I am a Lecturer in the Teaching and Leadership job family in the School of Psychological Sciences. 

My industry experience as a Clinical Psychologist spans 25 years. Before joining Macquarie University, I was the General Manager of Clinical Governance and Performance for a National Youth Charity where my role focussed on the development of a youth peer workforce within mental health. My team spearheaded the development of innovative intervention and support programs that place lived experience at the centre. Programs that offer trauma informed healing from an overly medicalised approach to traditional mental health support for young people. 

I have worked across a number of public and private sector programs and organsiations, including private practice for over 15 years specialising in working with young people, adults and families experiencing a range of challenges. I have extensive experience in the provision of evidence based methods of intervention, prefering to work within culturally sensitive models that privilege lived experience and methods of open dialogue.

I teach within the Master of Clinical Psychology Program, and am currently the Deputy Director of the program. My role involves convening Units of study in addition to providing lectures and interactive seminars focusing on assessment and treatment of psychological disorders. 

In my role as Deputy, I provide support to the Director with regard to student support, moderation and ratification of results, teaching pedagogy as well as representing the Clinical Program at Executive Meetings within the School and Faculty. 

My research interests focus on topics related to embodiment in endurance sport, the injured sporting body and sport as a disciplinary practice and technology of the self.  I have a particular interest in female embodiment, through discourses of feminism and power, macro structures of oppression and the cultural evolution of the female sporting body.

I utilise qualitative methods of inquiry to understand different ways of being within a sociocultural context. With a focus on lived and living experience, these methods include meta-synthesis, narrative inquiry, arts-based and visual narrative inquiry, grounded theory, ethnography and autoethnography. Methods that involve innovative practices in qualitative research involving various pluralisms, and creative ways of collecting and analysing data and disseminating findings are of particular interest.

I have provided expert advice relating to the barriers and perceived failings within the Mental Health System for Commonwealth Government Select Committee Hearings, as well as to Senior Policy Officers and Cabinet Ministers in the Commonwealth Government.

In addition, I bring a wealth of industry partnerships to my academic role at Macquarie University, spanning education, clinical service delivery, lived experience networks and peak bodies, Government and the not-for-profit sector. I am passionate about the (re)design of a Mental Health System founded on lived experience, equality and meaningful community co-design.