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Dr Grace Couchman

Biography

Dr Grace Couchman is a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Clinical Psychology Centre.

She is a Clinical psychologist and family therapist for 15 years, Clinical researcher of family interventions for psychosis and depression and Consultant in family group work, family therapy, psychological management of mental illness, and general psychology interventions.

Email Dr Grace Couchman

Professional Activities

  • Registered Psychology clinician for children, adults and families
  • Consultant to the Childrens Court Clinic in protective matters
  • Member of APS, VAFT, VPA

Research Interests

Clinical research experience in the area of family interventions for psychosis and depression. Keen interest in the complementarity of quantitative and qualitative research methodology.

Current interests: family interventions for clinical problems, the successful management of family separation, the nature of engagement in therapies and services, and the use of the internet for clinical support and services.

Postgraduate Research Projects

Carers attributions and coping in adult mental health (early intervention)

Potential Student Projects

  • Examination of the impact of problem-causality explanations on family functioning and family interaction (for a range of problems)
  • The role of families in illness recovery (from a psychological perspective) e.g. the impact of family on motivation to recover, illness management, self-concept, cognitive organisation
  • The early management of trauma and or prodromal presentations using family and social interventions
  • The experience of families undergoing separation
  • The role of self and social identity in serious mental illness (psychosis and depression)
  • The factors which promote and inhibit therapy/service engagement

Teaching

Monash University : Advanced Clinical Practice in Doctorate of Psychology (clinical) program

Elsewhere: Multi-family group work, Managing Trauma, Mental illness management, Engaging and working with families, Family Therapy skills.

Publications

Bradley, G., Couchman, G., Perlesz, A., Nguyen, A., Singh, B., Riess, C. (2006) Effectiveness of a Multiple Family Group Intervention with English-speaking and Vietnamese-speaking families living with schizophrenia. Psychiatric Services April

Couchman, G., Bradley, G., & Perlesz, A. 2005 A Different Kind of Normal (qualitative). Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy (in review)