I am a Research Fellow and Clinical Psychologist within the Department of Psychological Sciences.  I hold a Macquarie University Research Fellowship (MQRF; 2019-2024) and am working with the eCentreClinic to develop an evidence-based Internet-delivered psychological intervention for adolescents with chronic pain.  

In addition to my work with the eCentreClinic, I hold an honorary research position with the Pain Research Unit at Sydney Children's Hospital and collaborate with the Departments of Pain and Palliative Care, and Gastroenterology. 

Prior to commencing at Macquarie, I completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Seattle Children’s Research Institute in Washington, USA, and have worked clinically in Australia in both public hospitals and private settings. 

My current research program concerns the intersection of physical and mental health in adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions, such as chronic pain, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis and arthritis.  My research aims to better understand these complex problems, particularly from a psychological perspective, and develop psychological interventions to reduce the burden and improve function and quality of life.  I am particularly interested in the development and delivery of remote-based psychological interventions which are accessible, acceptable, and cost-effective additions to the existing face-to-face treatment options. 

I supervise Honours and Masters level students studying a range of topics in clinical and health psychology including:

• Psychosocial difficulties for AYAs living with chronic health conditions
• Predictors of treatment outcomes for people with chronic pain
• Paediatric pain measure validation

Current student projects:

• Cognitive functioning and academic efficacy in university students with chronic pain
• Appraisals of pain and attachment style in young adults with chronic pain
• Efficacy of a pain management intervention for adults with chronic pain and comorbid clinical anxiety and depression

Past student projects:

• Parental verbal and nonverbal incongruence in paediatric health-contexts
• Pain vigilance and awareness in youth with chronic conditions 
• The efficacy of a transdiagnostic iCBT pain management program for adults with chronic headache

I currently provide guest lectures for Masters of Clinical Psychology and Masters of Professional Psychology programs on the following topics: eMentalHealth, Health Psychology, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents.