She is currently Head of Wellbeing at the University of Portsmouth and an assessor for the University Mental Health Charter. She has been a Student Minds champion and collaborator since its inception, including co-authoring its Positive Minds course, serving on its Clinical Advisory Group, and helping to shape the University Mental Health Charter Award Scheme as a pilot assessor. Denise has a longstanding interest in innovation in student support, particularly through co-construction with students and integration with learning.
Her doctoral collaborative action research with students resulted in the award-winning Students Against Depression website, which has supported millions of users nationally and internationally. She has published book chapters and spoken at numerous sector conferences on a range of student mental health topics, and has a particular interest in student transitions and the integration of compassion-focused psychoeducation into the curriculum, with a focus on community-building and belonging.