Rate My Professor Kelli MacMillan

Dr. Kelli MacMillan is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist in the School of Psychology at Murdoch University. She earned her Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Murdoch University, where her doctoral research examined mother-infant attachment within the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, focusing on factors such as maternal depression, trauma, and social support that influence secure bonding. As a registered psychologist, she previously served as a PhD student, winning Murdoch University's 3 Minute Thesis competition in 2018 for her work on mother-baby bonding. Following her doctorate, she held a postdoctoral research fellowship in perinatal mental health and practices as a Clinical Psychologist in Western Australia's public health sector, including affiliations with King Edward Memorial Hospital. She currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Early- and Mid-Career Researcher Committee at Murdoch University.

Dr. MacMillan's research centers on perinatal mental health, childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder, coercive control in intimate partner relationships, non-pharmacological infant sleep interventions, and prenatal factors affecting child development. Her contributions include peer-reviewed publications such as 'Public Awareness in Australia About Coercive Control in the Context of Intimate Partner Relationships' (Australian Journal of Social Issues, 2025), 'Characterising non-pharmacological infant sleep interventions for preterm infants' (Sleep Medicine, 2025), 'Intimate partner violence across pregnancy and the postpartum period: Findings from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Well-being Study' (Archives of Women's Mental Health, 2024), 'Treating perinatal depression with antidepressants: Risks and benefits' (2025), and a book chapter in the Perinatal Mental Health Handbook (Routledge). She has presented at national and international conferences, contributed to podcasts like Embracing the Mind on birth trauma, and featured in media on coercive control and birth trauma interventions. Awards include the Women and Infants Research Foundation Research Acceleration Award ($45,000, 2025) and nomination for the Vice Chancellor's Early Career Research Award. With over 170 citations, her community-driven research informs clinical practice, public health policy, and trauma-informed care.