Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Australia

Aimee Spector is a Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing. She is Director of the International Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) centre at University College London (UCL) and the UCL Dementia Training Academy. Her research to date primarily focuses on the development and evaluation of psychosocial interventions in ageing, with a particular interest in global health. She also directs the UCL ‘Menopause Mind Lab’; a team dedicated to understanding more about the impact of menopause transition on cognition and mental health. Her current research focus is on the impact of biopsychosocial-cultural factors experienced during this transition, and the development and evaluation of interventions to improve cognition and mood. She has published over 180 peer-reviewed papers, 7 book chapters and 12 books; and is the international lead for the Clinical Psychology doctorate course.

​Martin Knapp is Professor of Health and Social Care Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), based in the Department of Health Policy. He is also a Professorial Research Fellow in LSE's Care Policy and Evaluation Centre. Martin’s main research interests are in social care, child and adult mental health, dementia and autism. Since 2023, Martin has been Programme Director for the Research Programme for Social Care, part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in England. 

Gloria Wong is a psychologist with PhD training in psychiatry. She is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, and Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, HKU. Her research covers dementia, psychosis, and preventive mental health in older adults and young people, with an emphasis on improving mental health in society. She is co-leading an integrated prevention programme for late-life depression JC JoyAge. She also co-leads a collaborative research on virtual CST and ICT-enriched carer support in Hong Kong. She has published two books, 6 book chapters, and over 140 journal articles.

Kathy Peri is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland, specialising in gerontology nursing. Over the past decade, she has co-led the implementation, training, and research of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy in New Zealand. Dr. Peri’s work includes adapting Cognitive Stimulation Therapy for Māori and Pacific communities, ensuring that dementia care is accessible and culturally appropriate.