Peta Stapleton

I have 22 years experience as a registered Clinical and Health Psychologist in the State of Queensland, Australia and have completed a Bachelor of Arts, Postgraduate Diploma of Professional Psychology and Doctor of Philosophy. I specialise in Eating Disorders; Obesity; Binge Eating Disorder; Food Cravings; women's health; adolescence; lap-band (bariatric) surgery; Complementary and alternative medicine/integrative medicine; energy psychology; and health psychology. Prior to my position at Bond University, I spent 14 years as an academic for Griffith University.

In the health field, I lead clinical trials investigating the impact of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), especially in the treatment of food cravings in overweight and obese adults.

I have compared EFT against Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for food cravings; EFT versus CBT for Depression in Adults; EFT for academic fear and resilience in 15 year old students; and EFT for sufferers of chronic pain. I have also led the world's first trial examining neural changes after EFT for food issues (fMRI study).

I coordinate clinical psychological research trials into new therapies in the area of obesity and weight management. Specific focuses are in the health psychology field, and complementary and alternative medicine/integrative medicine (e.g., energy psychology) techniques.

I am currently supervising HDR students who are researching psychological strategies for medical students; love language strategies for parents to improve attachment in children; disordered eating udring pregnancy; and prenatal pregnancy baby bonding programs.