I have worked in private practice since 2005. I have experience of working with multi dimensional problems affected by issues including: child abuse and neglect; family conflict; violence and protective transitions arising from contexts involving adults, adolescents, children and families.
I am a current full member of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) and an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (204516) and a Medicare Provider (2630672T).
Professional background
I qualified with a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of East Anglia, England, in 1994. I worked with a range of high risk offenders as a Probation Officer for seven years before commencing my training as a Family Therapist at the Kensington Consultation Centre (International) London.
In 2003, I graduated with a Masters Degree in Couple and Family Therapy from UNSW. I then worked as a Child and Parent Consultant in Family Law Dispute Resolution. Since 2004 I have worked as a Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AASW). Over the last 20 years I have worked with adults, families and children in the community; and also prepared expert assessments for legal proceedings as an Authorised Clinician for the Childrens Court of NSW since 2005.
My main areas of interest are working with relationship problems including working with mental health problems, family relationship difficulties, adjustments to family breakdown, adjustments associated with parental roles, attachment difficulties, trauma and abuse. I also specialise working with adults, adolescents, children and families in relationship in both social and home settings.
My therapeutic approach draws upon both family therapy, individual functioning and interactional interpersonal relationships, and is informed by systemic family theory, attachment theory and developmental psychology. It utilises, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural techniques and brief solution focused therapy.
My doctoral research was on the expert assessment of parenting. I am a Family Consultant (Reg. 7) of the Federal Circuit Court and the Family Court of Australia. My areas of particular expertise involve work with families in regard to trauma, adjustment issues relevant to family changes and families with complex needs.
Qualifications and Accreditation
- MA Social Work (1994, University of East Anglia)
- MA Couple & Family Therapy (2003 University of New South Wales)
- Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (since 2004)
- Medicare Allied Health Professional Provider
- Authorised Clinician in the Children’s Court Clinic for the Children’s Court of NSW Family Consultant – (Reg. 7) Federal Circuit Court of Australia & Family Court of Australia
- PhD (2014) Doctoral thesis completed on the expert assessment of parenting
- Approved Counsellor, Victims Services NSW (2019)
