Staff profile

Professor Margot J. Schofield

Head of Counselling and Psychological Health

Faculty of Health Sciences

School of Public Health and Human Biosciences
Department of Counselling and Psychological Health

HS1-323, Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

BA (Qld), DipSc (Newcastle), M Clin Psych (Macq), PhD (Macq)

Membership of professional Associations

Australian Psychological Society, Society for Psychotherapy Research

Area of study

Art Therapy
Counselling
Counselling Psychology

Brief Profile

Margot Schofield is Professor of Counselling and Psychotherapy, in the School of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne Campus.

In research, she has been a principal investigator on research grants worth more than $14 million. She is currently a Principal Investigator on four ARC grants, several industry grants, and works on the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health along with colleagues at the University of Newcastle and Queensland. This large-scale study of over 40,000 Australian women was established in 1996 and has produced a wealth of valuable information about a broad range of factors influencing women's health (www.alswh.org.au/)

Professor Schofield’s current focus is on counselling and psychotherapy research and research on families, relationships and wellbeing. She has produced a major report for the Victorian Department of Human Services on models of self-regulation for the counselling and psychotherapy profession in Australia, and consulted with governments in all states of Australia on regulation, service delivery and employment issues for the profession.

She has published more than 110 refereed journal articles and book chapters, and presented more than 150 conference papers in the areas of counselling and psychotherapy, clinical supervision, women's health, health promotion and cancer prevention. Professor Schofield's position focuses on development of counselling and psychotherapy research within the school and supervision of postgraduate research students.

 

Research interests

Art Therapy and Counselling

- Process and outcome evaluation of counselling services, clinical supervision

Health Services and policy reform

- Provision of counselling, psychotherapy and art therapy within health systems

Women's Health

- Range of projects within Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health

Consulting

Various state government departments of Higher Education

Recent Publications

Journal Articles

Schofield, M.J. (2013, in press). Counseling in Australia: Past, present, and future. Journal of Counseling & Development, 91, April.

Quinn, M.C., Schofield, M.J., & Middleton, W. (2012, First Online). Successful psychotherapy for psychogenic seizures in men. Psychotherapy Research. DOI:10.1080/10503307.2012.704085

Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2012, early online). Identifying the evidence-base for art-based practices and their potential benefit for mental health recovery: A critical review.  Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-15.  http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/09638288.2012.732188

Schofield, M.J., Mumford, N., Jurkovic, D., Jurkovic, I. Bickerdike, A. (2012). Short and long-term effectiveness of couple counselling: A study protocol. BMC Public Health, 12, 735. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-12-735. www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/12/735

Grant, J., Schofield, M.J., & Crawford, S. (2012). Managing difficulties in supervision: Supervisors' perspectives. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 59(4), 528-541. DOI: 10.1037/a0030000 

Abrahamson, I., Hussain, R., Khan, A., & Schofield, M.J. (2012). What helps couples rebuild their relationship after infidelity? Journal of Family Issues, 33, 1494-1519. DOI:10.1177/0192513X11424257

Power, J.J., Perlesz, A., Brown, R., Schofield, M.J., Pitts, M.K., McNair, R., & Bickerdike, A. (2012). Bisexual parents and family diversity: Findings from the Work Love Play Study. Journal of Bisexuality, 12, 519-538. DOI:10.1080/15299716.2012.729432

Orlinsky, D., Schofield, M., Schroder, T., & Kazantis, N. (2011). Utilization of personal therapy by psychotherapists: A practice-friendly review and a new study. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 67(8), 828-842. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20821

Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2011). The lived experience of art making as a companion to the mental health recovery process. Disability and Rehabilitation, 33(8), 652-660.  DOI: 10.3109/09638288.2010.505998

Power, J., Perlesz, A., Brown, R., Schofield, M., Pitts, M., McNair, R., & Bickerdike, A. (2010). Diversity, tradition and family: Australian same-sex attracted parents and their families. Gay and Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review, 6(2), 66-81.

Perlesz, A., Power, J., Brown, R., McNair, R., Schofield, M., Pitts, M., Barrett, A., & Bickerdike, A. (2010). Organising work and home in same-sex parented families: Findings from the Work Love Play study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, Special Issue: Gay and lesbian parented families: Translating research into practice, 31(4), 374-391.

Power, J., Perlesz, A., Schofield, M.J., Pitts, M.K., Brown, R., McNair, R., Barrett, A., & Bickerdike, A. (2010). Understanding resilience in same-sex parented families: The Work, Love, Play study. BMC Public Health, 10, 115.

Van Lith, T., Fenner, P., & Schofield, M.J. (2009). Toward an understanding of how art making can facilitate mental health recovery. Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH), 8(2), 1-11.

Quinn, M., Schofield, M.J., & Middleton, W. (2009). Permission to speak: Therapists understandings of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures and their treatment. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 11(1), 108-123. DOI: 10.1080/15299730903491322.

Loxton, D., Powers, J., Schofield, M.J., Hussain, R., & Hosking, S. (2009). Inadequate cervical cancer screening among mid-aged Australian women who have experienced partner violence. Preventive Medicine, 48, 184-188.

Schofield, M.J. (2008). Australian counsellors and psychotherapists: A profile of the profession. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 8(1), 4-11.

Schofield, M.J., & Khan, A. (2008). Australian women who seek counselling: Psychosocial, health behaviour and demographic profile. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 8(1), 12-20.

