Dr Beth O’Gorman’s research journey began with an Honours project that sparked her passion for discovery. After completing a PhD and Masters of Clinical Psychology, and working in clinical practice, she joined IMPACT to develop accessible digital interventions for mental health, focusing on under-recognised areas.
What inspired your journey into research, and what led you to focus on your current area of expertise?
My first experience with research was my undergrad Honours project – to my surprise, I really enjoyed it! I ended up doing a PhD and Masters of Clinical Psychology, and then I worked in clinical practice for a little while. I was drawn to the work we do in digital trials at IMPACT because I wanted to be part of exploring new ways of bridging gaps in treatment and support and help to ensure that research findings are translated into practice. I’m especially interested in areas of mental health that are maybe a little under-recognised and increasing the accessibility of evidence-based interventions.
Describe the focus of your research and its potential impact on the field or community.
The digital interventions TRIALS team at IMPACT have developed innovative psychosocial online interventions for people with bipolar disorder, as well as for people who support someone with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. These are particularly exciting projects because using web-based technology offers the potential of making these types of resources more accessible and hopefully can improve the wellbeing for people who otherwise, might find it difficult to get support.
What are you most proud of in your research career?
I’m most proud of being part of research that can translate into resources that can tangibly make a positive difference in people’s lives, as well as advancing our knowledge in the field. It has also been wonderful and an absolute privilege to learn from and collaborate with a diverse team of multidisciplinary researchers, individuals with lived experience, and clinicians.
What advice would you give to young researchers or students interested in your field?
My advice would be to remain curious, open to new ideas, and to see roadblocks or changes in plan as part of the process – rather than failures. On that note, I encourage early career researchers to celebrate “smaller” wins that happen on the way to working towards a bigger goal. It can help with making the process a lot more enjoyable, maintaining your confidence when challenges arise, and keeps things in perspective!
What do you enjoy doing outside of your research? How do you balance your work and personal life?
I think that work-life balance is an ongoing challenge for everyone working in the field and it takes a while to figure out what it looks like for you and how to get it! Personally, balance looks like regularly connecting with my friends and family, trying to keep a good sleep routine (the key word here is “trying”!), and prioritising things that help me stay grounded even when things get busy. On weekends, I’ve really enjoyed exploring the beautiful mountains and beaches surrounding Geelong – I’ve definitely developed an appreciation of the benefits of being out in nature recently!
