Anna McLaren – Associate

I completed my Master of Clinical Neuropsychology at La Trobe University in 2012. I am a registered psychologist through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), with endorsement in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology.

I am also an Australian Psychology Board approved supervisor for generalist internship, clinical neuropsychology higher research degree students, and clinical neuropsychology registrars, and provide regular supervision for students, registrars, and peer supervision for other clinical neuropsychologists. I am a member of the Australian Psychological Society and College of Clinical Neuropsychologists.
Since commencing my career as a neuropsychologist, I have gained experience in a variety of settings (arbias, Barwon Health and Melbourne Health) and roles including in acute hospital wards, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation (neurology and traumatic brain injury), community aged psychiatry, inpatient psychiatry, outpatient and inpatient aged care, and Cognitive Dementia and Memory Services. In these roles, I have been involved in diagnosis, intervention/rehabilitation planning, behaviour management, psychoeducation and discharge planning for clients with a variety of brain injuries including stroke, various neurological conditions (i.e. multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease), traumatic brain injury, severe mental illness, various metabolic diseases/illnesses, drugs and alcohol, developmental disorders, hypoxia and dementia.
I have also had experience working in the forensic sector, completing assessments for the Court Integrated Services Program (CISP), Victoria Legal Aid, and Senior Master’s (Funds in Court). I have had extensive experience in assessment of decision-making capacity for VCAT purposes, both with in the public and private sectors, and have provided education and training and presentations to a number of other health professionals about this topic.
I also enjoy and have been involved in research. My undergraduate thesis investigated the association between genetic factors and traumatic brain injury and functional outcomes, and was published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. My postgraduate thesis evaluated an outpatient memory intervention program for older adults with memory impairment aimed at enhancing independence in the home for as long as possible. During my work, I have also been involved in research and projects to examine and improve assessment and management of patients with cognitive impairment in hospital settings.
I am passionate about neuropsychology and improving the knowledge of the impact of brain injury to facilitate understanding of, and functioning for individuals with cognitive difficulties.