Dr Peta Stapleton

BA, PGDipPsych, PhD, MAPS

Senior Lecturer Primary Health Care

Contact details for Dr Peta Stapleton

Biography

Peta is Senior Lecturer in Primary Health Care for the School of Medicine, Griffith University and coordinates psychological research trials into new therapies in the area of obesity and weight management. Peta is also involved in private practice, specialising in addictions and eating disorders.  She regularly contributes to the academic field with publications in the areas of nursing, morale, communication, psychological interventions and eating disorders.  She is the founder of the Gold Coast Eating Disorders Association Inc., and facilitated the support groups for 8 years. She continues to consult for the Association, and is involved in training other health professionals across Queensland, in leading therapies for eating disorders.  Peta is well known in her area of specialty within Queensland and is consulted for radio, television and print media interviews for her expert opinion.

She has been awarded many honours including the Australian Psychological Society Elaine Dignan Award for research into women’s issues.  Peta’s first book DIY: Change Your Life Subconsciously was released in August 2005; her second book DIY: Attract Money Subconsciously was released in May 2006 and her third Your Mind Power: Strategies for Behaviour Change was released for tertiary students in 2008. Peta is the immediate past President of the Eating Disorders Association of Queensland. As well as receiving her PhD in 2003 from Griffith University (investigating family dynamics and the issue of control in Anorexia Nervosa), she is a certified practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming, Timeline Therapy and the Emotional Freedom Technique.

Peta is currently investigating the impact of a psychological technique in the treatment of food cravings.