Dr Kathryn Esparza | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Dr Kathryn Esparza

PhD UQ, MPsych(Clinical Psychology) ACU, BPsychSci(Hons) ACU, MAPS

Lecturer in Clinical Psychology (Clinical Educator)

School of Health

Email: kesparza@usc.edu.au

Telephone: +61 7 5430 1175

Location: Sunshine Coast, SD-T-2-2.09

Kathryn Esparza is a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist who completed her PhD at the University of Queensland and Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology at Australian Catholic University. Kathryn has experience working in acute adult mental health and extensively in private practice – working with clients across the life-span and a range of mental health presentations. In particular, Kathryn is passionate about promoting strong family relationships and supporting parents as they navigate the various stages of their child’s development. She is a board-approved supervisor for provisional psychologists, and clinical registrar program principal supervisor. She has also provided supervision to case managers and social workers supporting humanitarian migrant families. Prior to completing her qualifications, Kathryn worked as a residential youth worker and an applied behaviour therapist for children with autism spectrum disorder.

In terms of research, Kathryn has a special interest in parenting and child adjustment, anxiety disorders, cross-cultural psychology, and migrant mental health. Kathryn's academic teaching experience spans the subject areas of cross-cultural psychology, advanced counselling, grief and loss, child development, and health psychology. The focus of her PhD research was finding means to promote the psychological well-being of migrant and refugee families following arrival in Australia. For this body of work Kathryn was the recipient of the Australia Postgraduate Award.

Research

Research Summary

Potential research projects for HDR and Honours students

  • Parenting and family relationships
  • Parenting across cultures and in the context of migration
  • Cross-cultural psychology and mental health of CALD migrant populations

Teaching and supervision

Teaching

  • PSY700 Advanced and Transcultural Counselling
  • PSY752 Practicum Placement 3
  • PSY757 Practicum Placement 4

Professional

Awards and memberships

Professional memberships

  • Member Australian Psychological Society
  • Registered Psychologist with Clinical Endorsement – Psychology Board of Australia
  • Triple P Facilitator (Positive Parenting Program)

Awards and fellowships

  • Winner Thesis Oral Presentation of the Year – Australian Catholic University, 2012
  • Australian Postgraduate Award – University of Queensland, 2014
  • Academic Excellence Award – Australian Catholic University, 2011

Professional social media