I am a registered Psychologist, a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and an endorsed member of the APS Counselling College. I also have a Dip Ed and am an approved supervisor of Intern Psychologists. I have developed a practice which considers the role of communication, mindfulness, creativity and motivation in the management of anxiety and depression.
In 1984, I took up a position as Psychologist with the then Department of Health Northern Sydney Developmental Disability Service. My work involved assessment and behaviour intervention for clients with intellectual disability and the counselling and support of their families. My clinical supervisor provided me with weekly clinical supervision that focused on both interventions employed with the client and the progress of counselling with the family. She provided particular structure to my development of skills in psychotherapy and anxiety reduction.
In 1987, my formal Internship ended but I continued to meet with my supervisor in order to extend these skills. Between1986 and 1991the counselling component of my work with families increased in parallel with my increased involvement with clients who used more extreme challenging behaviour. I joined the group, Psychologists in Developmental Disability (Psych DD) for peer supervision with other participants. A particular focus for me at this time was the use of modified processes such as CBT and the use of narrative therapy with clients whose comprehension deficits limited their insight.
In 1991, a major restructure within disability services led to a shift in job expectations. This period, up to 1997, was a time of intense involvement with the supervision of Intern Psychologists within the service and of preoccupation with staff counselling, debriefing and conflict resolution. This work added to teaching skills acquired during my early years as a high school teacher and fostered an important shift in my thinking, namely, from striving to provide answers, to collaborating in such a way as to foster in others the recognition of a solution.
1998 saw a return to a more client focused work for me. I took up the position of Acting Program Manager in South East Sydney for a year. This entailed clinical supervision of all psychology and programming staff across the Area, as well as intercession/negotiation with families in cases of conflict over client management. I set up and ran clinical forums and peer supervision groups.
In 2001, I took up the position of Senior Practitioner in Metro North. My supervision by others was less formal at this time but my role in the supervision of others was maximal from a systems perspective. I convened the Area Practice Review Group, which monitored service delivery, and I played the key role in the development, implementation, evaluation and review of service systems with respect to quality.
At this time my work with private clients began to expand from the supervision of Interns to work with clients with whom I engaged because of the distress caused by their anxiety or depression. Since 2001, I have been working in my private practice with clients whose anxiety impacts on their work and social life.
In 2003, I was appointed as the Manager of the Statewide Behaviour intervention Service and my supervision resumed more formal arrangements, including the commencement of monthly peer supervision meetings with a school psychologist, based on her expertise with the adolescent population. I also commenced monthly peer supervision with a Mental Health clinical psychologist, because of the fine quality of her work in the area of anxiety.
I regularly undertake training courses in Family Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with respect to anxiety and depression. I am committed to the belief that people have the wherewithal to radically change their life and are most effectively supported to do so within a collaborative framework, typified by positive regard and reflective listening skills on the part of the therapist.
