Nicole M. Miller has long, black, curly hair and is wearing a black suit and blue shirt.

Dr Nicole M Miller

Lecturer in Psychology
Sustainability Lead for School of Human and Social Sciences
School of Human and Social Sciences
nicole.miller@uwl.ac.uk

Dr Nicole M Miller joined the University of West London as a Lecturer in Psychology in 2022 and is currently the Sustainability Lead for the School of Human and Social Sciences (SHSS). Prior to this, Nicole was an Associate Lecturer at the Open University.

Academic training

Dr Nicole M Miller completed her BA in Liberal Studies (2011), MSc in Health Psychology (2018) and PhD (2022) at Ulster University. Her thesis examined the relationship between stigma towards people who use drugs (PWUD), prior contact with public support of evidence-based interventions to reduce drug-related deaths (eg naloxone, supervised injection facilities) across the island of Ireland. Her research and clinical work inform her teaching and supervision.

Clinical experience

Dr Nicole M Miller has international training (Charles R Drew University, California) and over seven years' experience as an addiction therapist, including therapy and program development in inpatient and outpatient settings. She is proficient in evidence-based techniques such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based relapse prevention and the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treating substance use disorders.

Academic leadership

Nicole is currently the Sustainability Lead for the School of Human and Social Sciences and will lead a project on integrating Education for Sustainable (ESD) development into the curriculum for SHSS. She is also currently working with collaborators across the University to implement ESD University-wide.

  • Qualifications

    • Alcohol and Drug Counsellor II (CCAPP),
    • BA (Antioch University),
    • MSc Health Psychology (University of Westminster),
    • PhD Ulster University.

  • Memberships

    Associate Fellow- HEA
    Member- British Psychological Society

Teaching

Nicole teaches across a range of subject areas and academic levels within Psychology, including social psychology, health psychology, addiction, mental health and qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Research

Dr Miller's research spans across the disciplines of social, health and environmental psychology. Her research is connected to UN sustainability Goal 3 (Mental Health), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), Goal 11 (Sustainable Communities) and Goal 13 (Climate Action). Her research involves developing contact programs using stigma theory, and how to improve bystander behaviours at the scene of a drug related overdose. She has a passion for exploring the experiences of complementary medicines such as yoga, reiki, mindfulness and sea swimming for health and wellbeing. Lastly, she has an interest in reducing eco-anxiety, eco grief and the efficacy of interventions to assist in disaster-related (e.g. flood, wild fire) mental health responses.

Current projects

Nicole is currently working on a consultancy project in the Republic of Ireland with the organisation USICE where she is developing a novel anti-stigma campaign using digital storytelling and photovoice.

See Dr Nicole M Miller's publications list in the UWL Repository.

  • Research and publications

    Journal articles

    Miller, N.M. (2024). “Yoga is a way of life”: A qualitative study of the experiences of using yoga as a treatment for substance use: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 00, 1–10.  https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12817

    Shorter, G.W., McKenna-Plumley, P.E., Campbell, K.B.D., Keemink, J.R., Scher, B.D., Cutter, S., Khadjesari, Z., Stevens, A., Artenie, A., Vickerman, P., Boland, P., Miller, N.M., & Campbell, A.O. (2023). Overdose Prevention Centres, Safe Consumption Sites, and Drug Consumption Rooms: A Rapid Evidence Review. Drug Science: London ON.

    Miller, N.M., B, Campbell, C, Shorter, G.W. (2023). Barriers and facilitators of naloxone and safe injection facility interventions to reduce opioid drug-related deaths: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Drug Policy. 117. 104049 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104049

    Shorter, G.W., Campbell, K.B.D., Miller, N.M. et al. Epton, T, O’Hara, L., Millen, S., Ulfsdotter Gunnarsson, K., Berry, E., Bendtsen, M. (2023). Few Interventions Support the Affected Other on Their Own: a Systematic Review of Individual Level Psychosocial Interventions to Support Those Harmed by Others’ Alcohol Use. Int J Ment Health Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-023-01065-3

    Miller, N. M., Waterhouse-Bradley, B., Campbell, C., & Shorter, G. W. (2022). How do naloxone-based interventions work to reduce overdose deaths: a realist review. Harm reduction journal, 19(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-022-00599-4

    Carrico, A. W., Woods, W. J., Siever, M. D., Discepola, M. V., Dilworth, S. E., Neilands, T. B., Miller, N & Moskowitz, J. T. (2013). Positive affect and processes of recovery among treatment-seeking methamphetamine users. Drug and alcohol dependence, 132(3), 624-629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.04.018

    Preprint

    Miller, N.M. (2024). “Yoga is a way of life”: A qualitative study of the experiences of using yoga as a treatment for substance use. (Under Review). Preprint. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/93wkd
    Gabitova,E., Miller, N.M.(2024). Exploring the experience of using blue therapy for health and mental well-being among adult participants in the UK: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. (In preparation for submission). Preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/kde38
    Miller, N.M., B, Campbell, C, Shorter, G.W. (2023). The role of prejudice and prior contact in support for evidence-based policies to reduce drug-related deaths: Results from a survey of people across the island of Ireland. Research square. [Preprint] https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3650313/v1

    Policy and clinical reports

    Miller, N.M. (2023). Policy Briefing: Public support for naloxone and supervised injection sites results from a mixed methods study. Submitted to the Citizens Assembly Ireland request for evidence. 

