Sophie holds a Doctor of Management from the University of Hertfordshire, and a Master of Brain and Mind Sciences from the University of Sydney. She has practised as a psychotherapist, volunteering for many years as a social worker and counsellor at homeless shelters across the city, and has served on the NeuRA Foundation Board. Her doctoral thesis on governance in an Australian mental health NGO led to a published chapter on cross-cultural identities in practice-based research.