About me                         

MY STORY

I write to make sense of things, and I want to share my insights and wonder with you.

I grew up in a small coastal village in northern Finland, surrounded by forests and the kind of resourcefulness that comes from having more good will than money. My grandparents were farmers and carpenters who built everything with their hands.

Studying and working in the field of psychology has helped me to understand human behaviour more deeply, and to do something useful with that understanding.

My research on mindfulness and children's wellbeing began as volunteer work in schools, and eventually led to a PhD and a broader research career.

My working life has taken me from Finnish schools to the Government strategy planning, from behavioural science initiatives to globally recognised research projects. Life has also brought unexpected loss. Writing has always been how I make sense of things. My books grow out of a belief that most interesting research is about discovering human nature, and that we all have more power to shape our lives than we may think is possible.

Academic and professional background:

  • Former roles as Chief Specialist on Behavioural Insights for the Prime Minister's Office of Finland, and Senior Advisor for Mind Finland.

  • Clinical psychologist/psychotherapist, (CBT/ACT)

  • Member of the research consortium for Finland's Basic Income Experiment

  • Author of Moneywisdom, which was selected as one the best financial books of the year in Finland

  • PhD in Psychology, Marie Curie alumna at Yale University and visiting researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Please visit my Psychology Today blog for more current writing.

Get in touch

I welcome messages from readers, journalists, podcast hosts, and event organisers. Whether you have a question sparked by the book, an interview request, or an invitation to speak, I read everything that comes through this form.