I am Canadian and have lived in Australia since I was 28. Like many things in my life, it was not a planned migration. Four years earlier, I moved from Toronto to Vancouver Island, and I took a year off from studying to travel in the Pacific Islands, NZ, and Australia. Then, in a split second – grief and loss changed the trajectory of my life, and I didn’t return to Canada as planned. I spent the next 15 years feeling like I was passing through, travelling a lot and trying out different jobs. Travel is and has also been a passion for me – it makes me feel energised, alive, and curious.
Before working as a registered psychologist, I worked in various occupations in hospitality, education, marketing, counselling and consultancy – and I loved each of those experiences.
Some of the work I am most proud of is the work I did in prisons, work with St James Ethics Center as part of the group of first Ethi Call counsellors 25 years ago, the work with Outreach at TAFE particularly that with NESB women, the counselling work at St Vincent’s with those at risk of suicide – I set up the first DBT program there and ran it for a few years. I am proud of the writing workshops I ran for 12 years and am most humbled and grateful for everyone who has seen me as a client – you are my true teachers.