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Dr. Gavin Sullivan BSc(Hons), BA, PhD

Position:

Lecturer, School of Psychology, Psychiatry & Psychological Medicine, Monash University

Contact Details:

Tel: +61 3 9903 2246
Fax: + 61 3 9903 2501
Email: Gavin.Sullivan@med.monash.edu.au

Profile:

I completed a BSc(Hons) First Class in Psychology, a BA in Philosophy and a PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. For my PhD I chose to complete a theoretical thesis which examined the notion of reflexivity (self-referentiality) in psychology. Depending on the perspective adopted, reflexivity is either a virtue when it encourages critical reflection, creativity and metatheoretical investigation or a vice that prohibits objective exploration and encourages a pernicious relativity. The approach used the later philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein and explored the issue in two parts: The first part explored the implications of reflexivity in psychology, while the second part examined the implications for understanding pride. The thesis was passed in 2000 with one comment being that the work was the equivalent of two PhDs in the United States.

I left New Zealand at the end of 1996 and worked as a research assistant at Macquarie University Centre for Higher Education and Professional Development before working as a forensic psychology research assistant in Cumberland Hospital, Western Sydney Area Health Service. After this I worked with Professor Russell Meares at Westmead Hospital to develop a manual to be used in the training and treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. I also completed supervised experience to become a Registered Psychology in New South Wales in 1999. For two years before moving to Monash I lectured part-time at the University of Western Sydney on interventions in criminal justice practice and counselling. I also established a part-time private practice as a Critical Incident Stress Debriefer and an Employee Assistance Program counsellor.

Since moving to Monash in July 2002 I have developed two courses MOP6031 Psychological Interventions in Organisations and the advanced counselling and psychotherapy half of MHP5082, and proposed a third year elective on Theoretical and philosophical psychology (which builds upon the theoretical lectures I developed for PSY3062). A successful application for an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship on the topic of "The significance of pride for self and culture" has resulted in a period of leave for 1 year and a research stay at the Free University Berlin until February 2008.

Research Interests:
  1. Emotions, self-conscious emotion and pride - qualitative and cultural-historical research
  2. Theoretical psychology - survey based research of psychologists and qualitative interviews with theoreticians on contemporary issues
  3. Mindfulness treatments and interventions - first year medical students, single-case research, qualitative analysis of recovery from recurrent depression
  4. Counselling and psychotherapy - single case designs, combined qualitative and quantitative methodologies (i.e,. sequential), and RCT studies
  5. Qualitative research methods applied to any topic - e.g,, gambling experiences, high-risk pregnancy, environmental behaviours
  6. Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes - possible single-case studies
  7. Borderline Personality Disorder - treatment comparisons and process research
  8. Brief interventions in self-harm
  9. Dialectical behaviour Therapy for self-harm
  10. Services for personnel in corrections who encounter self-harm and suicide

Publications:

Books

  1. Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). Wittgenstein's Philosophy and Psychology. A History of Relevance and Limits. Kluwer Press.
  2. Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). The personal and cultural significance of pride.
  3. Sullivan, G. B. (In preparation). Conversational Model Psychotherapy: An introduction to theory and practice.

Journal Articles

  1. Marshall, S., Adams, M., Cameron, A. & Sullivan, G. (2000). Academics' perceptions of their professional development needs related to leadership and management: What can we learn? The International Journal for Academic Development, 5, 1, 42-53.
  2. Sullivan, G.B. (2000). Millennial musings: A personal commentary on the diverse pathways, contrasting voices and future directions of critical psychology. International Journal of Critical Psychology, 1, 165-168.
  3. Sullivan, G.B. (2002). Reflexivity and subjectivity in qualitative research: The utility of a Wittgensteinian framework. Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 3(3). [Date of access: Month, Day, Year].
  4. Sullivan, G. B., & Strongman, K. T. (2003). Vacillating and mixed emotions: Exploration of a conceptual-discursive perspective through examples of pride. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 33, 2, 201-224.
  5. Sullivan, G. B. (2005). Forensic patients' accounts of risk: The case for qualitative research within a sociocultural framework. Australian Psychologist, 40, 1, 31-44
  6. Sullivan, G.B. (2005). Fright Club?! A critique of contemporary anxiety treatment programs. International Journal of Critical Psychology, 14, 8-30.
  7. Fedszyn, I., & Sullivan, G. B. (Accepted). A critical account of anorexia treatments: Australian Psychologist.
  8. Sullivan, G. B. (Accepted). Wittgenstein and the grammar of pride. New Ideas in Psychology.