Griffith Centre for Mental Health

Dr Meg Doohan stands at a podium speaking at a Queensland Health event. She has brown hair tied back & is wearing glasses & green top. The podium displays a sign for the ‘Women & Girls’ Health Showcase 2025’ alongside the Queensland Government logo. Audience members are visible in the foreground.

A purple graphic for International Women’s Day 2026 featuring the UN Women Australia logo. White text reads: “Equality isn’t an advantage for some. It’s about dignity, safety and fairness for all.” Below it: “Let’s #BalanceTheScales for all women and girls.” At the bottom are illustrated figures of three individuals with different hairstyles and outfits.

🌏International Women’s Day 2026 #BalanceTheScales. Women of reproductive age face higher rates of mental illness, yet their reproductive health needs r often unmet. Dr Meg Doohan’s GCMH‑funded work puts women with #LivedExperience centre, building safer, fairer health pathways for all.

Great to see findings from this research, led by #GCMH’s Prof Amanda Wheeler. IMeRSe was a culturally responsive medication management feasibility study designed to reduce the long-standing inequities faced by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people in accessing safe, effective medication care. 👏

A purple graphic for International Women’s Day 2026 featuring the UN Women Australia logo. White text reads: “Equality isn’t an advantage for some. It’s about dignity, safety and fairness for all.” Below it: “Let’s #BalanceTheScales for all women and girls.” At the bottom are illustrated figures of three individuals with different hairstyles and outfits.

💜 Ahead of #IWD, we're spotlighting emerging researchers work, under #GCMH leadership helping #BalanceTheScales.
📑Psychosocial factors related to women’s persistent or recurrent vulvovaginal pain: a systematic review and suggestions for future research
🔗https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2025.2607708

Screenshot of a journal article from Neurodiversity (Sage Journals) titled “Exploring Repetitive Behaviours in Autism and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Qualitative Analysis.” The authors listed are Jessica O’Loghlen, Matthew McKenzie, Cathryne Lang, Stephanie Malone, and Jessica Paynter. Below the title is an abstract describing a qualitative study comparing how autistic adults and people with OCD experience repetitive behaviours. The page includes the journal header, a DOI link, and publication information.

New qual study highlights why Autism & OCD can appear similar but feel very different.
1 of the key differences:
• Autistic adults often find repetitive behaviours soothing or enjoyable.
• People w OCD typically experience compulsions as distressing, unwanted, & intrusive.
👇
doi.org/10.1177/2754...

Matthew J Gullo - suABI Substance use in Acquired Brain Injury (suABI) Substance use disorder (SUD) and acquired brain injury (ABI) are leading causes of disability among Australians. Our international team of clinician rese...

✨ A/Prof Matthew Gullo presented a co‑designed program supporting substance use management in acquired brain injury at the 2026 Metro North & South Health Allied Health Research Symposium.Now being tested in two clinical trials.
🔗 gullo.com.au/suABI
#ABI #LivedExperience #EvidenceBasedCare #CoDesign

Supporting Staff To Address the Physical Health of Consumers in Mental Healthcare Settings: A Modified Nominal Group Technique - Community Mental Health Journal Mental health consumers experience challenges in accessing regular physical healthcare. Staff working in mental health settings are well-positioned to address the issue; however, they often face signi...

👓 Friday reading
Led by @griffith.edu.au University PhD candidate Di Hu, this study aimed to identify the factors needed to support staff working in mental health to address the physical health of consumers in mental health settings.

Check it out👇
doi.org/10.1007/s105...

OCD is often misunderstood. How much do you really know about it? Elena wants people with OCD to know they're not alone. But how well do Australians understand the condition?

Great to see @abcnewsaustralia.bsky.social covering the realities & stigma of #OCD
Prof Lara Farrell reminds us:
❕ OCD is serious and treatable.
She’s leading a new national ERP parent‑training program from March to support families across Australia. 👏
www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02...
#MRFF

Photo montage of headshots of Dr Natalie Loxton & Dr Riley Scott. Natalie has shoulder length brown hair, is smiling & wearing a pink top. There is greenery in the background. Riley has long dark brown hair, smiling wearing a green knit top, against a drak purple/blue background. There is a Griffith University branded border.

🌟 Welcome to our newest #GCMH members!

👋 Dr Natalie Loxton researching personality, impulsivity & statistics anxiety.

👋 Dr Riley Scott, specialising in youth development, online engagement & social relationships.

Learn more about researchers & their research👇
www.griffith.edu.au/research/hea...

Four people stand together at an awards event in front of a backdrop reading ‘Financial Review Higher Education Awards.’ Left - Right: Dr Yannick Van Hierden wears glasses and a dark suit, Prof Carolyn Evans has shoulder-length wavy brown hair, wearing a green dress with matching jacket, Prof Timo Dietrich, wears a navy suit & tie, and Dr Pamela Saleme wears a grey suit. They are all smiling.

Welcoming Prof Timo Dietrich and Dr Pamela Saleme to our multidisciplinary #GCMH community! Their work on #BlurredMinds & #MindMaze brings evidence‑based tools to support young people’s wellbeing. Great things ahead. 🙌

🔎https://www.griffith.edu.au/research/impact/blurred-minds

Screenshot of a published article page from The Lancet Psychiatry. The title reads: ‘Harnessing the power of constitutional rights and legal frameworks to scale up public mental health implementation.’ Beneath the title is a list of authors and their academic affiliations, including universities and health institutes across Hong Kong, the UK, South Africa, Australia, and the USA. The top of the page shows The Lancet Psychiatry branding, publication date of 4 February 2026, and an article status note: ‘In Press, Corrected Proof.’

📣New pub in @thelancet.com, a global collab incl #GCMH’s @neerajgill.bsky.social, provides an argument for legal frameworks to promote the right to #MentalHealth through public mental health interventions for prevention & wellbeing‑focused initiatives.🔎https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1mZA27tf1dCgDW

Artwork illustrated by Aunty Shirley Dawson, East Aranda Nation Group.

Artwork illustrated by Aunty Shirley Dawson, East Aranda Nation Group. A cube decorated with vibrant Indigenous- artwork. One visible face features a large kookaburra with patterned feathers in white, brown, blue, and gold, surrounded by circular and dot motifs. Another side shows two human figures in silhouette next to large decorated insects on a yellow background. The top panel shows figures sitting on a tree branch and interacting on a warm red‑orange backdrop with flowing line patterns. The overall design is rich with earthy tones, dots, and symbolic patterns typical of Aboriginal art.

💡The #TrackingCube recognised in the Australian Government’s No Child Left Behind report under the #ThrivingKids initiative for its role in equitable, culturally safe early identification of neurodevelopmental needs.
👏Congrats all esp Dianne Shanley, Erinn Hawkins & Wei Liu.
🔗 tinyurl.com/4jytysdu

Invisible difficulties are easily missed when visible outcomes are positive: A qualitative study of patient perspectives following acute treatments for ischaemic stroke We aimed to explore the perspectives of ischaemic stroke patients treated with endovascular clot retrieval (ECR), intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), or conservative management in the ...

🧠Research from Monash MedicalCntr, La Trobe & GCMH’s Kerryn Pike explores the lived experience of ischaemic stroke survivors.
In 31 interviews, survivors reported ongoing “invisible” issues eg. fatigue, cognition, emotions - even when physical recovery was strong.
Read more: doi.org/10.1080/0960...

Intrusive Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms: Three-level Meta-analytic Reviews Considering Parenting Concepts and Methodology - Clinical Child and Family Psychology Rev... Multilevel random effects meta-analyses were performed to produce a summary effect size from 231 studies (2000 to 2025) that contributed 482 effect estimates for intrusive parenting and youth’s (age 1...

Congrats to GCMH member Dr Kathy Ryan on this latest publication on intrusive parenting, including overprotective & helicopter parenting. The meta-analysis study, a collab incl #GCMH Prof Melanie Zimmer-Gembeck analysized 231 studies over a 25yr period.
Read the full article⬇️
doi.org/10.1007/s105...

🌟 MRFF Funding Success for Youth OCD Research! 🌟
Congratulations to our #GCMH Director, Prof Lara Farrell, & an incredible multidisciplinary team, who have been successful in securing an MRFF Clinical Trials Activity Grant (2026 - 2030)!
👏 Huge congrats to the research team & partner organisations!

Research reveals how parents navigate supporting a child w anxiety.Led by @griffith.edu.au’s Meri Grajdan w GCMH’s Lara Farrell & Caroline Donovan, the study highlights the emotional & practical load parents carry.
💡 Experience‑informed guidance can better support parents.
📰 doi.org/10.1007/s105...

🧠 Ending the year with innovation at the Research Spectacular!
Congrats to our #GCMH members for showcasing cutting-edge #MentalHealthResearch through symposia & rapid-fire talks, w Prof Sharon Dawe, keynote at the Susan Spence Annual Lecture.
👏 Well done to all! @griffith.edu.au

Headshot of A/Prof Kerry Pike. She has long brown hair, wearing earrings and smiling, standing in front of a gray brick wall. The top section has a red banner with the Griffith University logo and the words “Queensland Australia.” The bottom section includes a white box with red text reading “Associate Professor Kerryn Pike” and a red button-style element that says “Make it matter.”

🎉 Congratulations A/Prof Kerryn Pike! 🎉
Another #GCMH success to celebrate w @griffith.edu.au's A/Prof Kerryn Pike part of a collaborative team securing Department of Health & Aged Care funding for 25–26 to support the Aust'n Dementia Network (ADNeT):Supporting Health System Preparedness project.👏

Left to right - Dr Aimee Maxwell, Dr Mikaela Grayson & Dr Dan Sullivan in the courtyard at a conference. Aimee wears a teal wrap dress and beige heels, Mikaela is in a brown sleeveless top with matching pants and black sandals, and the Dan is in a navy suit with a patterned tie. They are all smiling. Tables and attendees are visible in the background.

⏪Friday Flashback ⏪
Last month, #GCMH’s @drdanpsychologist.bsky.social joined the inaugural Brisbane Psychoanalytic Conference 🧠exploring how psychoanalytic theory still shapes modern clinical practice.
Great 2 see @griffith.edu.au alumni Dr Aimee Maxwell (left) & Dr Mikaela Grayson (mid) there too!

Impact of theatre interventions on mental health: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis Background Theatre interventions such as psychodrama are increasingly being used to help individuals with mental health conditions. Previous findings provided mixed results on the impact of theatre in...

🎭 Can theatre interventions improve mental health?
New study led by @griffith.edu.au's #AISRAP explores psychodrama’s role in reducing anxiety, depression & PTSD—advocating creative approaches beyond traditional therapy.
Read more 👉 doi.org/10.1136/jech...
#MentalHealth #Research

⁉️ Why Age Matters (and Sometimes Doesn’t): Unpacking the Mechanisms and Treatment of Anxiety in Older Adults
Older adults face unique #mentalhealth challenges: ageism, loneliness, dementia risk & low treatment rates. CBT offers lasting benefits over meds. Great seminar w @carlyjohnco.bsky.social👏

Research drives better care yet 85% is lost in translation. How do we close the 17-yr gap from evidence 2 practice?
Master protocols+ co-production w #livedexperience+ partnering w service providers=faster, real-world impact.
👉https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-025-02684-1
@justinjchapman.bsky.social

Headshot of Dr Vicky Stewart. She has shoulder length dark blonde hair, wearing a white blouse. She is smiling.

Tomorrow! Catch @griffith.edu.au's Dr Vicky Stewart presenting at the #EquallyWell 2025 conference in Adelaide.
🎙️'No mental health without oral health: addressing systemic neglect in Australian care'
Equally Well for all - working together! #GCMH #OralHealth #MentalHealthResearch #HealthySmiles

🥳Congrats to @griffith.edu.au's A/Prof Jane Fowler, Dr Victoria Stewart & team! Winners of Engagement Australia's Award for Excellence in International Engagement for their impactful work in Building Counselling Capacity in Papua New Guinea! Congrats to all the winners 👏
🥇https://buff.ly/C3onBr6

Infographic titled “Beyond the squeaky wheel” about the Family/Carer Lived Experience Workforce in Queensland mental health with pie chart & bar graph. Includes Griffith University and ALIVE Centre logos, and lists research team and advisory group members.

📣 Report out now! Beyond the Squeaky Wheel explores the Family/Carer Lived Experience Workforce in QLD’s mental health system. Key findings + recommendations for reform. Congrats to @griffith.edu.au & #ALIVE colleagues on this report to improve #mentalhealth 4 Q'landers🙌
🔗 doi.org/10.25904/191...

Two days left to contribute to research that centres what people actually need, not what researchers assume.

Anxiety doesn't follow a neat schedule, and neither does the relationship between social media and sleep.

Here’s why people with mental illness die, on average, 11 years earlier than other Australians The life expectancy gap is due largely to preventable health issues, not suicide.

Here’s why people with mental illness die, on average, 11 years earlier than other Australians
theconversation.com/heres-why-pe...
Great work from @justinjchapman.bsky.social with Russell Roberts & Victoria Erskine in @theconversation.com 👏 @griffith.edu.au

Our members have returned from #AACBT25 after sharing cutting-edge #CBT research for diverse minds 🌏🧠
🔹FAST parent training for youth OCD
🔹Online tools for anxiety & sleep
🔹Insights on perfectionism, pain & clinician training
Thanks to all who made it possible !🙌
@griffith.edu.au

🪖 Understanding Suicide Risk in Military Contexts
New research led by Prof Kairi Kõlves maps 97 risk & 63 protective factors using insights from lived experience, clinicians & researchers.
💡 The most actionable were workplace-related
📖 Read more: doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

Image of a published journal article titled "A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial of Sublingual Melatonin for Sleep Onset Insomnia in Children With Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)" in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Authors include Ned Chandler-Mather and colleagues from Griffith University and Gold Coast Hospital. The article explores melatonin treatment for sleep issues in children with FASD and is supported by Gold Coast Health and the Australian Government.

📣 New study explores Sleep Interventions for Children with FASD 💤
The pilot found:
✅Feasible trial design
✅ Melatonin potentially reduced sleep onset latency & bedtime resistance
🤝 Future trials need multi-site collaboration
👏 Congrats to #GCMH co-authors 🔗https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.70224