Our people

Dr Madeleine Fraser

Clinical Psychology Lecturer
Digital Innovation in Mental Health and Well-Being

Areas of expertise: clinical psychology; self-compassion; emerging psychological therapies

HDR Supervisor accreditation status: Provisional

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1824-6661

Phone: +61 2 9701 4726

Email: Madeleine.Fraser@acu.edu.au

Location: ACU Strathfield Campus

Dr Madeleine Fraser's research interests are in the areas of clinical and health psychology. She is passionate about self-compassion and cultivating a healthy and supportive way of relating to oneself, as opposed to harsh self-criticism. She is published in peer-reviewed international journals in clinical and health psychology and maintains an active research profile. She has an emerging interest in digital innovation in clinical interventions and targeting psychological wellbeing in university student populations. Madeleine completed the D(Clin)Psych at Macquarie University in 2015 and is currently undertaking a Ph.D. at the University of Sydney titled “Self-Compassion in Adolescence: A Protective Psychological Framework for Relating to Oneself”.

Madeleine is a registered psychologist with clinical endorsement and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Clinical Psychologists Association (ACPA). She has experience in hospitals and private clinics working with clients across the lifespan, from young children to older adults. Madeleine is particularly interested in anxiety and mood disorders, and practices within evidence-based treatment modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Madeleine provides assessment and treatment in a private practice based in Sydney CBD.

Since 2015, Madeleine has lectured at ACU (Strathfield campus) in a full-time clinical psychology lecturer role. She supervisors Honours and Masters research projects in topics related to clinical psychology and with a particular focus on self-compassion. Madeleine is also an AHPRA board approved supervisor and facilitates group supervision in the Clinical Masters program. She is the lecturer in charge for units such as Abnormal Psychology in undergraduate psychology, and Ethics in post-graduate psychology. Madeleine was the recipient of the 2017 APS Sydney Branch Outstanding Lecturer in Psychology Award and was awarded the 2019 APS Early Career Teaching Award.

Visit Scopus

Select publications

Note: I published under “Ferrari” prior to 2023

Ferrari, M., Speight, J., Beath, A., Browne, J. L., & Mosely, K. (2020). The information-motivation-behavioral skills model explains physical activity levels for adults with type 2 diabetes across all weight classes. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2020.1749292

Ferrari, M., Hunt, C., Harrysunker, A., Abbott, M.J., Beath, A.P, & Einstein, D.A. (2019) Self-Compassion Interventions and Psychosocial Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis of RCTs. Mindfulness, 10,1455–1473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01134-6

Ferrari, M., Yap, K., Scott, N., Einstein, D. A., & Ciarrochi, J. (2018). Self-compassion moderates the perfectionism and depression link in both adolescence and adulthood. PlOS ONE, 13(2), e0192022. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192022

Inwood, E., & Ferrari, M. (2018). Mechanisms of Change in the Relationship between Self‐Compassion, Emotion Regulation, and Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 10(2), 215-235. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12127

Ferrari, M., McIlwain, D. & Ambler, G. A (2018) A qualitative comparison of needles and insulin pump use in children with type-1 diabetes, Journal of Health Psychology, 23(10), 1332-1342. https://doi.org/1359105316653999

Ferrari, M., Dal Cin, M., & Steele, M. (2017). Self‐compassion is associated with optimum self‐care behaviour, medical outcomes and psychological well‐being in a cross‐sectional sample of adults with diabetes. Diabetic Medicine, 34(11), 1546-1553. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.13451

Rogers, J. M., Ferrari, M., Mosely, K., Lang, C. P., & Brennan, L. (2017). Mindfulness‐based interventions for adults who are overweight or obese: a meta‐analysis of physical and psychological health outcomes. Obesity Reviews, 18(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12461

Whillier, S. & Ferrari, M. (2017) Mental health knowledge in a final year chiropractic cohort: implications for learning and teaching, Journal of Chiropractic Education. Oct; 30(2): e165–e176. https://doi.org/10.7899/1042-5055-30.2.165

Rogers, J. M., Ferrari, M., Mosely, K., Lang, C. P., & Brennan, L. (2017). Mindfulness‐based interventions for adults who are overweight or obese: a meta‐analysis of physical and psychological health outcomes. Obesity Reviews, 18(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12461

Dobie, A., Tucker, A., Ferrari, M., & Rogers, J.M., (2015), Preliminary Evaluation of a Brief Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Intervention for Mental Health Professionals, Australian Psychiatry, 24(1), 42-45, https://doi.org/1039856215618524

Accolades and awards

• Winner of the NSW semi-finals, and Runner-Up in the National finals for 2020 Australian FameLab, the world’s leading science communication competition. See: https://www.fwam.com.au/famelab/famelab-australia-2020-national-final/
• Recipient of the 2019 APS Early Career Teaching Award
• Recipient of the 2018 School of Psychology Publication Prize from the School of Psychology, University of Sydney.
• Recipient of the 2017 APS Sydney Branch Outstanding Lecturer in Psychology Award. The APS Sydney Branch Outstanding Lecturer in Psychology Award encourages psychology students to take an active role in and promotion of the Society through the nomination from each university in Sydney of a psychology lecturer who most inspires, motivates and enthuses students with delivery of content and engagement.
• National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship (value $68,000 over three years, 2017)

International journal review panel

Journal Reviewer (selection)

• Early Intervention in Psychiatry
• Mindfulness
• Journal of Contextual Behavioural Science
• Obesity
• Psychological Reports
• Journal of Adolescence
• Current Diabetes Reviews