interest by helping to organise and facilitate workshops on creative enquiry within the MBBS program. Additionally, her fourth year dissertation explores how creative enquiry can serve as a tool to prevent burnout among medical students. Elle has co-presented at the Medical Humanities Conference at the University of Sunderland, where she discussed the significance of creative enquiry in medical education, and she is also presenting at the 2025 Medical Humanities Conference in Cambridge

  • WEB-DESIGN LEAD

    Ka Long Lin is a London-based artist, digital designer, and web designer. His work merges technology with art, using digital spaces as a storytelling medium to create immersive experiences. As the founder of GUMDesignStore and GAisketch, he explores themes of physical and mental health, immigration, and identity through jewellery, digital art, and online platforms. Alongside his artistic practice, Ka Long works as a web designer, building digital spaces that reflect his creative vision. He is also the Tech and Website Advisor for 'Flourishing Spaces', where he supports digital accessibility for both the community behind medical education and creative enquiry, and for anyone interested in this field.

  • Dr Agalya Ramanathan is a GP and Senior Clinical Lecturer in the CBME team, and also working in the primary care education team at Oxford (in a maternity cover role). She has a range of experience from working in different primary care education teams. As a doctor and educator, she is passionate about the value of creative enquiry and human dimension teaching in empowering students and clinicians and providing balance. 

  • DOCTOR

    Harris graduated with an MBBS from Barts and The London in 2023. He worked as a student representative for the establishment of the SEED Award at QMUL, and now is a honorary member. He has an interest in how students shape and define the learning experience for themselves and other students, as well as creative enquiry and the benefits it has for students and clinicians. In 2022, he created this toolkit on how to engage with creative enquiry. He also designed the Flourishing Spaces logo.

  • DOCTOR

    Lili is a Humanist Chaplain based in an Acute East London NHS Hospital Trust. She is Emeritus Provost of the RCGP North East London Faculty and the Non-Executive Director for Greener Practice. For many years she has worked as a GP in Tower Hamlets and in NHS Clinical Leadership roles across London. Together with others she developed and published the Handy Approach to Care. She has an interest in trauma transformed care and creative climate health creation. She has co-facilitated the London Deep End Health Equity Leadership platform growing leaders for fairer systems and healthier places. She is committed to #healthierhealthcare which is about the delivery of proportionate, respectful, and equitable care.

    @lilianarisi.bsky.social

  • COMMUNITY ARTIST, PATIENT VOICE

    “Creativity interweaves throughout my life and keeps me together! Since having an aortic dissection in 2007 I've had multiple surgeries to reconstruct & repair my aorta. I use art to slow down, to listen to my body, process medical experiences or as a way to extend beyond my physical boundaries.

    I love how making a space for expressing creativity can be transformative and healing for the individual and community.”

    Read more

  • ARTIST, PATIENT VOICE

    “…Everyday is a struggle with the seductive voices in my head that whisper “oh what’s the point.” Through what I do with my activity in the world, I transform, what many people have referred to as a tragedy, into a wonderful opportunity to flourish. My practice allows me to dance with those partners of loss, pain and decline with more grace… “

    Read more

  • GOVERNANCE MANAGER, INSTITUTE OF HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION, FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY

    Vanessa Thompson is Governance Manager in the medical school at Queen Mary University of London with a strong interest in staff wellbeing and inclusivity. Working with Louise Younie and others on the staff student art exhibition and ideas for staff flourishing led to involvement in the flourishing group. The experience of changes in ways of working during and following the Covid pandemic and reflections on the effect on staff belonging and connectedness contributed to her setting up a monthly knitting and craft group for staff in the medical school which continues today.

    “I am so thrilled to join the Flourishing family, as it resonates with my vision of an education that nurtures and empowers our students. I look forward to embedding Flourishing within the MBBS program to help our students maximise their potential while adapting to the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.”

  • CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Rebecca completed her medical degree in 2023 from Barts and the London. She worked on flourishing and creative enquiry projects during her elective and is published in the Journal of Holistic Healthcare.

    After completing her medical degree, Rebecca retrained as a software engineer.

P r E v I O u s
P a R t N e r

  • SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

    Creative Industries and Arts Organisation MA student at Queen Mary University of London

    Mika is interested in all forms of creative expression and in championing access to arts for all. She is currently studying about precarious labour in the performing arts industry.

  • MEDICAL STUDENT

    Ivon is a medical student and inquisitive to explore creative enquiry. Inspired by co-facilitating workshops and his lived experiences, he is currently undertaking an iBSc research project on 'How does creative enquiry enable you to deal with uncertainty?' He hopes to help incorporate and bring mainstream recognition of creative enquiry into medical education.