ABOUT | The Happy Healthy Unicorn

About Us

At The Happy Healthy Unicorn, we want to uncover what others have missed. We take a holistic, child-centred approach that goes beyond labels and symptoms to understand each child’s unique biological and emotional needs.

Through integrative care, personalised nutrition, targeted healing plans, and compassionate education for families, we help restore health, improve quality of life, and offer a path forward grounded in hope, science, and deep respect for every child’s individuality.

This approach is not about 'fixing' autism and neurodiversity, but instead supporting each child by removing hidden stressors, nourishing the body, and creating the conditions for healing, physically, emotionally, and neurologically.

Our Story

I’m Vicky, mum to Rose, my remarkable autistic daughter, and Jack, her patient and loving little brother, who once thought autism was “the season when the leaves turn brown.” Then there’s Dean, my husband, and my biggest challenge when it comes to picky eating! (He avoids social media, but you might spot him occasionally on Instagram.)

My training background

When my children were born, I was originally on track to become an NHS dietitian, but life with Rose became more complex after Jack was born, and everything changed. I threw myself into learning everything I could about autism, neurodevelopment, and ultimately, root-cause healing. A compassionate, whole-person approach that simply made more sense to me.

I gained a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology (BSc) before becoming a registered, qualified naturopathic nutritional therapist. I then trained at The Walsh Institute to further my passion for non-pharmacological solutions to mental health and neurodevelopmental challenges.

I am a qualified FNTP member and highly passionate about individualised nutrition and bringing the body and brain back into balance via a natural approach.

My primary focus is understanding the intricate interplay of nutrition, metabolic factors, the gut microbiome, the immune system and brain function.

I specialise in neurodevelopmental nutrition for children and adults with autism, ADHD and other complex physical and mental health challenges.

My desire to help others is driven by my own neurodiverse beginnings, chronic health conditions in my own family and the health of my two children. My daughter Rose was diagnosed with non-verbal autism at 4 years old. I have a great admiration and empathy for those with complex health concerns and neurodivergence.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to the autism community and to changing the narrative around autism through compassion, biology, and possibility. As an independent biomedical researcher, I lead pilot and early-stage studies in autism and neurodevelopmental health, exploring how supporting underlying biology can ease suffering, improve quality of life, and empower families, while fully respecting neurodiversity.

Through ethical, real-world research, I am to replace limitation-focused thinking with informed hope. I am an independent biomedical researcher currently leading a pilot study in autism and neurodevelopmental health.

This work forms the foundation for a wider research programme, with the intention to conduct multiple observational and retrospective studies exploring how targeted health support may influence wellbeing and symptom presentation.

My research is driven by a commitment to changing the narrative around autism, demonstrating that meaningful improvements in health and quality of life are possible, while respecting neurodiversity and individual biology.

"I want you to know that I have been through the darkest of scenarios and back again with my own child. My biggest passion is to help other families out of that hole that I once found myself in. Everything I do comes from my desperate yearning to give every child and parent the opportunity to thrive."

Why we created The Happy Health Unicorn

The Happy Healthy Unicorn was born from that journey, a place I desperately wished existed when I first began searching for answers. A space grounded in science and heart, created for families raising exceptional children who deserve more than vague answers and endless waitlists.

Rose’s progress has amazed us all. I don’t take a moment of it for granted. She has been my greatest teacher, helping me not only understand her world, but also uncover what my own body had been trying to tell me for years. She’s taught me more about life and the incredible power of the human body to heal than all my years of study ever could. Supporting her showed me how to heal myself, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

"Today, I help families do the same, combining science, lived experience, and deep compassion to guide others through the healing journey I’ve walked myself."

Conditions We Support

We recognise that autism is often accompanied by complex co-morbidities like digestive challenges, immune dysfunction, sleep disorders, metabolic imbalances, that are too often overlooked or dismissed via traditional methods of care.

🧠 Autism Spectrum Conditions
🍽️ Food refusal & picky eating
💩 Digestive issues - constipation, reflux, inflammation
😴 Sleep difficulties
🌪️ Behavioural challenges - anxiety, aggression, meltdowns
⚡ Attention & focus difficulties - incl. ADHD symptoms

🛡️ Immune imbalances & chronic infections
🥦 Nutrient deficiencies & biochemical imbalances
🎧 Sensory processing difficulties
♻️ Detoxification & metabolic support
💚 Mood imbalances

🧠 Seizures

With ongoing research and real-life experience, this personalised, root-cause approach offers hope for better health and wellbeing.