About Holly
Hiya, I’m Holly.
I’m a peer support practitioner, advocate, speaker, author, and founder of The Listening Space and Beyond the System. I create spaces where people feel seen, heard and understood.
My work is rooted in lived experience first and foremost, informed by psychological understanding, and driven by a commitment to doing things differently. Compassion, honesty and emotional safety sit at the heart of everything I do.
I support people who have experienced a wide range of adversity, whether through care experience, mental health challenges, addiction or other difficult life experiences. I believe people deserve to be listened to without judgement, supported without assumptions, and recognised for who they are beyond their experiences or circumstances.
I don’t stand outside people’s experiences. I stand alongside them.
My Story
I am a survivor of the Scottish care system, child sexual exploitation, child sexual abuse, and substance dependency.
These experiences did not define me, but they have shaped the person I am today. They have influenced how I understand trauma, how I connect with others, and how I approach my work. I know what it means to carry shame that was never yours to carry, to feel unheard, and to navigate systems that can sometimes cause further harm. I understand isolation, loss, and the long journey of rebuilding trust in yourself and others.
I also understand resilience. I know what it takes to survive, to heal, and to create a life beyond what happened to you.
It is this combination of lived experience, professional knowledge, and compassion that guides everything I do.
Advocacy & Voice
I use my voice, lived experience, and professional expertise to raise awareness of the realities of care experience, trauma, exploitation, and recovery.
Through writing, public speaking, media engagement, and campaigning, I challenge stigma, amplify lived experience, and bring attention to issues that are too often overlooked, misunderstood, or silenced.
I also provide training and awareness sessions for professionals, helping them to better understand child sexual exploitation (CSE), child sexual abuse (CSA), trauma, and the long-term impact these experiences can have. By combining lived experience with professional knowledge, I support more informed, compassionate, and trauma-responsive practice.
At the heart of my work is a commitment to honesty, dignity, and meaningful change. I believe that every person deserves to feel seen, heard, and understood, and never defined solely by what has happened to them.
I also provide relationship-based support for looked after children and young people, creating safe, trusted spaces where they can build confidence, feel heard, and access consistent support from someone who understands the realities of care experience.
If you would like to discuss a speaking engagement, training session, event, or support service, please get in touch.
Contact me to discuss bookings and collaborations.
Just Me
Beyond my work, I’m a dog mum and someone who deeply values connection, kindness, and authenticity.
The way I live is the same way I work, with honesty, compassion, and respect for each person’s unique journey. I believe that everyone deserves to feel heard, valued, and safe enough to be themselves.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple truth:
People don’t heal through systems.
They heal through relationships, safety, understanding, and being truly seen.
