Psychologist, Coach, Author & Podcaster
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Let me introduce myself
This feels a little self-indulgent but people ALWAYS ask me how I came to be doing what I'm doing. So here's the story.
I'll start (sort of) at the beginning...
When I left school I couldn’t decide between journalism and psychology. I opted for journalism with a psychology elective and within the first semester I knew I had to change majors because I loved my psychology course so much.
(I REALLY liked to write but learning to write newspaper headlines made my eyeballs bleed.)
After my undergraduate degree, I was keen to get out into the real world (read: make money) so I spent time working with homeless and disadvantaged young people until I got my first full-time job in child protection and juvenile justice. It was a tough job. After a couple of years, I transitioned to working in youth unemployment (note: way cushier, way more pay. Those child protection people deserve MEDALS).
Life chugged along and, as is the case for many people - I wasn't actively choosing my path and so my path led me places I never planned to go. At 27, I found myself managing the international student program for one of the largest educational institutions in Queensland.
Um, what?
How did I get here?
It was a lovely, shiny job and I wore nice suits and jet-setted off overseas regularly, so I was the envy of a lot of my friends but deep down, that job never made me happy. I knew in my heart that I wanted to go back to my first love, which was psychology, but to do that I'd need to go back to postgraduate study.
And at that point, I’d created a lifestyle that didn’t allow me to study full time. I know lots of people find themselves feeling stuck, just like I felt.
Thankfully…
When I was newly married, my husband took a job interstate and I was forced to leave my job.
We moved to Sydney and I took some time out.
That was truly a transformative time, allowing me space to reflect on my values and my purpose in life and take back control of my career direction.
I enrolled in the University of Sydney’s brand spanking new Masters of Coaching Psychology and set up my Life Coaching business, “Soul Purpose Personal Coaching”. Two years later, I had a Masters degree, a thriving coaching practice – and was pregnant with our daughter!
After Annabelle was born in 2006...
I again had the opportunity to reflect on my values and life direction.
I couldn’t dismiss the nagging feeling that my psychology journey was unfinished. (Maybe you've felt that way about unfulfilled dreams in your own life?)
I knew in my heart what I needed to do, so I took a very deep breath, and threw myself back into another three years of postgraduate study (with a baby on my hip) to get my Masters in Clinical Psychology.
(The complete story includes another two interstate moves, a spiritual journey leading me through various types of meditation and ultimately Buddhist philosophy / psychology, and a couple of years spent creating, running and selling an online retail store in my abundant spare time).
After establishing and running my private psychology practice in Brisbane for 5 years, we made another bold decision - this time to sell our city house and make a 'tree/sea change' so that I could pursue another dream - to rescue a menagerie of farm animals.
We arrived in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland in 2015.
I knew I wanted to write a book....
So I started a blog (as you do)
From that little blog, big things grew
I was invited to contribute content to online wellbeing platforms.
I became the resident psychologist on Tiffiny Hall's online fitness program.
Tiff and I created a podcast, which has gone on to be one of the most popular shows in Australia.
I was invited to speak on stages to hundreds of people.
You could say the rest
is history
What I do now
I'm a podcaster, author, online course creator, speaker and workshop facilitator.
But first and foremost, I'm a clinical & coaching psychologist and mindfulness meditation teacher.
I use my platform to help people make positive, meaningful & lasting changes in their lives using "4th Wave" approaches: mindfulness, compassion, body-based therapies and positive psychology.
I offer online courses in Mindfulness and Happiness, and I've recently created a new group coaching program all about overcoming imposter syndrome and cultivating self-confidence and self-belief.
I run retreats a couple of times a year and I'm available to teach workshops or present seminars.
Hit me up on email if you can't find what you're looking for here on the website.
Work with me
FROM PLAYING SMALL TO BREAKING DOWN WALLS
The boring, formal bit
my qualifications
MPsyc (Clinical)
MSc (Coach Psyc)
PostGrad Dip Psyc (with distinction)
BAppSc (Applied Psyc)
