Dr Natasha Riard, Psychology Clinic Manager and Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at James Cook University, Singapore, recently presented at Swiftposium 2024 – the first academic conference about American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift – in Melbourne. There, she spoke about an upcoming research paper titled ‘Mental Health Pedagogy: The Art and Science of Training Mental Health Workers using Taylor Swift’s Lyrics’, which showcases her innovative approach to teaching clinical psychology.

Co-written with professor Nigel Marsh, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of Professional Programs, the paper discusses the use of Taylor Swift's lyrics in mental health care education and training. It examines how the artist’s music, often inspired by real-life experiences and emotions, can be integrated into training for postgraduate clinical psychology interns. The aim is to help the interns become effective therapists using Process-based Therapy (PBT), an approach that focuses on understanding and addressing the underlying processes driving thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.

“Such deeply personal lyrics embody common themes experienced by many people as they move from youth to adulthood. This can help clinical psychology students, and other mental health professionals, better understand their clients’ psychological world,” explains Dr Riard.

The interns involved in the study completed a placement in the University’s psychology clinic, with Swift’s lyrics being used in their training. Such training taps on the musical phenomenon’s highly relatable emotional narratives to enhance the interns’ emotional vocabulary and ability to develop a compassionate understanding of their clients' difficulties and emotions. Additionally, exemplars from her storytelling are used to assist in developing their skills in psychological formulation.

“Youth mental health issues have become a major concern in recent years. The negative impact of social media on mental health has been compounded by the disruption caused when governments took public health measures to protect people during the COVID-19 pandemic. For today's youth, this has meant that the path from child to adult has become more difficult and complex than for many previous generations,” says Dr Marsh.

“This innovative approach to training not only equips the clinical psychology interns with a comprehensive and meaningful point of reference for understanding their clients, it also provides them with a model for keeping their practice current and relevant throughout their careers,” he adds.

Check out Dr Natasha Riard’s and Dr Nigel Marsh’s staff profiles.


Paper Presentation
Riard, N. & Marsh, N.V. (2024, February 11 – 13). Mental Health Pedagogy: The art and science of training mental health workers using Taylor Swift’s lyrics [Paper presentation]. Swiftposium, Melbourne. VIC, Australia.

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Contacts

Dr Natasha Riard [email protected]

Dr Nigel Marsh [email protected]

Media: Ms Pinky Sibal [email protected] / Ms Hoe Shu Rin [email protected]