About Fran
Fran entered the care system as a baby following a series of incidents. After spending a couple of years in foster care, and different placements, she was transracially adopted.
Growing up, Fran was a compliant child — until, as a teenager, she accidentally discovered that her biological mother, in what became a high-profile case, had later gone on to murder her sibling, who had been returned to her care.
Seeing this information left Fran with presenting issues that continued to impact her daily life. When she eventually disclosed what she had found, she was led to believe that seeking support and finding answers would wrap everything up neatly.
Instead, traditional approaches either didn’t help or made things worse and looking into the past only opened up Pandora’s box, exposing systemic failings and injustice. Her journey was further complicated by years of engulfing narcissistic abuse in adulthood, which completely eroded her sense of self.
Her own lived experiences fuelled Fran’s desire to find alternative ways of understanding trauma and healing — not just for herself, but for the many others who continue to live with the consequences of any past trauma, alongside any additional consequences that can occur. She spent years searching and learning.
When Fran discovered Havening, she realised the hope it offers for healing and the wide range of benefits it can bring to people’s lives. She also recognised that what lies behind Havening — in its simplest form — could contribute to existing knowledge and bring new insight into the wider fields of trauma, childhood trauma, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Fran is a Certified Havening Techniques® Practitioner and Trainer. Although she has always had a specialist focus on Childhood Trauma, her professional and lived experiences have given her the opportunity to work with many others, collaborate, continue learning, and contribute across a wide range of different areas.
Aside from Havening, some of Fran’s contributions include many years of experience in elderly, end-of-life, and palliative care; served as a trustee for the Open Nest Charity; is an independent panel member- adoption panel; co-founder of the Transracial Adult Adoptee Network (TAAN).
Additionally, Fran was involved in the early beginnings of Tina's Haven — a catalyst for emancipatory praxis, rooted in nature, creativity, and collective healing for women separated from their children due to trauma-based addictions. She also wrote the foreword for the powerful anthology It’s Not Symptomatic, It’s Systemic from Sunday Mornings at the River, that unravels the intricate layers of trauma, resilience, and the systemic forces that shape our lives.
Fran is passionate about collaboration, creativity, and inclusion. She remains committed to elevating lived experience to inform systemic change, and grassroots initiatives to make a difference.