Expert advice
Dr Alison McClymont is the UK’s leading child psychologist. She has been at the forefront of children’s mental health for over a decade. dralisonmcclymont.com
Dr Pragya Agarwal is a behavioural and data scientist, and the founder of research think-tank The 50 Percent Project, which examines gender and racial inequities around the world. She is the author of several award-winning books. drpragya agarwal.co.uk
Laura Payne is an integrative psychotherapist, life coach and author. She has a special interest in dream work, with an Advanced Certificate in Dream Interpretation from the Dream Research Institute (DRI) in London, where she lectures. She is also co-host of The Dream Boat podcast. laurapayne.co.uk
When I was sixteen, the swell of my life beginning to expand was palpable, the world opening up like a treasure trove. I was enamoured by books and American campus-based dramas, each one set to the backdrop of russet and gold leaves, so that I believed university took place in a state of perpetual autumn – a place I couldn’t wait to get to. There was a readiness