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Ralph Waldo Emerson claimed that conversation is "the practice and consummation of friendship".
Robert Hobson said that "psychotherapy must be a special kind of conversation. It is, perhaps, a mode of friendship but if it is to be therapeutic it must be friendship of a very special sort".
I am a psychologist registered by the Psychology Board of Australia (PSY0001342150) with a background in education and counselling. I have a keen interest in the disadvantaged and those who have experienced discrimination. I have extensive experience in forensic psychology. I also have an understanding of spirituality, and an ongoing interest in the nature of friendship in our society.
I enjoy working and interacting with people and learning about their life stories. As a therapist I am particularly aware of the challenge to be empathic: to listen to the person, and understand the feelings and experiences that bring them into therapy. I endorse the view that ongoing professional development and supervision is important and I continue to undertake my own professional and personal development.
In my private practice I employ a method of therapy that concerns the psychology of the self [See Psychotherapy and the Conversational Model]. This method is rooted in the development of a close relationship with clients as persons and is particularly effective in dealing with the problems that individuals may have in forming personal and intimate relationships. It is a specific form of relatedness that can relieve distress, allow for growth, and help people reach their potential. But bringing about desired change, and developing a strong sense of self, may take time. Therapy, to be effective, usually needs to be on a weekly basis, sometimes more often.