Bex Twinley

Bex Twinley is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Sport and Health at the University of Brighton, UK, where she contributes to the occupational therapy program. She holds a PhD in Health Science from the University of Plymouth and has been active in academia since 2010, previously serving as a Lecturer/Practitioner at the University of Plymouth. She is affiliated with the Centre for Arts and Wellbeing and the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender at the University of Brighton, reflecting her interdisciplinary and socially engaged research.

Her educational journey includes a BSc in Sociology (University of Plymouth, 2000), an MSc in Health Through Occupation (University of Brighton, 2005), and a PostGraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (University of Plymouth, 2011). She also holds a Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism (2024) and training in qualitative research and systematic reviews.

Bex Twinley's research centers on the "Dark Side of Occupation"—a concept she developed to explore occupations that are hidden, stigmatized, or subjectively experienced in ways that challenge professional or societal norms. Her work emphasizes neurodivergent-affirming practice, trauma-informed care, and intersectionality, particularly how neurodivergence intersects with gender, sexuality, and trauma. She employs feminist auto/biographical methodologies, drawing on personal and collective narratives to understand occupation, identity, and wellbeing.

Her recent publications span topics such as matrescence, woman-to-woman sexual violence, religious disaffiliation, and neurodivergent motherhood. These works consistently highlight occupational justice, identity renegotiation, and the need for inclusive, strengths-based practices. Her research output shows sustained engagement with marginalized populations and silenced experiences.

Scientific Awards and Funding:

• Co-author of paper awarded the 2021 Wilcock Award for Emerging Authors
• Recipient of multiple seed grants from University of Brighton, University of Canberra, Elizabeth Casson Trust, and University of Plymouth
• External funding as Co-Investigator on international research projects

Bex Twinley is an experienced supervisor at BSc, MSc, and PhD levels, with a focus on projects that explore trauma, identity, and the darker aspects of human occupation. She has led a doctoral student to completion and serves as an APR Reader for PhD candidates. She has also contributed to pedagogical scholarship through co-editing The Doctoral Journey as an Emotional, Embodied, Political Experience, reflecting her commitment to reflexive, relational supervision.

She has been actively involved in knowledge exchange, including an Erasmus+ teaching mobility to Germany, and has served as an external examiner at Teesside University and panel member at York St John University. She co-chairs the Neurodivergent Staff Network at the University of Brighton and is committed to creating inclusive academic and clinical environments.