    Miller, N.M. (2023). Policy Briefing: Stigma as a barrier to evidence-based care for people who use drugs: Implications for stigma reduction programs. Submitted to Charity Inspire Wellbeing. https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10132/

    Shorter, G. W., Leonard, P., Bunting, E., Skelly, J., Miller, N., & Campbell, C. (2022, May). Alcohol consumption and attitudes to evidence-based alcohol policy in Donegal: findings from a student and general adult sample. Alcohol Forum Ireland. Donegal_student_and_population_report_final_v2.pdf (qub.ac.uk)

    Miller, N.M. (2018). Clinical outcomes for the Addiction therapy program 2013-2018. The Priory Group

    Website articles

    Miller, N.M. (2018). Complementary therapies and Addiction. The Priory Group. https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/the-role-of-complementary-therapies-in-addiction-treatment

    Miller, N.M. (2018). Exploring the relationship between mental health and co-morbid substance misuse. The Priory Group. https://www.piorygroup.com/blog/exploring-the-relationship-between-mental-health-and-co-morbid-substance-misuse

  • Conferences

    Oral presentations

    Miller, N.M. (2024). Barriers and facilitators of naloxone and safe injection facility interventions to reduce opioid drug-related deaths: A qualitative analysis. Oral presentation at the British Psychological Society Health Psychology Conference, Stirling UK (June 2024).

    Gabitova,E., Miller, N.M.(2024). Exploring the experience of using blue therapy for health and mental well-being among adult participants in the UK: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Poster presentation at the British Psychological Society Health Psychology Conference, Stirling UK (June 2024).

    Hine, B., Miller, N.M. (2024). Do Real Men Go Green: Unpicking Gender and Environmentalism. Oral Presentation at the British Occupational Psychology Annual Conference, Sheffield, UK (May 2024).

    Miller, N.M. (2022). The role of stigma, opinions on opioid use, and contact in predicting support for policies to reduce-opioid drug related deaths. Oral presentation at the British Psychological Society Social Psychology Conference: London.

    Miller, N.M. (2021). A realist review of the effectiveness of naloxone-based interventions to prevent opioid overdose. Poster & Oral Presentation presented at the International Realist conference: Online. See recording of the presentation here: https://youtu.be/2IVzDdVGLqA

    Miller, N.M. (2017). The use of Yoga in the treatment of Addiction. Oral and Poster Presentation at CAMSTRAND: Southampton, UK

    Miller, N.M. (2013). Positive affect and processes of recovery among treatment-seeking methamphetamine users. Oral presentation at the MIDARP 7th Annual Substance Abuse Research Symposium: Los Angeles, CA.

    Invited talks

    Barriers and facilitators of naloxone and safe injection facility interventions to reduce opioid drug related deaths: Implications for stakeholders, policy, and practice. Tallaght Drug Task force, Online, October 2023 

    Miller, N.M. Barriers and facilitators of naloxone and safe injection facility interventions to reduce opioid drug-related deaths: Implications for stakeholders, policy, and practice. Northern Ireland Drug related Deaths Task force, Online, June 2023.

    Miller, N.M., O’Carroll, A., Doonan C. (2022). Don’t be lucky be safe: A panel discussion about innovating to prevent fatal overdose; facilitated by Stuart Clark. Panel Member for Ana Liffey 40 year celebration. Dublin, Ireland.

    Miller, N.M. (2022). A realist review of the effectiveness of naloxone-based interventions to prevent opioid overdose. Northern Ireland Drug related Deaths Task force, Online.

    Miller, N.M. (2022) A realist review of the effectiveness of naloxone-based interventions to prevent opioid overdose. Northern Ireland Alcohol and Drug Alliance. Online.

  • Research degree supervision

    Open to supervising the following topics:

    Health Psychology

    • Examining interventions for people with mental health challenges, eco-anxiety and eco grief for people affected by major disasters such as flood fire, and those who are indirectly affected
    • Use of virtual reality programs for mental health, wellbeing and stress and improvement of pro-environmental behaviours
    • Implementation of complementary and alternative medicine such as yoga, reiki, acupuncture for health and wellbeing and chronic disorders

    Social Psychology

    • Stigma and intergroup behaviour with a focus on addiction related stigma, opioid related stigma and its relationship to prior contact and policy formation
    • Stigma campaigns

    Methods

    • Qualitative
    • Quantitative (Survey)
    • Mixed methods
    • PhotoVoice or photo elicitation
    • Realist review and or realist evaluation

Courses taught on