Kathryn Connolly

Kathryn is a full-time student and a mum to three young children. After qualifyng with a Bachelor of Business Studies in 2002 and working in corporate marketing roles, she returned to Massey University in 2013 to pursue her dream of becoming a practising Clinical Psychologist. She sees gaining acceptance into the highly competitive Doctor of Clinical Psychology programme as a significant academic achievement, with four applicants selected from a pool of approximately 150 candidates. Her research investigates the efficacy of light therapy in reducing cognitive fatigue following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Being female is a factor associated with poorer long-term outcomes following TBI, and it is therefore a very real issue for women, particularly in relation to the impact of fatigue. Kathryn’s future goal is to work with vulnerable women in correctional settings. Many of these individuals will have experienced some degree of TBI in their journey to prison, and Kathryn believes that her research will directly benefit and inform practical work with this population.

Read about Kathryn’s progress to gaining her Doctorate