Lisa Shaw

Lisa Shaw is a PhD candidate in Psychology whose research focuses on the development and evaluation of innovative digital interventions to support mental health and relationship outcomes during the perinatal period. Her doctoral project, “Leveraging mHealth to support mental health and relationship outcomes in the perinatal period,” aims to design, co-develop, and pilot a mobile health (mHealth) application for parents experiencing early signs of depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the first year following birth. This work integrates a meta-analytic review of best practices with participatory co-design involving parents and mental health professionals, culminating in a pilot study assessing feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness. Her research addresses a critical gap by advancing one of the first co-designed, couple-focused mHealth interventions in the perinatal context.

Alongside her doctoral studies, Lisa contributes as a research assistant on the “Beyond the Bump” early intervention program, which supports maternal mental health during pregnancy. She is also involved in perinatal research examining smoking behaviours, where she contributes to data extraction and evidence synthesis. Her broader research interests include early intervention, family systems approaches to mental health, trauma-informed care, and the translation of evidence-based practice into accessible, community-based and digital formats.

Lisa brings over a decade of professional experience in mental health, family support, and community services to her academic work. She has held senior leadership roles, including Service Manager and Team Leader positions within organisations such as Mind Australia and Relationships Australia. Her clinical and practice background spans youth mental health, family and domestic violence, trauma counselling, and early intervention programs aimed at strengthening family functioning and preventing youth homelessness. This extensive applied experience informs her research, particularly her focus on real-world implementation, service accessibility, and client-centred design.

She holds an Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Arts (Distinction), majoring in Psychology, from Deakin University. Lisa has also contributed to peer-reviewed research, including a publication on forgiveness in Personal Relationships. Her work is grounded in a strong commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable individuals and families through evidence-based, scalable, and contextually relevant interventions.