Hannah Cutting

Hannah Cutting is a PhD Researcher within the Institute for Social Justice at York St John University. She currently serves as an English secondary school teacher with a background in theatre and media. Her research focuses on leveraging spoken word as a therapeutic tool for Key Stage 4 (KS4) students facing non-neurodevelopmental mental health challenges like anxiety and depression in mainstream schools.

Her doctoral work aims to design a spoken word curriculum for KS4 learners struggling with mental health issues, emphasizing the creative process from writing to performance livestreaming. Hannah believes in early mental health intervention and advocates for equipping young people with practical tools to navigate emotional struggles.

• Affiliations: School of Humanities, Institute for Social Justice
• Educational Background: Pursuing a practice-based PhD at York St John University

Research Interests: Creative expression as mental health intervention, spoken word performance's psychological benefits, and curriculum development in secondary education. Her work bridges pedagogy and art to address gaps in youth mental health support.