Macquarie University Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre Mental Health Month Public Lecture

Join us for our Mental Health Month Public Lecture on Wednesday 23 October where we will be discussing advancing mental health care in people living with neurological disorders and the psychological toll of living with Endometriosis.

Advancing mental health care in people living with neurological disorders | Associate Professor Milena Gandy
Neurological disorders affect the brain, spinal cord, or nerves, impacting about 1 in 6 Australians. These conditions are now the leading cause of disability worldwide. Alarmingly high rates of co-occurring mental health difficulties, especially depression and anxiety, significantly increase the burden of neurological disorders. Yet, the mental health care of people with these disorders remains suboptimal. In this talk, Dr. Gandy will explore the gaps in care and how psychology can help bridge them. She will also share promising results from clinical trials of the Wellbeing Neuro Course, a digitally delivered psychological intervention for adults with neurological disorders.

“It does weigh you down a bit. Your lows can get a bit lower -  you can sometimes feel very helpless.” – The Psychological Toll of Living with Endometriosis | Professor Kerry Sherman
Endometriosis is a chronic pain condition that affects 1 in 8 Australians, yet we are only starting to understand the true impact of living with this condition. Professor Kerry Sherman will discuss her research that highlights the many different ways that endometriosis impacts our lives and the emotional and psychological challenges faced by people living with this condition. She will also talk about some of the interventions being developed to help people cope with endometriosis.

Learn more about the speakers

Associate Professor Milena Gandy is a Senior Clinical Psychologist and Researcher at Macquarie University focused on improving the mental health and psychological care of people living with neurological disorders. She has published extensively and received numerous grants and awards in this field. She currently holds an MS Australia Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant and Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Grant funding to develop innovative digital mental health interventions. She is also the proud co-chair of the Integrated Mental Health Care Pathways Task Force with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE).

Professor Kerry Sherman
Professor Kerry Sherman is a health psychologist in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University. She is the current elected President of the International Society of Behavioural Medicine. Her research aims to use technology to improve the quality of life of people living with chronic and serious conditions including endometriosis and cancer. She has developed online interventions that have been used in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands and she has published more than 130 journal articles and book chapters, including a textbook in health psychology. Kerry is the recipient of multiple awards for her research, including the Macquarie University Excellence in Research Award 2017, and for her contributions to behavioural medicine, including the Vice Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning 2017, and the Distinguished Career Contribution Award from the International Society of Behavioural Medicine 2018.

For any questions, please contact lifespan@mq.edu.au.