Nova&Root

About Nova & Root

Nova & Root is a trauma-informed consultancy and training practice rooted in healing, equity, and transformation.

We are a values-led limited company working toward becoming a Community Interest Company (CIC), to more deeply embed our mission of social impact, accountability, and service to communities we work with.

Nova – a powerful burst of light after darkness, symbolising hope, healing, and resilience.

Root – grounding, origin, and connection to what sustains us.

Together, we believe in doing deep work of change — not just dreaming of brighter futures, but building conditions that make them possible.

We combine professional expertise with lived experience. Our work is co-produced and community-embedded, grounded in survivor leadership, reflective practice, and inclusive design.

Our Services

Three interlinked strands to create transformative change

Training & Facilitation

Empower your team with trauma-informed training and facilitation. We deliver interactive workshops and survivor-informed sessions that embed emotional safety, consent, and best practices for professionals and organisations seeking meaningful change.

Organisational Culture Change

Transform your workplace culture with expert consultancy in trauma-informed leadership, co-production, and reflective practice. We help organisations move from performative compliance to authentic, sustainable change that prioritises wellbeing and equity.

Thought Leadership & Resource Development

Partner with us to create accessible, ethical resources and thought leadership content. We specialise in developing guides, toolkits, and creative materials that support trauma-informed, consent-rooted approaches from grassroots initiatives to executive leadership.

Consultancy & Strategic Support

Receive tailored strategic support from experienced trauma-informed consultants. We guide organisations through complex challenges, offering actionable solutions to embed consent-rooted, survivor-led practices at every level for lasting impact.

Meet Our Team

Dedicated professionals passionate about creating change

Marta Almeida

Founder & CEO

With over 15 years of experience in sector, I bring a deeply rooted, lived and professional understanding of trauma-informed support. I am a qualified counsellor and psychotherapist, a trained ISVA (Independent Sexual Violence Adviser) and IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Adviser), and hold a diploma in coaching and training.

My training background spans safeguarding (Level 3 for both children and adults), quantum physics of soul, aromatherapy, and more — reflecting my commitment to holistic, compassionate, and evidence-informed care.

I began working at 16, after falling pregnant and being kicked out of my family home. That lived experience continues to shape my approach: I lead with empathy, honesty, and an unwavering belief in people's capacity to heal and grow when given right support.

Claire Beare

Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA)

A qualified ISVA with a specialist focus on supporting children and young people. Claire's professional journey began in education, where she worked in behaviour management and pastoral care.

This foundation led Claire to a role within children's social care, working in a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) team.

For past nine years, Claire has worked within the sexual violence sector, continuing her commitment to advocating for and supporting young people.

Alongside her frontline work, she has experience engaging with media, having contributed to television, radio, podcasts, and government panel discussions to raise awareness of sexual violence and vital role of ISVAs.

Claire has co-authored specialist training on sexual violence and has delivered sessions nationally to a wide range of professionals.

Leigh Graham

Team Member

Qualified counsellor whose career has spanned diverse clinical and community settings. She began in primary care, providing therapeutic support to patients in GP surgeries for a wide range of issues, from depression to menopause.

Leigh then served at HMP Lewes as a drug and alcohol practitioner, delivering both one-to-one and group interventions for male offenders with substance-use disorders.

For the past eight years, she has specialised in the sexual-violence sector, offering dedicated counselling and advocacy to survivors.

Our Values

Guiding principles that inform everything we do

Compassion First

We meet people, organisations, & systems exactly where they are - with empathy, patience & without judgement.

Authenticity

We work in ways that are honest, real, and reflective of who we are - no gimmicks, no jargon, no box-ticking.

Courage

We are willing to have hard conversations with kindness. We believe change requires bravery - and we walk alongside our partners in that journey.

Integrity

We hold ourselves accountable to the same trauma-informed principles we teach. If we ask others to reflect, we commit to reflecting too.

Empowerment

Our goal is not to "fix" anyone - it's to equip, inspire and strengthen others to lead their own change & healing.

Equity & Inclusion

We centre the experiences of people historically marginalised by systems. We believe trauma does not exist in a vacuum & neither does healing.

Hope & Possibility

We believe change is always possible - even in spaces that feel stuck, heavy or overwhelmed. Small shifts can create powerful ripples.

Reflection & Learning

We are committed to continuous reflection, learning, and unlearning—knowing that trauma-informed practice is not a destination, but an ongoing process.