Monica Garcia BSc (Psych), MSc Health Psych. Director at MGC
Monica is an independent consultant, bringing a combination of clinical, vocational, research, and insurance experience, to promote and champion best practice in the UK’s Income Protection (IP) market. Through her work with insurers, and third-party providers, Monica leads the development of strategic initiatives, including training, to improve customers’ wellness and work outcomes. With over 17 years of professional experience, Monica also provides direct support to disability insurance customers, conducting assessments and offering vocational rehabilitation assistance, to enable a safe transition back into employment after a period of sickness absence.
Monica has an active role in industry initiatives, speaking at conferences, panel debates, and through publications, addressing the non-technical aspects of disability insurance risk management, improving access to insurance, and promoting the benefits of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). She is a Steering Group member of the Income Protection Task Force (IPTF), and Trustee of the UK’s Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA). In one of her latest publications, she co-authored the Access to Insurance education guide on Income Protection, published by the Chartered Institute of Insurers (CII), highlighting the role of a biopsychosocial approach to rehabilitation interventions within Income Protection.
Prior to setting up her independent consultancy, Monica worked for a global re-insurer for 9 years, leading pioneering award-winning research, evaluating the role of psychosocial factors in return to work at claims and underwriting level. She’s been invited to share her experience and research at international conferences in the UK and overseas. As part of a wider expert team, she also developed many disability insurance risk management initiatives, including: the design and implementation of large-scale return-to-work focused rehabilitation programmes for the UK’s Income Protection market (demonstrating a £9 saving for every £1 spent on rehabilitation), training initiatives, and clinical consultancy for the management of disability claims portfolios.
Prior to 2010, Monica worked in a variety of clinical settings in the UK, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based Condition Management Programmes for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Occupational Health, Vocational Rehabilitation and Case Management within the personal injury market.
Monica moved to the UK in 2001 as an undergraduate psychology student. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate education in London. She has a specialist research interest related to the role of beliefs and social factors in the recovery process, with a particular focus on work stress and the role of resilience. Monica maintains her interest in mental health issues related to her home country, Bolivia, and has published in the Journal of International Psychiatry. “Mental Health in the Plurinational State of Bolivia” (2011) Vol 8 No 4.
Outside work, Monica enjoys spending time with her family and 2 active children. She is making an effort to keep Spanish as their main language, which is proving difficult within a native English speaking environment of school and friends.