Karina is a Professor of Mental health in the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, University of Manchester and NIHR Senior Investigator (emirtus). Her main research field is in developing complex psychological interventions for anxiety and depression and physical health problems. Her programme of research has focussed on alternative, accessible and innovative CBT high and low intensity interventions for common mental health problems and long term conditions particularly the use of the telephone in delivering psychological interventions. She was a guideline member for the OCD/BDD NICE guidelines and a guideline member for the updated Generalised Anxiety Disorder NICE guidelines. She is a clinical expert and volunteer CBT therapist for Anxiety UK) Karina is substantially involved in delivering CBT high and low intensity interventions globally and has collaborations with Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Karina is a mental health nurse by background and is a trained Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, and currently delivers both high and low intensity interventions in primary and secondary care and the voluntary sector. She is past president of the BABCP (British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy).