Psychology Research Projects

Associate Professor Madelyn Geldenhuys

Madelyn is a mid-career researcher with an established program of psychology research. She has been working as a researcher for over 20 years specialising in organisational psychology, specifically self-regulation, psychological well-being, stress and burnout management, personality and career progression. She has an extensive career in student research project supervision, secured research funding and collaborates on research at a national and international level.

Research projects:

• Flourishing and psychological wellbeing in work and life
• Self-determination strategies, psychosocial safety and burnout in the workplace
• Tolerance of uncertainty in counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists

Dr Raquel Peel

Dr Raquel Peel is an internationally recognised relationships expert and an award-winning educator and researcher. Her TEDx talk on relationship sabotage was featured as one of the most popular talks in the TED series 'How to Be a Better Human' and TEDxShorts. Her current research program encompasses studies on interpersonal relationships, mental health, suicide, and education.

Research projects:

• The cycle of relationship sabotage: From communication of romantic interest to dissolution of intimate engagements.
• Fake Date: Combating romance and dating scams.

Dr Jonas Chan

Jonas’ research focuses on understanding the basic learning principles that underlie behavioural and mental processes such as reasoning, decision-making, and problem solving.

Research projects:

• Cognitive and Behavioural Factors Underlying Human Causal Learning.

Dr Sara Parsafar

Dr. Parsafar has extensive knowledge and experience in clinical practice, teaching, and coordinating psychology units, courses, programs, and research projects. She is a highly skilled researcher with significant experience supervising PhD, Master's, and Honours theses across a diverse range of topics. Her research expertise spans several key areas, with a current focus on Mental Health, Trauma, Cross-cultural Psychology, and the Wellbeing of First Nations populations. Dr. Parsafar is dedicated to advancing impactful research that addresses complex psychological issues through systematic reviews, as well as qualitative and mixed-methods research. Her work focuses on understanding and addressing the unique psychological challenges faced by diverse populations

Research projects:

• Systematic reviews on topics that align with Sara’s research expertise to be discussed and tailored to reflect students' areas of interest and expertise

Dr Robbie Busch

Robbie is a mid-career researcher with an established program in critical psychology and experience in teaching and applying qualitative research. His PhD examined theoretical differences between narrative therapy and evidence-based practice. His current interests are in social power relations, wellbeing, environments, media, and masculinity.

Research projects:

• Constructions of masculinity and gendered power relations in an Australian reality television program
• Workplace civility and defence mechanisms of politicians during national or state parliamentary debates
• Constructions and moral positionings of justice, health, gender or ethnicity in Australian talkback radio
• Conversational dilemmas, strategies and emotional geographies with caller phone-ins during an emergency broadcast

Dr Geoff Lyons

Dr Geoff Lyons has a background in clinical psychology and counselling. He practices as a holistic healer and counsellor, integrating empirically supported talking therapies with emerging spiritual and energetic-based healing therapies. His research focuses on the use of spiritually-based complementary therapies to enhance health and wellness in both religious and non-religious populations. Dr Lyons has a particular interest in the role of spiritual and shamanic healing as adjunctive treatments for stress, trauma, and chronic pain. Other approaches of interest can include things such as yoga, breathwork, prayer, energy and sound therapies.

Research projects:

• An exploration of therapeutic outcomes and clinical experiences of shamanic healing practitioners and their clients
• Literature reviews related to the use of spiritually-based therapies for mental health
• Literature reviews related to the development of counselling competencies

Associate Professor Dion Khlentzos

Dion is a counsellor and psychologist and has been an educator, researcher and clinician for over 15 years. Dion’s research has covered topics of counselling education, faith, gender, mental health, and domestic violence. His research has included qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Research projects:

• Parenting programs for fathers in recovery from addictions
• Attachment in higher education students
• Christianity, cultural diversity and viewpoint diversity
• Domestic and family violence in Australia

Associate Professor Laura Allison

Laura is a psychologist, educator, and researcher with a passion for generating knowledge that leads to meaningful positive change. Holding a PhD from the University of Melbourne, her expertise span school psychology, education, wellbeing, leadership, crisis management, and systems science. An award-winning leader, Laura's research focuses on understanding and strengthening the conditions that enable people to thrive. She is committed to developing evidence-based approaches that strengthen wellbeing, build resilience, and create lasting social impact. Her work bridges research and practice, with a focus on translating insights into solutions that improve outcomes for people, systems, and society.

Research projects:

• Improvement pathways for flourishing classroom and school systems
• Parenting and Family Wellbeing
• Perinatal mental health and wellbeing enablers

Dr Cayla Bellagarda

Cayla is a Clinical Neuropsychologist, researcher and lecturer with expertise in cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, mental health and research methodology. Her broader research interests include neurodiversity, child and adolescent wellbeing, and evidence-based approaches to mental health service development. She completed her PhD in Psychology and Master of Clinical Neuropsychology at The University of Western Australia, where her doctoral research focused on experimental psychophysics. She has worked in clinical and research roles in private practice, not for profit and public health settings. Dr Bellagarda is passionate about teaching, student supervision, and creating supportive learning environments that encourage critical thinking and engagement with psychological research and clinical practice.

Research projects:

• Electrophysiological/haemodynamic signatures of mirror symmetry perception
• Functional outcomes of neuropsychological assessment for ADHD
• Emotion regulation and executive function in autism, ADHD and AuDHD
• Mechanisms of selective attention in ADHD

Dr Monique Williams

Monique is a Lecturer in the Psychology undergraduate, Honours, and Master of Professional Psychology programs at the University of Notre Dame Australia. Monique completed a PhD at the University of Tasmania that involved a program of research to investigate the role of attention and other psychological mechanisms in mindfulness intervention outcomes and engagement among individuals with high levels of anxiety. Monique is also a Clinical Psychologist and has experience providing psychological services in private practice and community settings and working with a range of presenting needs and population groups.

Research projects:

• The role of attention in anxiety and / or mindfulness variables
• Psychological variables involved in mindfulness engagement and/or outcomes

Dr Alexander Svenson

Alexander is an early-career researcher working at the intersection of psychology and economics. His research investigates how affective states and decision-making processes interact to shape behaviour. Alongside research and lecturing at UNDA, Alexander works as a clinical psychologist.

Research projects:

• Decision-making processes involved in anxiety, including worry
• Decision-making processes involved in depressive symptoms

Ms Elena Mavromoustakos

Elena is a Clinical Psychologist, researcher and lecturer with clinical experience across both private and public health settings, predominantly working with children and adolescents. She currently works within NSW Health in an outpatient eating disorder service for children and adolescents. She has extensive teaching experience across undergraduate and postgraduate psychology programs at several universities, with a particular passion for supporting students to develop practical skills and apply psychological knowledge to clinical practice. She is an AHPRA Board-approved supervisor for provisional psychologists and has experience supervising students across Masters and Honours programs.

Research projects:

• Clinician confidence in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders
• Personality characteristics of students enrolled in psychology programs
• Perceptions of control in anxiety and related disorders
• The use of artificial intelligence and its effects on interpersonal relationships and subjective wellbeing