My primary interests are child and adult responses to traumatic stressors (e.g., interpersonal trauma, physical/sexual/family violence, motor vehicle accidents, losing relatives to homicide, and combat/war-related trauma).   I am specifically interested in how acute stress disorder (ASD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develop following trauma, and in the treatment of these disorders. In particular I research processes that influence the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress and ways of improving our current treatment methods for posttraumatic stress disorders.

I was the first Australian to be accredited with Trainer status for Cognitive Processing Therapy, an evidence-based frontline therapy for PTSD, and much of my research has been in this area. I am also interested in early intervention and prevention. I lead the Protecting Emergency Responders with Evidence-Based Interventions project which aims to reduce the risk of mental health challenges in first responders.

At Flinders I work with colleagues, including psychologists and provisional psychologists, to improve treatments and access to effective therapies to assist more people recover from trauma. My research regularly involves training and supervision in evidence-based therapies for PTSD. This has included community and nonprofit mental health services and victim agencies across Australia, as well as Open Arms (formerly Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service) and the Australian Defence Force

• Posttraumatic stress (10)

• Posttraumatic stress (6)