Our people
Meet the team who lead The Body Project Gloucestershire.
Jump to: Dr Kerry John Rees | Dr Katerina Kantartzis |Michelle Barden | Christina Packer | Ruth Steggles | Zoë Harwood |Isobel Turner-Cross
Dr Kerry John Rees
CPsychol
Kerry is a Senior Lecturer within the school of Education and Science at the University of Gloucestershire. He lectures in Psychology, Psychology & Sociology and Criminology & Psychology. Kerry’s research interests are focused on non-conscious influences on decision making, social values, identity, and well-being. Kerry has been part of the University’s Body Project team since 2018. He is also currently working on projects with the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust investigating the role of compartmentalisation and disassociation in people recovering from psychosis and the experience of pain in chronic sufferers. Other projects include investigation of recovery in anorexia, individual differences in decision making, neurodiversity in the workplace and virtuous and toxic leadership.
He is regularly interviewed by media outlets such as the BBC where he shares his insights into social psychology and impacts of social media.
Dr Katerina Kantartzis
CPsychol
Katerina is the Deputy Head of the School of Education and Science at the University of Gloucestershire. She completed her undergraduate and PhD at the University of Birmingham, investigating Sound Symbolism and word learning.
Katerina was a founder member of The Body Project research team when the original pilot study was conducted in 2018 and was pivotal in developing the first team of project facilitators.
Katerina is a Trainer for The Body Project, a member of the board of ConnectED Gloucestershire Eating Disorders Charity and the University lead for Gloucestershire’s Arts, Health and Wellbeing Centre. Drawing on her background in Developmental Psychology, Katerina has a particular interest in extending the work to Parents and Carers.
Michelle Barden
BSc (Hons), MSc, GMBPsS
Michelle studied for her Psychology BSc and Health Psychology MSc as a mature student at the University of Gloucestershire.
Michelle took part in The Body Project as a participant during her studies and went on to train as a Facilitator, as well as working as a volunteer Research Assistant on the 2018 pilot study until she graduated. Michelle is now the Research Co-ordinator, Research Assistant and Principal Trainer for The Body Project.
Michelle is a keen advocate for outreach and equity in research, extending the current work to include young men. Drawing on her experience of working at the Gloucestershire all-age Eating Disorders Service as a Clinician, she is also interested in adapting this work to include those over 25.
Michelle is also the Practice Advisor in Eating Disorders for WINN-UK.
Christina Packer
MSc
Christina is a PhD candidate at University of Gloucestershire, and a Psychology Lecturer and BSc Psychology Programme Manager at Stroode College in Somerset.
Her main passion for research focuses on body image and the impact this has on individuals. She studied for her Health Psychology MSc, choosing to focus her dissertation on investigating the predictive factors of positive body image in mid-life women. This research highlighted to her the impacts of body image to the wider health of mid-life women, which is now the focus of her PhD.
During her MSc study, Christina became involved in the Body Project, firstly as a participant, and then went on to train as a Facilitator.
Ruth Steggles
A lifelong learner, teacher and trainer, Ruth joined the world of mental health in 2010 when her daughter developed an eating disorder. After supporting her daughter’s recovery, Ruth trained as a coach and created Fresh Air Fridays, an organisation that teaches mental and emotional well-being to individuals and organisations.
She now specialises in working with parents and carers of those who have children with eating disorders. She delivers the New Maudsley Skills-based Caring for a Loved One course and the eating disorders course for Cardiff Recovery College.
Ruth is a regular volunteer and speaker for the eating disorders charity BEAT, where she uses her professional and lived experience of eating disorders to raise awareness, support parents and carers, and challenge the conversations around eating disorders and body image.
Ruth is a trained Body Project facilitator who is working towards making the intervention accessible to schools, colleges, and community groups across Wales.
Zoë Harwood
DDE/LISTD
As the founder of Lightminds Collective, Zoë is an Eating Disorder Recovery and Body Image Coach, supporting women and teens through recovery and bridging the gap between GP’s and therapy.
Growing up in the dance industry led Zoë to internalise the message that success came from living in a smaller body, resulting in her own disordered eating and a long journey of body image struggles.
After creating and running a holistic dance school that promotes equality, empowerment and acceptance for 20 years, Zoë transitioned into coaching to support individuals navigating recovery, particularly those not responding to traditional therapy or facing lengthy waitlists.
She is certified in EDIT™ Recovery Coaching, Body Image and Body Dysmorphia in Adolescence (NCED) and is a trained Mental Health First Aider. Zoë is also a member of The Expert by Experience network at Gloucestershire Eating Disorders Service and a Body Project Facilitator and Facilitator Trainer.
Isobel Turner-Cross
BSc
Isobel is a postgraduate Psychology student with a background in education who also works as a Personal Tutor and Teaching Assistant alongside her studies. In her private practice, she specialises in body image, embodiment, and mental wellbeing, with a strong commitment to helping people reconnect with the joy of living in their bodies—regardless of size, shape, age, or ability—and challenging the cultural obsession with perfecting appearance.
Isobel’s MSc research focuses on postpartum body shaming and neurodivergence, exploring how societal expectations intersect with embodied experience for neurodivergent mothers. She is particularly passionate about inclusive, strengths-based approaches to mental health and body image.
Isobel’s involvement with The Body Project began during her studies at the University of Gloucestershire, firstly taking part as a participant then going on to train as a Facilitator. She now works as a Lead Facilitator, delivering sessions in schools and developing opportunities to expand the programme into wider community settings.