Qualifications 

PhD (Psychology) - Griffith University 

Postgraduate Diploma of Professional Psychology - Bond University 

Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) - University of Queensland 

I have 20 years experience as a registered Clinical Psychologist in the State of
Queensland, Australia. I have held academic positions at Griffith University for 14
years, teaching and coordinating psychological research trials into new therapies in the
area of obesity and weight management. I am now Assistant Professor in Psychology at Bond
University whilst continuing to maintain a private practice, specialising in eating
disorders, women’s health and adolescent issues. 

I am well known in my area of specialty within Queensland and Australia and am consulted
for radio, television and print media interviews for expert opinion. I have been awarded
many honours including the Australian Psychological Society Elaine Dignan Award for
research into women’s issues. I have served as President of the Eating Disorders
Association of Queensland numerous times and am a certified practitioner of Neuro
Linguistic Programming, Timeline Therapy and Emotional Freedom Techniques. In addition,
I'm the founder of the Gold Coast Eating Disorders Association Inc., facilitating
the support groups for 8 years. 

I have most recently been investigating the impact of a psychological technique in the
treatment of food cravings (Association of Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP). Seed
Grant 2007. “Evaluation of the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) for Reducing Food
Cravings: A Randomized Controlled Trial”). 

Articles

PDF

Constructing Body Image in University Women: The Relationship between Self-Esteem, Self-Compassion, and Intuitive Eating (with Ankita Nikalje), The International Journal of Healing and Caring (2013)

Body image related concerns among women are well researched. However, this research has consistently focussed...

 

OpenURL

Health Locus of Control, Self-Awareness, and Integrative Eating Styles in University Students (with Hayley I. Smith), International Journal of Healing and Caring (2013)

The psychological and physical well-being of students is a cause for concern. For the majority...

 

Link

Quitting Smoking: How to Use Emotional Freedom Techniques (with Brett Porter and Terri Sheldon), The International Journal of Healing and Caring (2013)

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) have been gaining strength in the published literature as strategies to...

 

Clinical benefits of Emotional Freedom Techniques on food cravings at 12-mnths follow-up: A randomised controlled trial (with Terri Sheldon and Brett Porter), Energy psychology journal (2012)

This randomised, single-blind, crossover trial tested whether Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) maintained reduced food cravings...

 

Link

Practical Application of Emotional Freedom Techniques for Food Cravings (with Terri Sheldon and Brett Porter), International Journal of Healing and Caring (2012)

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) has been shown to have a lasting effect on food cravings,...

 

Books

Your mind power: Strategies for behaviour change (2007)

Your Mind Power meets a growing need for practical behaviour change strategies – for students...

 

Popular Press

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How Helping Others Helps Yourself: Positive personal and mental effects of volunteering, Gold Coast Bulletin (2012)

THE benefits of volunteer organisations are widely known. Most recently in Queensland, the flood crises...

 

Link

Explainer: anorexia and bulimia, The Conversation (2012)

Eating disorders are an increasing problem in children and adolescents. Recent Australian studies have indicated...

 

PDF

Get What You Give, Women`s Health & Fitness, Nationa (2012)

There’s more to good health than eating right and exercising, you also need to do...

 

Helping Kids Cope with Change (with Terri Sheldon), My Child Magazine (2011)
 

Taming Toddlers (with Terri Sheldon), My Child Magazine (2010)