FCGR – Personnel 

Professor Michael Baigent, MBBS, FRANZCP, FAChAM (RACP).

Michael is a psychiatrist and addiction specialist with a focus on understanding and treating gambling disorders and other behavioural addictions. He leads the Statewide Gambling Therapy Services, the Centre for Anxiety and Other Disorders, and IAPT@flinders. Michael also previously chaired the Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry for RANZCP, served on the board of Beyond Blue (from 2011 to 2020), and is a member of the WHO expert working and advisory group on behavioural addictions. His research interests include developing and refining treatments and interventions for these disorders. He has published extensively on topics such as gambling and behavioural addictions, low-intensity evidence-based therapies (e.g. NewAccess), mental health in doctors and medical students, object-based learning, posttraumatic stress disorder, digital health systems, and substance use disorders.

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Professor Malcolm Battersby, PhD, FAChAM, FRANZCP, MBBS.

Malcolm Battersby is Professor of Psychiatry at Flinders University and a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist in the Flinders Psychological Therapies Service, Southern Adelaide Mental Health Service.

He established the Flinders Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit and Cognitive Behavioural post graduate courses at Flinders University. He also established the Centre for Anxiety and Related Disorder Unit and the Statewide Gambling Therapy Services. He was the founding Director of the Flinders Centre for Gambling Research and has led the development of CBT and in particular exposure-based approaches to the treatment of Gambling Disorders. Professor Battersby trained with Professor Isaac Marks at the Institute of Psychiatry, London in behavioural treatment of anxiety disorders and severe neurotic conditions. His team has led the training and supervision of low intensity CBT coaches for the Beyondblue NewAccess program that saw over 4000 people with anxiety and depression, achieving recovery rates of 68%.

Professor Battersby was awarded a Harkness Research Fellowship in the study of chronic condition self-management in the United States during 2003-2004 and led the development of the Flinders Program of chronic condition management, now provided across Australia and internationally. He is chief investigator of the NHMRC trial of the use of the Flinders Program to improve cardiovascular risk in people with psychosis.

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Dr Ben Riley

Ben has been employed as a mental health clinician for over 2 decades and worked with behavioural addictions for 15 years. He holds a degree in social work, masters in mental health sciences (CBT) and a PhD from Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health. He is currently employed as a senior clinician and team manager of the Statewide Gambling Therapy Service. Ben has helped develop several clinical CBT manuals and workbooks for mental health and addiction problems. He has led grant funded projects that have included the evaluation of clinical programs and academic literature reviews. Ben’s research interests include the involvement of families in the care of individuals with mental health or addiction problems.

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Jayne Sessions

Jayne Sessions joined FPTS as a clinician in 2018. Jayne has a background in Mental health nursing, and she completed her Master of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in 2020.

Jayne is interested in pursuing gambling research. She was involved in the clinical trial – A trial of exposure therapy delivered by phone and internet for sports betting addiction (Sports Betting Exposure Therapy) as a therapist/ sub investigator. She is currently involved in a clinical trial – Does a therapist assisted AI chatbot increase SA gamblers awareness of risky gambling behaviours and overcome barriers to seeking help? as a therapist/ associate investigator.

Jayne contributes to the Flinders/SGTS Model of CBT for Gambling Disorder international teaching program for the University of Indonesia. Jayne has Adjunct Academic Status as Associate Lecturer in the College of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University.

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Tara Thornhill

Tara Thornhill joined FCGR in 2021 after completing her Masters of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in 2020. Tara has also completed a Bachelor of Science (psychology) and a Bachelor of Social Work (post grad). Prior to this role, Tara worked in aged care, community mental health and at Flinders University. She is currently working on a gambling research project, focussing on support for significant others and is a member of the Human Research Ethics Committee for SALHN.

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David Smith

As a Senior Research Fellow in the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, David has a key role in statistical consulting, research design and data analysis in SGTS and the discipline of Psychiatry. David is also employed by the Australian Financial and Security Authority as a Principal Research Statistician with the Strategic Analytics and Intelligence team. He has a strong clinical track record, working previously as a registered general/mental health nurse in metropolitan and country health care services. During this time, he developed a specific interest in evidence-based practice and knowledge gaps involving quantitative research methodologies and completed a Master of Applied Statistics followed by PhD in 2015. David has published 70+ research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals including gambling-related health services research, randomised controlled trials, observational studies, and psychometrics.