O’Hara, D., & Schofield, M.J. (2008). Personal approaches to psychotherapy integration. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 8(1), 53-62.

Quinn, M., Schofield, M., & Middleton, W. (2008). Conceptualisation and treatment of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 9(1), 63-84.

Ratnarajah, D., & Schofield, M.J.  (2008). Survivors’ narratives of the impact of parental suicide. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 38(5), 618-630.

Schofield, M.J., & Khan, A. (2008). Australian women who seek counseling have higher use of health services. Women’s Health Issues, 18(5), 399-405.

Schofield, M.J., & Walker, R. (2008). Guest Editorial: Innovative approaches to family violence.  Journal of Family Studies, 14(2-3), 160-166.

Schofield, M.J. (2008). Best practice self-regulatory model for psychotherapy and counselling in Australia: Final report. Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria, June. Available at: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/pracreg/hp-review/psychotherapy

Grant, J. A., & Schofield, M. (2007). Career-long supervision: Realities and controversies. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. Special Issue on Supervision, 7(1), 3-11.

Ratnarajah, D., & Schofield, M. (2007). Parental suicide and its aftermath: A review. Journal of Family Studies, 13, 78-93.

Loxton D, Schofield MJ, & Hussain R. (2006) Psychological health in mid-life women who have ever lived with a violent partner or spouse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence,12(8), 1-18.

Schofield, M.J., Grant, J.A., Holmes, S., & Barletta, J. (2006). The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia: How the Federation model contributes to the field. International Journal of Psychology, Special Issue, 41(3), 163-169.

Loxton, D., Schofield, M.J., Hussain, R., & Mishra, G. (2006). History of domestic violence and physical health in midlife. Violence Against Women, 12(8), 715-731. DOI: 10.1177/1077801206291483.

Hunter S.V. & Schofield, M.J. (2006) How therapists cope with traumatized clients: Personal, professional and organizational strategies. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 28, 121-134.  

Book chapters  

Schofield, M.J. (2013). Counseling in Australia. In T. H. Hohenshil, N. E Amundson, & S. G. Niles (Eds.), Counseling around the world: An international handbook. Washington, DC: American Counseling Association, pp. 335-347. ISBN: 978-1-55620-316-9  

Schofield, M.J. & Knauss, C. (2010). Surveys and questionnaires in health research. In P. Liamputtong (Ed.), Research methods in health: Foundations for evidence-based practice. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp.213-236.  

Schofield, M.J. (2004). Sampling in quantitative research. In V. Minichiello, G. Sullivan, K. Greenwood, & R. Axford, (Eds.),  Handbook of research methods for nursing and health science, 2nd edn.   Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia, pp.176-209.  

Schofield, M.J. & Pelling, N. (2002). Supervision of counsellors. In M. McMahon & W. Patton (Eds.), Supervision in the helping professions. Sydney: Pearson Education Australia, pp.211-222.

Older Publications

Selected Earlier Publications

Khan, A., Hussain, R., & Schofield, M.J. (2005). Correlates of sexually transmitted infections in young Australian women. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 16(7), 482-487.

Nagle, A.L., Hensley, M.J., Schofield, M.J., & Koschel, A.J. (2005). A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a nurse provided intervention for hospitalised smokers. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 29(3), 285-291.

Schofield, M.J., & Mishra, G. (2004). Three year health outcomes among older women at risk of elder abuse: Women’s Health Australia. Quality of Life Research, 13(6), 1043-1052.

Outram, S., Mishra, G., & Schofield, M.J. (2004). Sociodemographic and health related factors associated with poor mental health in midlife Australian women. Women and Health, 39(4), 97-115.  

Loxton, D., Schofield, M.J., & Hussain, R. (2004). History of domestic violence and health service use among mid-aged Australian women. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 28(4), 383-388.

Schofield, M.J, & Mishra, G. (2003). Validity of self-report screening scale for elder abuse: Women’s Health Australia study. The Gerontologist, 43(1), 110-120.

Schofield, M.J., Lynagh, M., & Mishra, G. (2003). Evaluation of a health promoting schools program to reduce smoking in Australian secondary schools. Health Education Research, 18(6), 678–692.

Lynagh, M., Perkins, J., & Schofield, M.J. (2002). An evidence-based approach to Health Promoting Schools. Journal of School Health, 72, 300-302.

Mishra, G., Dobson, A, & Schofield, MJ.  (2000). Cigarette smoking, menstrual symptoms and miscarriage among young women. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24(4), 413-420.

Brown, W., Bryson, L., Byles, J., Dobson, A., Lee, C., Mishra, G., Schofield, M.  (1998). Women’s Health Australia:  Recruitment for a national longitudinal cohort study.  Women and Health, 28, 23-40.

Mishra, G., & Schofield, M.  (1998). Norms for the Physical and Mental Component Summary scores of the SF-36 for young, middle and older Australian women.  Quality of Life Research, 7, 215-220.

Research projects

  • Supervision of Psychotherapy
  • Evaluation of Couple Counselling
  • Development of the Counselling and Psychotherapy Profession
  • International Survey on the Development of Psychotherapists and Counsellors, Internaitonal Collaborative Research Network of the Society for Psychotherapy Research
  • Art and Mental Health Recovery
  • Domestic Violence and Health
  • Counselling Child Witnesses of Domestic Violence
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing of Tertiary Students
  • Family Mediation when Family Violence is Present
  • Work, Love, and Play Study: Resilience in Same-sex Parenting