Dr. Holly Sugg is a Lecturer in evidence-based practice and research methods in the Academy of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Exeter, UK. Holly currently co-leads both the ‘Evidence for Practice’ pillar of the Academy and the Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Theme in the Department of Health and Care Professions. She is also an Affiliated Researcher with the Complex Intervention Research in Health and Care Group, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, at Uppsala University, Sweden.

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Holly’s background is in psychology and psychological research methods. She currently specializes in mental health services research, focusing on developing and evaluating complex healthcare interventions, particularly psychological therapies for common mental health difficulties. Holly has skills in both quantitative and qualitative research and in undertaking integrative mixed methods analysis. Her current research focuses on how integrative mixed methods analysis can help inform the personalization of treatments.

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Holly is also interested in cross-cultural perspectives on wellbeing, and the differential experience and treatment of mental health difficulties across cultures. In 2017, Holly completed her PhD at the University of Exeter (entitled "Morita Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: Intervention Optimisation and Feasibility Study") in which she used a mixed methods approach to develop and test Morita Therapy for the first time in the UK, demonstrating its acceptability and potential utility for UK patients. Her publications from this work include:

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• Sugg HVR, Richards DA, Frost J. 2020. What is Morita Therapy? The nature, origins and cross-cultural application of a unique Japanese psychotherapy. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 50, 313-322, doi: 10.1007/s10879-020-09464-6.

• Sugg HVR, Frost J, Richards DA. 2020. Personalizing psychotherapies for depression using a novel mixed methods approach: an example from Morita therapy. Trials, 21(41), 1-12, doi:10.1186/s13063-019-3788-3.

• Sugg HVR, Frost J, Richards DA. 2019. Morita Therapy for depression (Morita Trial): an embedded qualitative study of acceptability. BMJ Open, 9(e023873), doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023873.

• Sugg HVR, Richards DA, Frost J. 2018. Morita Therapy for depression (Morita Trial): a pilot randomized controlled trial. BMJ Open, 8(e021605), doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021605.

• Sugg HVR, Richards DA, Frost J. 2017. Optimizing the acceptability and feasibility of novel complex interventions: an iterative, person-based approach to developing the UK Morita therapy outpatient protocol. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 3(37), doi:10.1186/s40814-017-0181-4.