Carolyn Deans is an experienced clinical psychologist and researcher with a focus on resilience and mental wellbeing. She lectures in the postgraduate clinical psychology program. Her area of therapeutic practice is in cognitive-behavioural and interpersonal psychotherapy approaches. She has a particular interest in adult mental health disorders (including men’s and women’s focussed health interventions), trauma and resilience processes.
Carolyn works part time in a joint VU - Western Bulldogs funded position as Head of Research & Integrated Learning at the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation. Here she coordinates a collaborative and wide-ranging research portfolio for the Foundation across Health, Youth Resilience, and Diversity programs. In that capacity she supervises men’s health and wellbeing research. She works in private practice in women’s mental health.
Carolyn is also an Army Reserve psychologist providing clinical services in resilience and mental health to Defence Force personnel, and holds teaching positions within the ADF.
Recent publications
Refereed journal articles
Parkhill, A. Deans, C. L., & Chapin, L. C. (2018) Pre-leadership processes in leadership training for adolescents. Children and Youth Services Review.
Deans, CL. (2018) Maternal sensitivity, its relationship with child outcomes, and interventions that address it: a systematic literature review. Early Child Development and Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2018.1465415
Deans, C.L., Reay, R., & Buist, A. (2016). Addressing the mother–baby relationship in interpersonal psychotherapy for depression: an overview and case study. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 34(5), 483-494.
Deans C.L., & Little, E.L. (2016). Contribution of military psychology in supporting those in rural and remote work environments.Rural and Remote Health (online), 16: 3678.
Deans, C.L., Reay, R., & Stuart, S. (2014). Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Groups: Advantages and Challenges. Paper accepted for publication in Psychotherapy in Australia, 21(1), 28-37.
Deans, C.L., & Heffernan, K.M. (2010). Supporting military mental health on operations. APS InPsych Magazine, April 2010, Australian Psychological Society.
Deans, C.L., & Byrne, D.G. (2009). Development of a scale to measure non-traumatic military deployment stressors. Stress and Health, 25, 53-62
Conference presentations
Deans, C.L., & Reay, R. (2015). The development of a group IPT for postnatal depression incorporating the mother-child relationship: integrating attachment work into IPT. Presentation to the 6th International Conference of the International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy, London: June, 2015.
Stuart, S., & Deans, C.L. Workshop: Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Postnatal Depression. Marcé Society International Conference: Melbourne, September 26-28, 2016.
Deans, C.L., & Buist, A. (2015). Addressing mother-baby attachment in a communication framework for women with depression. Presentation to the Australasian Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health 2015 Conference, Adelaide: 22-24 October 2015.
Ivey, G., & Deans, C.L. (2013, July). A qualitative investigation of the challenges of teaching and learning psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioural therapy modalities in a dual-orientation Clinical Psychology program. Paper presented at the 44th Society for Psychotherapy Research International Annual Meeting, Brisbane, Australia.
Deans, C.L., & Heffernan, K. (2008, September). Military combat and trauma: Current Australian operations. Paper presented at the 15th Australasian Conference on Traumatic Stress, Melbourne, Australia.
Teaching responsibilities
Dr Deans teaches the following units in the Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology):
Postgraduate research students & fellows
Dr Deans supervises students in a broad range of areas with a general focus on resilience mechanisms. She welcomes queries from potential higher degree research students.
Research grants
2017: Deans, C.L., & Sharples, J. ($33,000). Western Bulldogs Community Foundation project. Development of a strategic research plan for the Foundation.
2014-2013: Kennedy, G. A., Jackson, M., Deans, C.L., & Borg, L. ($49,968). Defence Health Foundation Grants for Medical Research. The efficacy of two sleep therapies for improving sleeping difficulties and mood in recently returned military personnel.
Professional memberships
- Australian Psychological Society
- College of Clinical Psychologists
- APS Military and Emergency Services Psychology Interest Group (Convenor)
Portfolios
Areas of expertise
- Clinical psychology
- Interpersonal approaches to treatment
- Management of high-performance occupations
- Resilience processes
- Men's and women's mental health (including parental health)
