Maria Kangas

Maria Kangas is a Professor and Head of School in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University, Australia. She holds dual endorsements in Clinical and Counselling Psychology from the Psychology Board of Australia. Her research focuses on stress/PTSD, anxiety, and mood disturbances in trauma and medical populations, including cancer patients. She explores emotion regulation, resiliency, and the impact of exercise, nature environments, and social media on mental health. Maria is also involved in developing evidence-based therapies like CBT and ACT for specific populations.

Education: B.A. (Hons), M.Clin.Psych (University of Sydney), Ph.D. (UNSW), Postdoctoral Fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.

Teaching: Convenes courses in the Master of Clinical Psychology program, including Clinical Psychology Therapy, Research Proposal Development, and Dissertation Supervision.

Research Engagement: Associate Editor of Behavior Therapy (2020–present), Editorial Board member of Psychological Bulletin and Behaviour Research and Therapy. Collaborates internationally on projects like the International Consortium for Health Outcomes (ICHOM) Standard Set for Depression and Anxiety.

Projects: Active research includes DP24 (Emotion Regulatory Flexibility in Emerging Adults) and Emotion Regulation Child and Parent Training Programs for At-Risk Youth. Her work spans resilience strengthening, somatic health, and technology-driven mental health solutions.

Labs/Teams: Affiliated with Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Research Centre, Smart Green Cities Research Centre, and Performance and Expertise Research Centre.