Dr. Pakenham is an Emeritus Professor in clinical and health psychology at The University of Queensland. His research interests are in the areas of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), positive psychology and clinical health psychology. His specific interests include: the application of ACT to building resilience and promoting mental health, and investigation into adaptation to negative or stressful life events such as trauma, chronic illness, and caregiving. Dr. Pakenham has developed and evaluated several ACT-based resilience training interventions which have been delivered in face-to-face groups and online. He is also interested in integrating self-care skills into ACT training and has developed a values-informed model of self-care. His comitment to a 'practice what you teach' approach to his work and personal development is reflected in his recently published memoir "The Trauma Banquet".
(This webpage was updated on October 12, 2022)