Meet The Team
Dr Charlene Rapsey
Principal Investigator
Charlene Rapsey is a clinical psychologist with an interest in mental disorder, childhood adversity, and sexual health and sexual difficulties. She uses quantitative and mixed methods and has a particular interest in applied research.
Assoc. Prof. Damian Scarf
Collaborator
Damian is the head of the Adolescent Behaviour and Child Development (ABCD) Lab. The current focus of his research is positive youth development in high school students and alcohol consumption in university students.
Claire Liggins
Group Facilitator
Claire is a Doctoral Student at the University of Otago. She recently completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology and is now completing her PhD by distance from Wanaka. Her research focus is on the assessment of personality disorders, but she has a broader interest in both clinical work and research.
Isabel Mooney
Coach; Administrator
Isabel (she/her) is a student in her first year of the clinical psychology programme at the University of Otago. She is currently completing her Master's thesis in psychology, which aims to understand pathways to mental health care among university students.
Dr Amanda Clifford
Collaborator
Amanda Clifford (Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) is a registered clinical psychologist. She has special interests in whānau health and the wellbeing of tauira.
Dr Alannah Corson Keogh
Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Group & Coach Supervisor
Alannah is a registered clinical psychologist. She works as a postdoctoral research fellow for Brightside and as a wellbeing clinical psychologist at Student Health Services at the University of Otago. Alannah's research interests include tertiary student wellbeing and the barriers and facilitators to mental health help seeking.
Tom Corlet
Coaching Facilitator
Tom studies clinical psychology at the University of Otago and also does PhD research looking at child development. As a postgraduate student, he is passionate about helping others to navigate the many challenges of student life. In his spare time, he enjoys running, watching movies, and cooking.
Sarah Wishart
Administrator
Sarah is currently working as a Teaching Fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago. She has completed a Masters degree in psychology, and her research has looked at child development and ADHD.
Dr Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle
Collaborator
Hitaua (Ngāi Tahu, Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago. His research is focused in the field of social psychology and in particular, linking elements of the core Māori values with contemporary social psychological theories.
Dr Andre Mason
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Andre works as a postdoctoral research fellow and registered clinical psychologist. His primary focus is on university student's mental health and suicide, and how we can develop better tools for early intervention and prevention. When he's not in the office, you'll find him in my vege garden or out on the bike.
Alisa Mitlash
Group Facilitator
Alisa is a clinical psychology student and is currently completing her PhD. The research areas she is interested in is disordered eating among university students and ways to provide accessible interventions.
Lilly Downing
Social Media Marketing Manager
Lilly completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Otago, majoring in Marketing. She has since been working in student support roles, following her heart to see students thrive. She currently manages Brightside’s social media, combining her passion for student wellbeing and skills in Marketing.
Other Collaborators
Dr Sarah Fortune (UoA)
Claudia Garcia (UoO)
Prof. Kate Scott (UoO)
Assoc. Prof. Mele Taumoepeau (Victoria, UoW)
Prof. Robin Turner (UoO)
Prof. Pim Cuijpers and Dr Sascha Struijs (Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands)
Prof. Jason Bantjes (Stellenbosch University, South Africa)
Prof. Corina Benjet (National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico City)
Prof. Ron Kessler (Harvard Medical School, USA)