Our Academics

Dr Rebekah Doley
BA(Hons), Grad Dip Psych Prac, MSc(Inv Psy), MPsy (Clin), PhD, MAPS, MCC, MFC
Co-Director

Dr Rebekah Doley Doley is a Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with a history of researching and lecturing the psychology of serial firesetting in the UK, USA, NZ and Australia. As a result of her work in this area she has been awarded the Queens Trust Award in 1995 and CFS/S.A.Great Training and Research Award in 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2000 and a Vice Chancellor Grant in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In addition to lecturing domestically and internationally on this issue, Rebekah has developed a screening instrument for firefighters which has been introduced nationally in New Zealand. Her recent contribution to the field is a book entitled “A snapshot of serial arson in Australia” which details findings from the only empirically based research of its kind in Australia comparing serial, one-time and non-arson offenders across a range of offence features and personal characteristics. Currently Rebekah is working with several US collaborators on various projects including developing a risk assessment protocol for arson offenders on parole and investigating the phenomenon of copycat arson. She is also an invited founding member of The Australian Bushfire Arson Prevention Initiative (http://www.monash.edu/research/sustainability-institute/arson_initiative.html) and an invited founding contributor for “Matchbook” (an online journal focusing on the prevention and treatment of juvenile firesetting). Now based in Australia, Rebekah is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland where she is the Director of the Clinical and Forensic Psychology Programs. She teaches into post graduate courses in forensic and clinical psychology, undertakes research and supervises probationary psychologists. In addition, Rebekah runs a successful private community based psychology practice.

Dr Katarina Fritzon
MA(Hons), MSc(Inv Psy), PhD, MAPS, MCC, MFC 
Co-Director

Dr Katarina Fritzon Fritzon is an Associate Professor at Bond University, on the Gold Coast, Australia. Katarina's research interests include the psychology of firesetting, the links between personality characteristics and offending behaviour, and female offenders.

Her PhD was undertaken in the UK under the supervision of Professor David Canter, who is a pioneer of Investigative Psychology; and her PhD focused on applying the scientific principles of this new branch of psychological science to the actions of deliberate firesetters. Her PhD research was funded by the UK’s Arson Prevention Bureau, and the Economic and Social Research Council.

Following the completion of her PhD, Katarina was appointed as an Association of Chief Police Officer’s approved Behavioural Investigative Advisor, and assisted over 30 police enquiries into arson offences in the UK and overseas. She was invited to present to police officers and insurance investigators in Sweden, Finland, Portugal and South Africa, as well as to various agencies in the UK.

Katarina was also involved in the development of one of the UK’s first specific arson treatment programs for mentally disordered offenders. Subsequently upon moving to Australia she was appointed as a Consultant by NSW Department of Corrective Services to provide specialised arson treatment.Katarina teaches into postgraduate and undergraduate programs, and supervises probationary psychologists. She also provides psychological services in the community to clients with a variety of clinical and forensic presentations, referred by GP’s, solicitors, probation and parole agencies and the Courts.

Dr Bruce Watt
BA (Hons) Psych, MPsych, PhD, MAPS, MCC, MFC

Dr. Bruce Watt has practiced as a forensic and clinical psychologist for 15 years. He provides specialist psychological services for young people and adults presenting with mental health concerns related to anxiety, depression, ADHD, alcohol and substance misuse, psychosis, and other related difficulties. In particular, Bruce specialises in working with young people displaying aggressive and other disruptive behaviours. Bruce also provides specialised psychological assessment for court reports, learning difficulties, intelligence assessments, memory functioning, career interests, and vocational difficulties. Teaching areas include psychological assessment and forensic psychopathology. Research by Bruce includes working with violent offenders, juvenile firesetting and animal cruelty, working with conduct problem children and other areas of forensic mental health.

Ryan Bell
BA (Psych), Grad Dip (Psych), MPsych (Clin), MAPS, MCC

Ryan Bell is a clinical psychologist and PhD student, working under the supervision of Dr Rebekah Doley. Originally born in Canada, Ryan completed his undergraduate education at the University of Waterloo in Ontario before moving to Australia to pursue a Master of Clinical Psychology degree at Bond University. Following graduation, Ryan has pursued roles in both academia, as a senior teaching fellow for Bond University, and in private practice on the Gold Coast of Australia. In 2012, Ryan moved to Perth, Australia, in order to collect data for his PhD degree and to accept a position as a research officer for the Department of Corrections in Western Australia. Ryan’s PhD is principally concerned with the development of a psychological treatment model for firesetting offenders. He has contributed to several publications on the topic of the assessment and treatment of firesetting offenders and has been invited to speak on the topic of firesetting offenders by several professional and academic bodies.

Lucy Davey
BPsych (Hons), MPsych (Clin), MAPS, AMCC

Lucy is a Psychologist who is passionate about the integration of scientific research and clinical practice. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of New England, where she was awarded First Class Honours in a Bachelor of Psychology. She went on to complete her Masters in Clinical Psychology at Bond University. Lucy has been recognised for her clinical and academic excellence by winning several awards during her studies including the Shirley Barrett Prize and the Australian Psychological Society Clinical College Student Prize. Lucy's honours research focused on Internet use and psychological well-being in adolescents, including compulsive Internet use. Her Masters research examined whether Facebook use could improve psychological well-being for people with Autistic traits. Lucy has many areas of interest some of which include: Rural mental health, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, cyberpsychology, forensic psychology and Autistic Spectrum disorders. In addition to working as a Senior Research Assistant and Teaching Fellow at Bond, Lucy also runs a community based private practice that focuses on providing psychological services to individuals in a rural area. 

Nathan Brooks
BPsychSc, GradDip Psych, MPsych (Forensic), MAPS

Nathan has presented at psychology conferences within Australia and also the United States. Nathan was awarded the ACART - PhD scholarship to complete his PhD, and he also works as a Psychologist for the Centre. His PhD will investigate psychopathy in the community, business domain and correctional setting. He is also a Teaching Fellow at Bond University. Nathan’s interests include: fire setting, investigative psychology, psychopathy, serial crime, homicide and violent offenders.