Dr. Leonie Lorien
School of Human Health and Social SciencesHead of Master of Clinical Psychology Courses / Senior Lecturer Clinical Psychology
School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences
Building 31 Ground - G.04
Room LG.37
Dr Leonie Lorien (BA, GDPsych, MClinPsych, PhD) is a Clinical Psychologist with over 30 years of experience. Leonie is passionate about training competent psychologists who can contribute to building the psychology workforce in regional and rural Australia, including culturally diverse people. Leonie's practice and research interests include interprofessional education to increase graduates' skills to work within multi-disciplinary teams, interventions to support people living with chronic health conditions and providing diversity-affirming assessments and interventions for neurodiverse people. Leonie's PhD research was on the conceptualisation of recovery, and recovery-oriented practice, in an inpatient mental health service, using a participatory action research approach. Leonie has supervised Honours and Master's research projects, including systematic reviews of psychological interventions and interprofessional practice, and a participatory action research project in collaboration with Central Queensland Indigenous Development.
Leonie completed a B.A. (Behavioural Science) at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), and worked with children and young people living with significant cognitive impairment before completing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at the University of Queensland (UQ), Master of Clinical Psychology (CQU) and PhD (CQU). Leonie has worked for various community/private organisations (including Alzheimer's Association of Queensland, Lifeline, Relationships Australia and Ramsay Health), Government Departments (Including Queensland Health, Dept. of Communities, Dept. Education and Centrelink) and in Private Practice. Leonie has held various roles at CQUniversity. Initially as Manager of the Student Counselling and Disability Service, then as a Senior Lecturer / Director of the Psychology Wellness Centre. Leonie is the Head of the Master of Clinical Psychology and Masters of Clinical Psychology, Advance Entry courses.
Background
Doctor of Philosophy 2021 - CQUniversity
Master of Clinical Psychology 2013 - CQUniversity
Graduate Diploma Psychology1992 - University of Queensland
Bachelor of Arts (Behavioural Science) 1988 - University of Southern Queensland
Universities Studied At
CQUniversity
University of Queensland
University of Southern Queensland
Universities Worked At
CQUniversity
Awards
Dr Maria O’Reilly, A/Prof Claire Thompson, Melissa Attwood, Prof Sarah Blunden, Clancy Conlon, Tom De Pauw, Narelle Henwood, Dr Leonie Lorien, Dr Helen Mason, Jenn Stanley (School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences) – Commended for Best Practice in Learning and Teaching (Higher Education) for developing a novel online evidence-based interprofessional health education module that facilitates development of knowledge and confidence in interprofessional practice in students from multiple disciplines.
Previous teaching
CQUniversity
Professional Experience
Head of Course, Master of Clinical Psychology Current
Director, Psychology Wellness Centre, CQUniversity 2016 - 2024
Senior Clinical Psychologist, Hillcrest Rockhampton Private Hospital 2013 - 2016
Manager, Counselling and Disability Service, CQUniversity 2010 - 2013 Employee Adviser, Department of Education, Training and the Arts 2007 - 2010
A/Principal Service Officer, Department of Communities 2007
Senior Service Officer, Department of Communities 2005 - 2006
Manager Relationships Australia Queensland 2003 - 2005
Psychologist Centrelink 2000 - 2002
Student Counsellor James Cook University 1999 - 2000
Psychologist Private Practice 1999 - 2000
Counsellor Lifeline 2000
Psychologist, Moranbah District Health Service 1994 - 1997
Counsellor Alzheimer’s Association of Queensland Inc. 1992 - 1994
Community Access Worker Unicare 1991
Trainer – Independent Living Mach 1 Australia Inc. 1990 - 1991
Advocate Queensland Recreation Association for People with an Intellectual Disability 1990
Residential Care Officer Dept. Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs 1989 - 1990
Professional Memberships
Member of the International Collaboration for Participatory Health Research
Member of Recovery Research Network
Responsibilities
Director, Psychology Wellness Centre, CQUniversity
Professional Interests
Recovery-oriented practice
Treatment of anxiety disorders
Supporting people to live well with chronic illness
Culturally appropriate assessment of developmental disorders
Implementation science (i.e. application of research in practice settings)
Therapy modalities: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Key Achievements
Managed the expansion of the Psychology Wellness Centre, CQUniversity
Established partnerships with MS Queensland and Central Queensland Indigenous Development, CQUniversity
Designed and implemented in-patient and day-patient group therapy and recovery-oriented programs, at Hillcrest Private Hospital
Initiated training for staff about how to respond to students presenting as distressed or with challenging behaviour, CQUniversity.
Developed programs to promote well-being and encourage early intervention for staff experiencing mental health issues, Department of Education
Liaised with community representatives and government stakeholders to identify and facilitate the presentation of issues to government ministers at community forums. Issues included: Access to mental health services in rural and remote areas, youth engagement in government decision-making, psychosocial impacts of mining development and planning for aged care in regional centres.
Designed and oversaw the implementation of a purpose-built Relationships Australia office in Rockhampton, and facilitated the establishment of the Gladstone office, Relationships Australia
Accreditation
I am currently accredited for supervision in the following:
- 5203 Clinical and health psychology
Current Capacity
Clinical and health psychology - Clinical psychology
