Debi Graham

BA(Hons), MA(Dist), PGDip, FRSPH

Doctoral Student

Debi is a C H Scholar and doctoral candidate at the Royal College of Music supervised by Professor Rosie Perkins and Dr Jessica Pitt. She is the network coordinator for the Music and Parental Wellbeing network, and research assistant on the Musical Care at the Beginning of Life studies at the Centre for Performance Science. As an elected Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, Debi contributes to the Royal Society’s special interest group on the arts, health, and wellbeing.

Her PhD research explores how parents’ use of everyday music with babies can mediate the impacts of stressful and persistent infant crying. With clear links in the research literature between infant crying and parental mental health, Debi explores universal and non-stigmatising musical approaches to support parents and little ones. She received her MA in Play Therapy in 2009 and was awarded a distinction for her work exploring the use of lullabies and movement practices with first-time mothers. This led to the creation and roll-out of the BABY BONDING programme; a gentle perinatal intervention now commissioned by the NHS in England and in several countries around the globe.

Faculties / departments: Research