Background and Experience

Individual

Grounded in my own experience, and the experiences of people I have worked with, I choose an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, feminist position on practice. Whilst I aim to create  inclusive and ethical spaces that acknowledge the systems and structures impacting on wellbeing, I acknowledge that as a white, disabled, woman from Irish colonised ancestry, I work on the unceeded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation, and my own biases need continuous reflection.

That said, my particular expertise has been with: depression relapse prevention in mindfulness training; chronic illness coaching, grief and loss therapy; psychosocial support for international aid and development staff; trauma recovery work with people held in immigration detention, are seeking asylum, have survived bushfires, or who are living with complex trauma. I have worked and teach in all these areas.

A large part of my work is providing supervision to practitioners of many different professional backgrounds in the community sector, working with the effects of burnout, and finding ways to maintain a sustainable practice. This includes psychologists, social workers, lawyers, therapists, doctors, case workers, leaders and anyone who is engaged in social change work.

I have worked in private practice since the mid 90s.

Leadership

After an early career in rehabilitation and organisational consulting, I held leadership positions in the social justice sector. Program Lead  of Professional and Organisational Development at The Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture Inc. Counselling Program Coordinator at The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

I have worked in training, facilitation, and project management roles for three decades.

Organisation

Designed and delivered numerous whole-of-organisation projects: two agency reviews of professional learning; a whole of organisation review of  wellbeing systems; an online learning program; a national vocational rehabilitation program; and a national depression awareness education and training program.

Mindfulness Teaching

I enjoy teaching mindfulness with individuals, teams, organisations, and communities, people living with chronic illness, depression and stress, people working in social justice spaces, or anyone who is looking to find greater equanimity to their experience.  I have completed 60 hours of teacher training in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT] and 20 hours training as a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction [MBSR] teacher. My approach to teaching mindfulness is grounded in a personal meditation practice in a variety of wisdom traditions since 1986.

Professional Memberships and Qualifications

• The Psychology Board of Australia [Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency], Registered Psychologist
• Psychology Board Approved (PsyBA) supervisor
  
• Australian Psychological Society [APS] Member
• Medicare Provider
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing [EMDR] Level 2
• Victorian Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapists [VAPP] Candidate 2022
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction [MBSR] teacher Level 1
• Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT] teacher Level 1
• Certificate IV in assessment and Workplace Training