EMMA MORTON
Co-Director, CREST.BD
Senior Lecturer, Monash University
Meet Dr. Emma Morton, a transformative force in bipolar disorder research. A former IMH Marshall Fellow, she is now a Senior Lecturer at Monash University, Australia, and a dedicated psychologist.
Co-directing CREST.BD, Dr. Morton’s passion for improving lives shines through her groundbreaking work on the PolarUs app in collaboration with project leads Dr. Erin Michalak (network lead of CREST.BD) and Dr. Steven Barnes (Co-director of CREST.BD). This digital healthcare app empowers individuals to self-assess and manage their wellbeing, expanding patient care beyond symptom management. Her research, which integrates patient-focused outcomes with novel interventions, extends beyond the lab to real-world impact, as she actively engages with communities and shares her work directly with those affected by bipolar disorder.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your background?
I am a Senior Lecturer at Monash University, co-director of CREST.BD, and a psychologist. My PhD in Clinical Psychology was from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. I was fortunate to be one of the inaugural IMH postdoctoral fellows, and moved to work with Professor Erin Michalak and the Department of Psychiatry in 2019. Thanks to a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Banting Fellowship, I stayed in Vancouver for four years working on the PolarUs app.
Can you describe what kind of research you are involved in?
My research seeks to improve the quality of life for those with mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorder. My research has shown that people living with mood disorders value improvements to overall functioning and wellbeing as much as, if not more so, than reductions in symptoms. However, this is a severely unmet need in individuals categorized as “in remission” from mood symptoms. I am addressing this need by using both qualitative and quantitative methods to measure and predict patient-valued outcomes, develop novel interventions, and improve access to psychological support through digital tools and peer support.
Can you tell us about an interesting project or initiative you are working on at the moment?
Although the PolarUs app was found to improve quality of life, not all people engage with digital health tools, and many prefer face-to-face interventions. My evaluation of a previous CREST.BD educational website, the Bipolar Wellness Centre, found that individuals who participated in a parallel group workshop additionally reported reduced self-stigma, increased self-compassion, and self-efficacy. To extend the reach of the PolarUs app, I am adapting its content into a face-to-face peer-facilitated psychoeducation program. This program is being developed with community input about what aspects should be its primary focus, and the adaptation of individual self-management strategies to group-based activities.
What aspect of your work do you enjoy the most, or find most exciting?
I have been involved in various community engagements, where I share information on living well with bipolar disorder directly with people who live with this condition, their support network, and clinicians. I have hosted self-management webinars in partnership with people with lived experience, academics and clinicians (talkbd.live), contributed to online events such as CREST.BD’s annual Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (which attracted 2.6 million views in 2023), and have co-authored educational resources (bdwellness.com). This has been the most rewarding aspect of my career, as I can share the outcomes of my research with the people most likely to benefit from it.
What are your interests and hobbies outside of work?
I feel fortunate to be part of a research network (CREST.BD) that values work-life balance. During my time in Canada, I grew to love hiking and spending time in the great outdoors. Now that I’m back home in Melbourne, I’m keen to explore local trails.
If you are an IMH member and would like to share more about yourself and your research with the community, please contact IMH Research Manager Dr. Nicole Sanford at nicole.sanford@ubc.ca.