Melissa Bakhurst Biography
Dr Melissa Bakhurst completed her PhD in Psychology in 2016, specialising in Defence and veteran couple and family relationships. Dr Bakhurst has since worked in mental health research and policy at the Department of Defence, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and the ACT Education Directorate.
Matt Bambling Biography
Clinical Psychologist | Defence Mental Health Specialist | Moral Injury Researcher
Professor (Ret.) Matthew Bambling is a senior clinical psychologist and retired academic with more than 30 years of experience spanning clinical practice, research, and leadership in both military and civilian settings. He currently holds adjunct professorial appointments at the University of Queensland and ACAP, and maintains an active clinical practice, including ongoing consultancy with the Australian Defence Force, where he also serves as a RAAF Specialist Reserve psychologist.
Professor Bamblings career has focused on the treatment of mood disorders, trauma, and moral injury, with over 8,000 hours of direct clinical care for clients with complex presentations. His research has significantly influenced the understanding and treatment of complex mood disorders, moral injury, clinical supervision, and therapeutic alliance. He has published extensively in high-impact journals, including Nature, contributing to both theoretical development and frontline application in mental health.
A former Head of School of Psychology and Director of postgraduate mental health programs, Professor Bambling has led major clinical trials investigating novel treatments for depression and anxiety. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and contributed to national policy and training reforms in psychological healthcare. His recent work focuses on the integration of trauma-informed, existential, and spiritually attuned approaches to moral injury, particularly in military and veteran populations. Professor Bambling continues to shape the field through his integration of psychodynamic, cognitive, and biopsychosocial-spiritual frameworks in research, clinical practice, and training, and is a recognised authority on moral repair and mental health systems reform.
Lindsay Carey Biography
Daniel Hynes Biography
Senior Chaplain Dan Hynes has dedicated over 40 years to the Commonwealth Navy. Born in Ontario, Canada, he began his naval career in the Royal Canadian Navy, spending 14 years in various sea and shore roles before transferring to the Royal Australian Navy. He completed Principal Warfare Officer training and held key positions, including Executive Officer of HMAS STIRLING. Answering a call to ministry, Dan trained as a chaplain and was ordained in 2009. His chaplaincy assignments have taken him aboard multiple HMA Ships, and he later spent four years as Director of Spiritual Health and Wellbeing in Joint Health Command. Now, he leads Joint Training Chaplaincy at the Australian Defence College. Dan and his wife, Mandy, recently celebrated 40 years of marriage and have two sons and two grandchildren.
Ants Hawes Biography
On retiring from the Defence Force, Ants was asked to take up the role on NZ Police Coordinating Chaplain (the head of the NZ Police Chaplains) a position he still holds.
Mark Layson Biography
Dr Victoria Thomas Biography
Dr Victoria Thomas is a generally registered psychologist and clinical registrar, with experience working with individuals, organisations and community groups, as well as in Federal government agencies. As a practicing psychologist, she provides support for a range of mental health presentations, with a special interest in working with moral injury and trauma.
Victoria has also recently completed a clinical PhD at the Australian National University. Her academic research explores the construct of moral injury outside the military context, with a focus on scale construction efforts to capture moral injury experiences in occupational settings. Her work has been published internationally in peer-reviewed journals.
Andrew Nixon Biography
Andrew Nixon commenced with DVA in 2025 to lead the Chaplaincy Program. He is a veteran, serving as a Naval Officer from 1989 to 2001 where he specialised in warfare and leadership training. He had the privilege to work with warfare officers, combat system operators, submariners, and clearance divers, but a highlight was preparing future Leading Seamen and Petty Officers to lead.
He transferred to the reserve force in 2002 to train and work in full-time ordained ministry. He had the opportunity to transfer to the Navy Chaplaincy Branch in 2011 where he continues to serve as a reserve Senior Chaplain.