Dr Lauren Breen

Bsc (Hons), Grad Cert Ed, PhD

Professional Profile:

Dr Breen's research interests centre on applied research in the domains of community health and wellbeing. In her doctoral thesis she examined the grief experience for people bereaved through the death of a family member in a road traffic crash in Western Australia. Her thesis was awarded a level (i) pass indicating no alterations were required and won the 2007 Australian Psychological Society’s Psychology of Relationships Interest Group Thesis Award. Her research has led to several high-impact journal publications, including Death Studies, Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying, Journal of Family Therapy, Australian Psychologist, and Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. Dr Breen is well-versed in several research paradigms but is particularly interested in naturalistic research designs and qualitative methodologies. She is currently a member of The Australian Psychological Society, The College of Community Psychologists, the Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association), Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement, and the International Society of Critical Health Psychology, and Editor of Australian Community Psychologist.

Research Areas:

• Death and dying
  
• Grief, loss, and bereavement
  
• Grief counselling
  
• Children and families
  
• Health services
  
• Disability and wellness
  
• Carers and care-giving
  
• The nexus between research and practice
  
• Teaching and learning