Contacts

Dr Hannah Friend is Chief Executive Officer at Metanoia Institute, one of the UK’s leading providers of psychotherapy, counselling, and psychological education. A Chartered and Registered Psychologist with over 30 years’ experience, she brings a distinctive combination of clinical expertise, academic leadership, and senior executive experience across higher education, healthcare, and criminal justice. Since joining Metanoia in 2022, Hannah has led the Institute through a period of strategic transformation focused on growth, academic excellence, and institutional resilience. She is steering the organisation’s long-term vision for inclusion and mental health equity, including the pursuit of Degree Awarding Powers. Hannah has held senior leadership roles across sectors requiring strong oversight of risk, regulation, and care for vulnerable populations. She has worked as a Consultant Psychologist in secure mental health settings and led psychological services in the prison system. At the University of Warwick, she served as Group Director, with executive responsibility for mental health strategy, disability services, safeguarding, student hardship, and community safety. As a senior Academic, she has also played an important role in professional education, developing and delivering accredited postgraduate programmes in forensic psychology and supervising MSc and PhD research. Hannah remains engaged with national professional standards as a Fitness to Practise Partner with the HCPC. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Chartered Scientist, and a BPS Registered Clinical Supervisor. Hannah holds a Doctorate in Psychology from the University of Birmingham and postgraduate degrees from the Universities of Leicester and Warwick. She is also a certified Director with the Institute of Directors (IOD) and trained in strategic leadership and crisis communication. Across all her work, Hannah is driven by a passion for making education and psychological support more accessible, inclusive, and impactful, particularly for those who face barriers to opportunity.