Team
Associate Professor Caitlin Hitchcock | Head of Lab
Associate Professor Caitlin Hitchcock is the head of the Mechanisms of Mental Health lab. A/Prof Hitchcock is a clinical psychologist with clinical and research expertise in affective disturbance. Her research programme seeks to translate basic cognitive science toward improved treatment practices, by advancing understanding of the cognitive mechanisms that drive mood disturbance and posttraumatic stress, and drawing from experimental cognitive science to develop novel therapeutic interventions.
Research Team
Alicia Smith
Dr Alicia Smith (she/her) is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne. Her research applies advanced data analytic techniques to mental health data, and is funded by the Australian Medical Research Future Fund. Alicia received her PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge.
Patrick Haylock
Patrick Haylock (he/him) is completing a Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy. He is researching the relationship between young people's ability to recall different types of autobiographical memories, and their ability to solve problems, regulate their emotions and socialise with others. Patrick also has interests in psychotherapy for people with hearing conditions.
Leo Marcus
Leo Marcus is completing his Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology)/Doctor of Philosophy. He is investigating the phenomenon of insight during mental navigation and its clinical relevance for patients engaging in therapy. Leo has broad interests in cognitive neuroscience and depression research.
Leilani Frost
Leilani Frost is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy. Leilani's research involves using natural language processing techniques and large language models to identify individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She has broad interests in cognitive psychology and machine learning.
Emma Veltman
Emma (she/her) is a Clinical Psychologist and a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Mechanisms of Mental Health lab. She completed her PhD and clinical psychology training in New Zealand at the University of Otago. During her training, her research primarily focused on personality assessment and personality disorders. Since arriving at the University of Melbourne, Emma has expanded her research to look at enhancing clinical interventions to improve outcomes for those experiencing psychopathology. At present she is working on a randomised control trial of Left Write Hook, a survivor-led program that combines expressive writing and non-contact boxing components to empower those with lived experience of child sexual abuse or gendered or other domestic violence to reclaim their lives.
Amelia Kirkpatrick
Amelia Kirkpatrick (she/her) is supporting projects in the lab as a research assistant with lived experience of mental illness.
Alumni
- Dou Hong, former Research Assistant, currently a PhD student, University of Oxford.
- Steph Raad, former Research Assistant, currently works at Orygen.
- Leo Mares, former Research Assistant, currently a D Psych candidate, University College London.
- Maris Vainre, former Postdoctoral Researcher, currently a Research Fellow at the University of Tartu, Estonia.
- Molly Butler, former Research Assistant, currently completing clinical training.
Get involved
We welcome expressions of interest from aspiring researchers and clinicians from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals with lived experience of mental ill health who may like to contribute to our research. Our team includes those with disability, diverse gender identities, and neurodivergence.