Dr. Viki Veale SFHEA, EdD, MA, BAQTS

Background

Viki has dedicated over 30 years to working with children, families, and the professionals who support them - first as a teacher, and now as a senior lecturer in Early Years and Primary Education. Alongside her role in higher education, she is also a parent to two teenagers and an advocate for stronger policy and practice in children’s wellbeing.

Expertise

An expert in early learning and development, Viki specialises in relational pedagogy and trauma- informed practice. Her personal philosophy has always been that ‘love comes first.’ In her teaching and leadership, she regularly uses sound to shape learning environments, creating spaces of peace and security for children.

Connection to the Mission

Viki is inspired by the PeacePath Circle’s mission to help children regulate big emotions and discover calm through sound. For her, ‘finding peace in the little sounds’ means recognising the power of small, soothing sensory cues to comfort and calm in an otherwise noisy world. She brings extensive experience with neurodiverse learners and those with adverse childhood experiences, helping shape HushAway® to meet children’s diverse needs with care and empathy.

Lived Experience & Insights

As both an educator and a mother, Viki has seen the impact that peaceful, sensory- friendly spaces can have on children’s ability to thrive. She believes these spaces are not a luxury, but a necessity, particularly for neurodiverse and sensitive children navigating overwhelming environments.

Vision & Impact

A regular user of soundscapes and sleep stories herself, Viki integrates neuroscience into her work with trainee teachers, equipping them with insights into how the brain responds to sound and emotion. She is excited about the potential of combining sound, science, and storytelling to support children’s regulation and resilience. Looking ahead, she believes initiatives like PeacePath can offer a positive, innovative response to the increasingly noisy and fast- paced digital world children are growing up in.

Fun Fact

Beyond academia, Viki is also a trained massage therapist, yoga teacher, and life coach.

Three Words

Calm · Committed · Compassionate