From 16-18 May, 800 psychology professionals gathered from around Australia to hear from a range of thought leaders on the topics trending in the psychology profession.
The APS Festival of Psychology, held on the Gold Coast earlier this month, was a vibrant forum for emerging science, bold ideas and professional connection.
Hundreds of psychologists travelled from across the country to hear from psychology thought leaders, as well as their own psychology peers, and to connect and share ideas with one another.
Below, we share four key insights that resonated across the three-day event.
1. Rethinking depression: from biochemistry to social systems
Dr Michael Yapko’s keynote offered a compelling rethink of depression, one that challenges the serotonin theory and emphasises life context over neurochemistry.
Calling for a pivot from "pills to skills," Dr Yapko explored how depression is shaped by global cognitive styles, emotional contagion and social disconnection – and how psychotherapy can act as an epigenetic force.
He discussed the limitations of antidepressants and the growing body of research questioning their efficacy, especially the serotonin hypothesis.
Instead, he called for a more holistic approach that integrates social, psychological and biological factors
"I have dedicated my entire life to the study of depression and developing briefer and more effective treatments. If these drugs were safe and effective, I'd say, 'Great, take them.' But what has emerged, especially in the past few years, is the recognition that the drugs aren't that safe and they aren't that effective," said Dr Yapko.
Dr Yapko explored how therapeutic modalities like hypnosis can help address the root causes of depression, particularly through building clients' capacity for critical thinking and emotional resilience.
He explained that hypnosis is not a therapy in itself, but a vehicle to deliver therapy in a way that enhances focus, engagement and suggestibility.
"Anytime someone gets absorbed naturally, they're capable of manifesting hypnotic phenomena," said Dr Yapko.
Hypnosis, he argued, amplifies the effects of therapies like CBT by embedding change at a deeper, more reflexive level.
For many attendees, Dr Yapko’s session was a standout.
"Dr Michael was awesome at covering all the different modalities he was interested in," said one early career psychologist.
"It was more a journey of self-exploration and learning how to connect with others and what I can put into my practice and business as well."
Another said: “Michael really helped clarify how, as therapists, we often ask the wrong kinds of questions – and our clients do too.
"For example, a client might say, ‘I just want to be happy,’ but when we probe that, we don’t always give them a clear, step-by-step way to get there. Michael broke that down in a practical way.
Dr Yapko showed how psychologists can move beyond vague goals, said the attendee, and instead guide clients toward achievable outcomes, using specific strategies that actually help them get unstuck.
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2. The future is now: AI, ethics and the digital therapeutic frontier
In another session, led by Dr Ben Buchanan and Ayah Wasak, participants explored the fast-evolving intersection of AI and psychology.
They addressed the shift in digital literacy from concerns about screentime to a deeper understanding of algorithmic influence. AI's capacity to subtly shape perceptions of normalcy and desirability, especially among adolescents, was a key concern.
They introduced tools, such as platforms that can take AI-generated clinical notes, which, in some cases, outperform human-written ones in clarity and accuracy.
They outlined future possibilities including AI-powered facial expression analysis, real-time emotion tracking and digital agents capable of providing psychological education and early warning detection.
Importantly, the speakers did not shy away from ethical considerations.
They highlighted the limitations of AI in delivering emotional and social empathy, as well as the importance of gaining and maintaining client consent to utilise these tools in a session.
Delegates appreciated the opportunity to discuss AI’s implications.
One attendee remarked, "We need to turn it around and harness it. Let’s not get all Terminator about it. There’s a lot of work still to do around policy and guard rails, but this is happening and we can shape it."
Relevant resources:
3. Neurodiversity: beyond the DSM
Professor Adam Guastella, Director of the Clinic of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research and APS Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award recipient, challenged attendees to rethink diagnostic conventions and embrace transdiagnostic frameworks.
His keynote addressed the rising prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions, noting that one in ten Australians now receive such a neurodiversity diagnosis, as do 36% of NDIS clients.
Prof Guastella showcased the use of video-based analysis to achieve 90% accuracy in autism detection and emphasised early intervention through sibling-cohort studies and digital public health tools.
Attendees were encouraged to adapt cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy and EMDR for neurodivergent clients, where appropriate. He also noted group therapy and predictable therapeutic environments can be particularly useful for neurodivergent clients.
Prof Guastella also advocated for "Kids Hubs" (previously Head to Health Kids) – a "Headspace for under-12s" – and flagged the need for more inclusive employment programs and better GP access for autistic people.
Relevant resources:
4. Imagery and innovation in trauma treatment
Professor Emily Holmes, a pioneering clinical psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist, delivered a compelling keynote showcasing her research on mental imagery interventions.
As head of Uppsala University's PREDICT research group, Holmes' work is internationally acclaimed.
Prof Holmes’ interdisciplinary research combines clinical psychology, cognitive science and neuroscience to explore the emotional and behavioural power of mental imagery.
Her studies have illuminated how intrusive memories and flashbacks – as well as future-oriented “flash-forwards” – contribute to psychological conditions such as PTSD and bipolar disorder.
A key innovation Prof Holmes presented was the Imagery Competing Tasks Intervention. This digitally scalable method disrupts traumatic memory reconsolidation by engaging clients in visual-spatial tasks (e.g. playing Tetris with mental rotation) that interfere with the brain’s imagery processing. Unlike traditional talk therapies, this approach targets perceptual memory elements directly.
Prof Holmes shared robust data from randomised controlled trials conducted in emergency departments and with healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her findings reveal significant reductions in PTSD symptoms and the prevention of symptom onset when interventions are administered shortly after trauma, including in childbirth settings.
She also discussed the broader applicability of imagery techniques in areas such as bipolar disorder, suicidal ideation and occupational burnout. Collaborations with the NHS and the Intensive Care Society further demonstrated improvements in work engagement and wellbeing among clinicians.
A strong advocate of lived experience involvement, Prof Holmes emphasised the need for interventions to be co-designed and safely implemented, with rigorous monitoring of adverse events. She closed her session with a call to scale this work globally via a social enterprise model.
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