The Cairnmillar Institute

Founded by Professor Emeritus, Dr Francis Macnab in 1961, the Cairnmillar Institute pioneered counselling and psychotherapy in Australia. When the institute first opened its doors, clinical psychology was a little-known field in Australia, used only in hospital and institutional settings. The area of psychotherapy was even more niche – feared by some – and training was almost non-existent. 

The Cairnmillar Institute is dedicated to providing high-quality and accessible psychological services and innovative professional education. This means that they:

• provide mental health innovation through research
• implement that research into evidence-based clinical practice
• educate and train competent, work-ready psychology graduates
• enhance policy development
• strengthen our advocacy with our best-practice knowledge
• guide partnerships with shared community and mental health problem-solving.

Cairnmillar conducts and promotes translatable mental health and related research, which builds on theory but also informs practice and education. They achieve high quality research outcomes through their supportive and informed collaborative Research Centres. Research at Cairnmillar is driven by the following principles: