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Professor Talitha Best

PhD, Clinical Psychologist, MAPS, MAICD
Professor, Deputy Chair Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Institute for Future Farming Systems, Appleton Institute
Brisbane - Level 8
CQUniversity Bundaberg
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About Me

Talitha is a clinical psychologist, researcher, educator, supervisor and founding head of the NeuroHealth Lab within Appleton Institute.

Talitha’s research, clinical practice, teaching and supervision focus on the impact of diet and therapeutic approaches for promoting brain function and improved psychological and mental health outcomes. Broadly, Talitha uses applied research methods and clinical practice to understand the complex ways in which nutrition and our food systems influence brain function, well-being, behaviour, cognitive performance and mental health. She has been chief investigator on competitively funded national and international research projects of over $7.5million.

She has expertise in developing and implementing interdisciplinary applied research that contributes to outcomes and knowledge across the areas of clinical psychology, behavioural neuroscience, nutritional psychiatry, compassion science, food systems and agricultural development aimed at improving lives through better brain and mind health.

General
Background

 

Before joining CQU, Talitha worked in the Nutritional Physiology Research Centre at the University of South Australia, and Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University. She also worked as a Researcher-in-Business, funded through an initiative of the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, to facilitate knowledge transfer between the research and industry sectors in food and nutrition.

She has worked in private and public sectors, and within the non-for-profit sector in board director roles active in community development through health, food and nutrition.

 

 

Universities Studied At

University of Adelaide

Flinders University

University of South Australia

 

Awards

2017: Dean’s Outstanding Research Award (Mid-Career), in recognition of excellence in research activity, publication and engagement. School of Health, Medical & Applied Sciences, CQU

2017: Women's Leadership Australia Scholarship Award, in recognition of leadership development and executive ready level performance and capability.

2015: ICC International Award for Application of Science for Improving Public Health, in recognition of scientific endeavours. International Association for Cereal Chemistry (ICC).

Professional Experience

 

 

 


 

 

 

Professional Memberships

 

AHPRA: Registered Psychologist, Psychology Board of Australia

APS: Australian Psychological Society

MAICD: Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors

FCCP: Fellow of College of Clinical Psychologists

WIT: Women in Innovation and Technology

WOB: Women on Boards

Research Supervision
Accreditation

I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:

  • 3006 Food Sciences
  • 3209 Neurosciences
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology

Current Capacity
I am currently available to supervise more research candidates
Current Supervision
Doctor of Philosophy
The Conceptualisation of Successful Ageing in Urban and Rural Javanese Older Adults
Associate Supervisor
Doctor of Philosophy
Supporting mental health for women with lipoedema through compassionate mind training
Principal Supervisor
Doctor of Philosophy
The Neural and Cognitive Correlates of Synergistic Mind-Body Training in Stressed Young-Adults
Principal Supervisor
Doctor of Philosophy
Assessing informal and unregulated health care provision in rural and remote Bangladesh
Associate Supervisor
Doctor of Philosophy
Group-based psychological intervention for disordered eating in individuals living with Type 2 Diabetes
Principal Supervisor
Doctor of Philosophy
Role of Compassion in Parenting Children with Chronic Conditions.
Principal Supervisor
Complete Supervision
Doctor of Philosophy
Transcultural Entrepreneurship: Embracing the "Social" in Social Innovation & Social Entrepreneurship
Associate Supervisor
Doctor of Professional Studies
Psychological Analysis: Identification and analysis of Ego States that form a Hospitality Oriented Personality Profile (HOPP) for the Australian hospitality industry
Principal Supervisor
Research Interests
Health Sciences

Public health - Preventative health care

Health Sciences

Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine - Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine not elsewhere classified

Psychology

Biological psychology - Behavioural neuroscience

Psychology

Clinical and health psychology - Clinical psychology
Talitha has specific research and clinical interests that apply to nutrition, health, healthy ageing and clinical psychology

Psychology

Cognitive and computational psychology - Learning, motivation and emotion

Publications
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Teaching
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