Leah Giarratano is a distinguished author of crime thriller novels, as well as a clinical psychologist with a unique viewpoint into the genre she writes in. She is an expert in psychological trauma, sex offenses, and psychopathology, with many years of experience assessing psychopaths and treating their victims. Giarratano's professional background as a clinical psychologist provides a unique selling point in her genre and lends authenticity to her writing.
Giarratano graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (English and Psychology) from the University of Sydney in 1991. She went on to receive her Master’s in Clinical Psychology in 1994 and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2005, both from the University of Wollongong. She is a registered member of the Australian Psychological Society, APS College of Clinical Psychologists, and Psychology Board of Australia. Giarratano specializes in many areas, including Psychopathology and Trauma counseling, and has worked with both perpetrators and victims of psychological traumas and sexual offenses. She is a foundation team member of a national award-winning inpatient PTSD treatment program and has conducted a nationally accredited CBT training program for medical practitioners since 1995.
Giarratano has worked in psychiatric hospitals, defense forces, and correctional systems. She has conducted specialized programs for New Zealand and Australian Defense Forces, corporate, forensic, and community health. She has spent a significant amount of time working with patients who suffer from personality disorders, with a successful track record in accessing and treating survivors of psychological traumas. In 2009, Giarratano began her television career, presenting Channel 7’s top-rating Beyond the Darklands program, where she delved into the psyche of Australia’s most fearsome criminals as the expert psychologist.