About
Dr Nina Francis
About Me
I am an academic researcher, educator, and therapeutic coach specialising in what we now call RIFis but was called ‘gender disappointment’, and the complex emotional experiences that can occur when there are ruptures in people's imagined futures.
My work sits at the intersection of psychological research, sociological understanding, and compassionate practice, with a particular focus on experiences that are often misunderstood, silenced, or stigmatised.
My Work
I am best known for my empirical research on ‘gender disappointment’, which is now called RIFis, explores how parents make sense of complex and often conflicting emotions when the sex of their baby does not align with their long and deeply held hopes and imagined futures. Parents have often held their imagined child in their hearts for many years, and when they go on to give birth to children of the opposite sex they realised that they may never hold their long-hoped for child in their arms and this can lead to complex, dynamic and overwhelmingly difficult emotions.
This research has informed:
Training and education for NHS professionals
Structured courses and reflective spaces for parents
Resources that aim to reduce shame, distress and isolation
My approach recognises RIFis, formally ‘gender disappointment’, as understandable human emotional response to the rupture of imagined futures that may have been guiding that parent for many years.
Working With Parents
I work with parents experiencing RIFis, formally known as ‘gender disappointment’, offering structured courses, webinars, and community spaces that support understanding, meaning-making, and emotional safety.
Parents often arrive feeling confused, ashamed, isolated, or overwhelmed. My work does not seek to ‘fix’ these feelings because if are to view RIFis through the lens of grief then ‘fix’ takes in a new meaning, and our aim is to create space for them to better understand and feel understood and supported that is:
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Trauma-informed
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Inclusive of diverse family structures and identities
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Grounded in evidence and lived experience
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Delivered with compassion, care, and respect
Working With Professionals & the NHS
Alongside my work with parents, I design and deliver evidence-based training and reflective practice packages for professionals working in maternity, perinatal mental health, health visiting, and primary care. Dr Lindsay McMillan and I work closely in this as she has decades of invaluable clinical experience working with parents.
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Understand ISRia and how it may present
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Develop confidence in sensitive conversations
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Respond without minimising, pathologising, or reinforcing shame
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Reflect on the emotional demands of this work
This dual focus, supporting both parents and professionals, allows my work to remain ethically grounded and practically relevant.
My Approach
My work is shaped by:
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Academic research and theory
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Trauma-informed practice
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A deep respect for emotional complexity
I am particularly interested in how hope, loss, identity, and meaning unfold across pregnancy and early parenthood, and how safe, reflective spaces can support people to move forward with empowerment.
A Final Note
ISRia, formally known as ‘Gender disappointment’, is still rarely spoken about openly.
My aim, across research, teaching, and practice is to bring the experience of what was known as ‘gender disappointment’ and now RIFis into the open, so that parents feel less alone and professionals feel better equipped to support them.
Whether you are a parent seeking understanding, or a professional seeking training or reflective support, you are all welcome here.