Rate My Professor Emily Russell

Emily Russell is a Lecturer at the Australian Centre for Child Protection within the College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences at Adelaide University. Based in Perth, Western Australia, she is a highly experienced psychologist possessing over 19 years of professional experience across not-for-profit and private sectors. Emily has cultivated deep expertise in clinical practice, supervision, and teaching, with extensive involvement in trauma-informed practice. Her work has centered on the child protection system, where she has supported children and families who have endured trauma from abuse. This includes her tenure as a therapist and clinical supervisor of a Child Sexual Abuse Therapy Service in regional Western Australia. Furthermore, she has undertaken roles in clinical leadership, consultation, and management of multi-agency advocacy services that deliver child-focused and coordinated supports to children who have experienced sexual abuse.

As an AHPRA-approved supervisor, Emily has dedicated many years to aiding provisional and registered psychologists in addressing trauma from abuse via consultation and supervision. In recent years, she has extended her clinical leadership into the professional and tertiary education sectors. At the Australian Centre for Child Protection, she participates in team projects and initiatives focused on workforce development and capability building. Emily also serves as the Course Coordinator and Teaching Academic for key programs, including the Graduate Certificate in Childhood Trauma and the Professional Certificate in Understanding Childhood Trauma. Her contributions to the field encompass co-authorship of significant reports, such as 'A review of frameworks and guidelines for responding to children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours' (2025, with D. Perfect, H. Pearce, P. Edgeworth, S. Hackett, and A. Paton) and 'Improving practice together: Victorian group supervision model: final recommendations report and jurisdictional scan' (2022, with S. Burgess, A. Paton, E. Thain, J. Herbert, and P. Edgeworth). She has further produced educational videos titled 'Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy' (2022) and 'What is trauma?' (2022).