Jill M. Newby

Jill Maree Newby is an Australian psychologist who is a professor and National Health and Medical Research Council Emerging Leader at the Black Dog Institute in the University of New South Wales. She has developed technology based interventions for depression and anxiety.

Early life and education Newby completed her master's degree and doctoral research at the University of New South Wales. Her doctoral research considered the role of autobiographical memories in depression.

Research and career Newby studies anxiety disorders, phobias and depression. She has developed and investigated the effectiveness of technology-based interventions, including e-mental health and virtual reality interventions. Newby encourages people to seek help and gain practical advice on managing depression. Newby has argued that long wait times and high costs were a barrier to evidence-based treatment. She developed an online course that stopped people from worrying excessively.

Newby investigated how the prevalence of mental health disorders increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. She found that almost 80% of Australians experienced worse mental health during the pandemic, and that women, young adults and caregivers were particularly vulnerable. She was named a 2020 Young Tall Poppy by Australian mental health charity the Black Dog Institute, for her advocacy work in mental health.

Selected publications