Ali Coleman

< Home

Student Support & Wellbeing Manager

Dip Psychotherapeutic Counselling
Cert HE Relational Therapeutic Counselling

Additional Qualifications
CBT Techniques for Anxiety & Depression

Role and responsibilities
As a member of the Student Support Team, Ali has responsibility for managing NSCD’s student support and wellbeing programme to ensure that the highest standard of support is available for all students to complement and support their programme of study. Ali also oversees the Injury management provision with the in-house Physio Team

Who am I?

“Despite very little dance experience, I love to be part of the vibrancy of the dance world. Hearing the strains of music and thud of feet in the studios provides an inspiring backdrop to the more chair-based work I do at Northern.

Leeds has been my base since coming here to university in 1994 and still excites me as a diverse, busy, but very accessible and welcoming city. With 3 young children, my world is now more about parks than nightlife, but I still love the buzz of the city’s music, restaurant, and festival scene.”

Educational Background and Expertise Supporting Curriculum Development

As the Student Well-being Manager, Ali has input and oversight into curriculum development by ensuring that student mental health and overall well-being are integrated into the design and delivery of the academic content. Ali works collaboratively with faculty and curriculum developers to identify potential stressors within course structures, deadlines, and workloads, and provides recommendations for adjustments that promote a balanced learning environment. Additionally, Ali monitors the effectiveness of well-being strategies embedded in the curriculum, ensuring that they are responsive to student needs and aligned with institutional well-being goals.

Career History

Following completion of a BA in Women’s Studies, Ali went on to complete a further 4 years training in Psychotherapeutic Counselling.

Since then Ali has worked across a number of therapy organisations, including Leeds Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service, Northpoint Wellbeing, The Beck and as a schools counsellor with Gipsil, along with managing her own small private practice focusing on work with young adults.

Ali joined NSCD as a volunteer counsellor in 2017, progressing to Student Counsellor in 2019 and then to the role of Student Support and Wellbeing Manager in 2021.

Professional activity

Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP).

Continuous Professional Development

Tilburg ISP week re-designing spaces Training
Unconscious bias Training
Anti-bribery Training
Safeguarding and Prevent Training
Consent Training
Microsoft One Drive – Teams Training
Inclusivity and difference Training
Health & Well-being (in-house) Training
Asimut Training
Disability Awareness (SpLD) Training
Committee awareness and effectiveness training
Policy and procedures update training
Autism training
Strategic Plan away day with SLT at NSCD
Neurodiversity Training
Theory of Change Training
Supporting Students who Self-Harm Training
The Polyvagal System and Regulation Training
Safeguarding Creative Processes Training