Dr. Raquel Peel
PhD(Developmental and Social Psychology), BPsych(Hons), BA(ArtHist)(Mus), MAPS, FHEASnr Lect/Head of Course - Domestic & Family Violence
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Sciences
Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research
6 - 1.05
Dr Raquel Peel is an internationally recognised relationships expert, an award-winning educator and researcher, and a passionate leader. At the Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, she is the Head of Course for the Domestic and Family Violence Practice education and training units. Her current research program encompasses studies on interpersonal relationships, domestic and family violence, mental health, suicide, and education. Notably, her TEDx Talk and TEDx Shorts discuss the foundations of her research on relationship sabotage. Her work has also been featured in one of the most popular episodes of the TED Podcast and TED Ideas (We Human) series “How to be a Better Human”. Raquel is a prolific contributor for The Conversation and her work has been showcased in numerous Psychology Today articles. She is regularly interviewed by the media to provide expert commentary on relationship matters at national and international outlets such as The Project, ABC, Forbes, The Guardian, Channel News Asia, and the Deutsche Welle German Broadcaster. Also, metrics from Almetrics, which measure online attention, show that two of her research articles are in the top 5% (98th and 99th percentile) of all articles ever published. This shows the widespread interest in her work and her ability to influence and promote academic research as a science communicator and expert. Her impact as an educator has also been recognised with prestigious institutional awards (including the Excellence Award for Early Career Educator, granted by the University of Southern Queensland, and the Inclusive Practice Teaching Award, granted by James Cook University) and a fellowship with the Higher Education Academy. Originally from Brazil, Raquel has been in Australia for almost two decades, where she lives with her husband, son, and daughter. For a complete portfolio, please visit: www.RaquelPeel.com
Universities Worked At
- University of Technology Sydney
- The University of Notre Dame Australia
- Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
- Victoria University
- University of Southern Queensland
- James Cook University
Awards
- 2023 - Commendation for Excellence in Teaching (RMIT)
- 2022 - Fellowship (Advanced Higher Education)
- 2020 - Excellence Award for Early Career Education (University of Southern Queensland)
- 2020 - Commendation for Excellence in Teaching (University of Southern Queensland)
- 2018 - Inclusive Practice Award (Excellence in Teaching and Learning (James Cook University)
- 2017 - Best Student Paper (International Conference on Cognitive Behavioral Psychology)
Media Citations
- Mallett, X & Peel, R. (2025, April 30th). Locked up for life? Unpacking South Australia’s new child sex crime laws.
- Peel, R. (2025, March 12th). Does conflict with friends make you squirm? Doing it right might make the relationship stronger.
- Peel, R. (2024, February 7th). Women take more antidepressants after divorce than men but that doesn’t mean they’re more depressed.
*This article was re-published at The Conversation Brazil on February 21, 2024 - Peel. R. (2023, July 18th). What is a relationship ‘boundary’? And how do I have the boundary conversation with my partner?
- Peel, R. (2023, March 15th). Stuck in a ‘talking stage’ or ‘situationship’? How young people can get more out of modern love.
*This article was re-published at The Conversation Indonesia on September 5, 2023 - Peel, R. (2022, January 3rd). Thinking about a summer fling? Read this article first.
- Peel, R. (2021, November 3rd). 3 ways we sabotage relationships (and 3 ways to kick the habit).
*This article was re-published at The Conversation Indonesia on October 27, 2022 - Peel, R. (2021, October 11th). What is ‘the ick’? A psychological scientist explains this TikTok trend.
- Peel, R. (2021, July 21th). Netflix’s Sexy Beasts tells us you can take physical attraction out of love. The reality is much more complicated.
- Peel, R. (2021, January 14th). Bridgerton offers clever relationship advice — why friendship is the foundation of happy romantic partnerships.
- Peel, R. (2020, September 11th). Are you dreading going back to the workplace? You might be feeling separation anxiety from your home.
- Peel, R. (2020, March 31st). The coronavirus lockdown could test your relationship. Here’s how to keep it intact (and even improve it).
- Peel, R., & Bucky, B. (2018, March 5th). What makes someone more likely to be bullied at work and how companies can help them
TED
- TEDx Talk. Why do we sabotage love?
- TEDx Shorts. Why do we sabotage love?
- TED Podcasts. How to be a better human. How to stop sabotaging your romantic relationships.
- TED Ideas. Why we sabotage Romantic relationships - and what we can do about it.
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY ARTICLES
- Are You Self-Sabotaging Your Love Life? Your lackluster love life may be your fault.
- Why Some Partners Commit Relationship Sabotage. Defensiveness, difficulty with trust, and more.
- 5 Reasons Why Some People Keep Sabotaging Their Relationships. We sabotage love for a variety of reasons (e.g. fear, trust difficulties).
- Are You Sabotaging Your Relationship? A new study suggests nine ways people put their romantic relationships at risk.
FORBES
THE GUARDIAN
ABC NEWS
- Ockham's Razor. The romantic self-saboteur
- Relationship self-sabotage may be affecting your quest for love and happiness.
- Relationship sabotage is a rarely studied phenomenon, but now researchers look for answers.
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
- Does absence really make the heart grow founder. It depends.
- Once a harmless dating term, ‘the ick’ has turned nasty.
- Are you workplace ready or anxious about returning?
MORE ONLINE ARTICLES
- Zeit Magazin: Selbstsabotage in der Beziehung: "Wenn man selbst die Beziehung zerstört, kann es der andere nichttun"
- The House of Wellness: Are you sabotaging your relationships?
- El País: Así funciona el autosabotaje inconsciente de una relación sentimental.
- News.com.au: Raquel Peel.
PODCASTS
- Dateable. Are You Sabotaging Your Love Life?
- SelfWork with Dr Margaret Rutherford. Episode 175. How to Avoid Self-Sabotage in Relationships.
RADIO
- ABC Radio National. Why do People Choose Long-Term Relationships.
- Triple J. Hack. Why we get the Ice.
- ABC Nightlife. What drives Human Attraction.
TV
- DW News. How can we make relationships work in the pandemic's pressure? | COVID-19 Special.
- DW News. How to be intimate during the coronavirus pandemic? | COVID-19 Special
There are numerous more media interviews to list including tv, radio, print, and online interviews with The Project, Channels News Asia, Win News, 9 News, 7 News, Women's Health Interactive, Today, ABC TV and Radio, Star Radio, Cairns Post, 2NM Radio, RNZ Radio, The Age, Brisbane Times, Courier Mail, The Chronicle, Queensland Times, The Townsville Bulletin, WA Today, Womens Health, Lifehacker, Relationship Resolution, Medical Republic and more. For a complete portfolio, please visit: www.RaquelPeel.com
Professional Memberships
- 2013 – Member (Australian Psychological Society)
- 2015 – Honorary Member (Golden Key International Honour Society)
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
- 5299 Other psychology
- 4404 Development studies
- 4405 Gender studies
- 4499 Other human society
Current Capacity
Gender studies - Gender and crime
Gender studies - Women s studies (incl. girls studies)
Applied and developmental psychology - Applied and developmental psychology not elsewhere classified
Other psychology - Psychological Methodology, Design and Analysis
Social and personality psychology - Social psychology
