Since Patti Wallace took up this post in August 2010, her focus has been on developing and disseminating robust and relevant arguments in support of in-house counselling provision to the wide range of stakeholders in the FE/HE sector. To this end, she conducted research involving 5,537 students from 65 universities and colleges in the UK, providing substantial evidence for the positive impact of counselling on academic outcomes. Following on from this research, she and Jo Pybis, BACP Research Facilitator, developed an impact measure, for the use of BACP UC members. (see research pages for more information about both of these initiatives.)

In addition to her current work for BACP, Patti has had over 35 years' experience in the counselling and mental health field. She has worked as a counsellor and psychotherapist, counselling service manager and clinical supervisor, in the voluntary sector, the NHS, the workplace, Higher Education and in private practice. She has been an academic for 16 years, lecturing in counselling and occupational psychology and as Assistant Dean, managing a large staff group and external income generating projects. Alongside her Lead Advisor role, Patti works as Senior Lecturer in Counselling at Newman University and provides clinical supervision, mediation and management training to a number of large public sector organisations.