Bron is joined by returning guest Harriet Isles (psychologist and founder of Restorative Space Psychology) to talk about therapist self-disclosure. Harriet shares her practical, intentional approach to deciding when sharing personal information with a client helps the therapeutic relationship, and when it gets in the way.

They chat about:
👉🏽 How to know when self-disclosure is actually for the client's benefit, not your own
👉🏻 What the AHPRA Code of Conduct says about sharing personal information with clients
👉 Findings from the 2025 "Goldilocks Disclosures" study on when self-disclosure lands well (and when it backfires)
👉🏿 Why speaking "from the scar, not the wound" protects clients from role confusion

Guest: Harriet Isles, Psychologist and Founder of Restorative Space Psychology

LINKS

• Research article: "Goldilocks disclosures: A qualitative exploration of when therapist self-disclosure of lived experience is "just right"
• Harriet's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restorativespacepsychology/

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Nishie Govender (clinical psychologist and occupational psychology consultant) for an honest conversation about building a career that looks nothing like the one you imagined. Nishie shares how realising full-time clinical work wasn't sustainable for her led to a fulfilling dual career working between corporate psychology and private practice, and what prompted her to go back to study a Clinical Masters bridging course as a registered psychologist.

They chat about:
👉🏻 What a corporate/occupational psychology role actually looks like day-to-day, and why it surprised her 
👉 How clinical training transfers into nonclinical settings (and vice versa)
👉🏿 What the post-registration Clinical Masters bridging course involves, and who it's really for
👉🏾 The identity challenges of going back to being a student when you're already a competent psychologist

Guest: Nishie Govender, Clinical Psychologist

LINKS

• Cetas Psychology website

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Samantha Duroska (clinical psychologist) for a practical deep dive into using imagery techniques in therapy.

They chat about:
👉🏽 How to adapt if clients struggle to visualise
👉🏻 The common mistake of talking about imagery but not actually doing imagery
👉🏿 How to manage dissociation risks with simple, practical grounding strategies
👉 Why allowing clients to feel strong emotion in session can be a strength, not a failure
👉🏼 How Samantha manages her own emotions doing trauma work, and why she still finds it deeply meaningful

Guest: Samantha Duroska, Clinical Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor

LINKS

• Samantha Duroska's website
• Previous episode with Samantha on IRRT

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Richard Sedgman (social worker and founder of Live Well HQ) to talk about one of the most emotionally challenging areas in clinical work: supporting clients through grief and loss. Richard draws on his three years in palliative care and extensive private practice experience to share what actually helps, and what well-meaning therapists often get wrong.

They chat about:
👉🏽 The difference between grief, bereavement, and loss, and why grief extends far beyond death
👉🏻 Why ACT and narrative therapy are Richard's go-to approaches with grieving clients
👉 The powerful "wave" analogy that helps clients understand how grief shifts over time
👉🏿 The common therapist mistakes to avoid
👉🏼 Why therapists don't need lived experience of a loss to do genuinely good grief work

Guest: Richard Sedgman, Social Worker, Therapist, and founder of Live Well HQ

LINKS

• Live Well HQ website
• Live Well HQ on Instagram

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Ethan Solomon (organisational psychologist and private practice therapist) to chat about building a career that blends both therapy and corporate work. Ethan shares how he went from wanting to be a clinical psychologist to specialising in psychometric assessment, leadership development, and coaching, while keeping one foot firmly in private practice therapy.

They chat about:
👉🏽 What organisational psychology actually involves day-to-day
👉🏻 The transferable skills that connect therapy and org psych work
👉🏿 Why knowing your values is the best career compass you have
👉🏾 The misconceptions early-career psychs hold about what their career can look like
👉🏼 Why the human element in psychology will always matter, even in a world of AI

Thank you for sharing your story, Ethan! 😊

Guest: Ethan Solomon, Organisational Psychologist and Therapist

LINKS

• Ethan Solomon on LinkedIn

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this short bonus episode, Bron discusses the financial stress experienced by many psychology students undertaking placements and the push to include psychology students in the Australian Government's Commonwealth Prac Payment scheme.

She covers:
👉🏽 Why psychology students currently miss out on the Commonwealth Prac Payment
👉🏻 The data on financial stress during unpaid placements
👉 Case studies of financial stress during psychology placements
👉🏿 The petition currently before Federal Parliament and how you can support it

LINKS

• Sign the petition to end placement poverty here
• "Placement poverty is holding the next generation of psychologists back" - Article published by the Australian Psychological Society

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by returning guest Matthew Jackson to celebrate episode 200 with a live recording about one of the most important questions in early-career psychology: how do you actually make this career sustainable?

They chat about:
👉🏽 What hasn't worked for their own sustainable practice, including poor work/life boundaries, rescuer complexes, and placement scarcity
👉🏻 How time-blocking psychology roles (and building a life outside them) changed everything for Matthew
👉 Why "stints" in different roles are not a red flag on your CV but a sign of healthy self-knowledge
👉🏿 What has kept them both in the field, even when quitting felt very close

Guest: Matthew Jackson, Registered Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Ceara Rickard (psychologist, Board-Approved Supervisor, and lived experience leader at Life Without Barriers) for a wide-ranging conversation about what it really means to be a psychologist. Ceara shares her journey to working proudly in the NGO and lived experience sector, and challenges the profession to grapple more critically with power, privilege, and human rights.

They chat about: 
👉🏽 Why lived experience is a legitimate and powerful clinical skill, not something to hide
👉🏻 What a week in a large NGO actually looks like
👉🏾 Why viewing NGO work as a "stepping stone" is problematic
👉 The hidden hierarchy in psychology and why it can get in the way of therapeutic work

Guest: Ceara Rickard, Psychologist, Board-Approved Supervisor, and Lived Experience Leader

LINKS

• Ceara Rickard's website
• Ceara on LinkedIn
• Life Without Barriers

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Kate Crosher (founding director of the Australian Educational and Developmental Psychology Association, AEDPA) to unpack the Australian Psychology Board's proposed training pathway redesign. Kate breaks down what the proposed changes are in plain English, reassures current trainees and early career psychologists about what could change (and what isn't), and makes a compelling case for why every psychologist should make a submission before the consultation period closes on June 10th, 2026.

UPDATE: While the submission period has closed, you can still read about the proposed changes in the links below.

They chat about:
👉🏽 What the single five-year pathway to general registration would look like
👉🏻 Why the proposed AQF level drop from 9 to 8 matters for salaries, career progression, and research
👉 The risks and opportunities of industry-accredited workplaces replacing registrar program
👉🏿 Why the Board is proposing to remove provisional registration and what student registration means instead
👉🏾 How to make a submission (even if you only have 10 minutes) using the AEDPA submission generator

Guest: Kate Crosher, Educational & Developmental/Clinical Psychologist and Founding Director of AEDPA

LINKS

• Kate's psychology practice, Enfys Psychology - Kate is also a Board-Approved supervisor 🌈
• AEDPA Position Summary on PsyBA Training Pathway Redesign Consultation and here's info about the Australia Education and Developmental Psychologists Association
• More information on redesigning the higher degree pathway from the Australian Psychology Board
• Information from AAPi about the PsyBA proposal
• Submission from the Australian Psychological Society (APS)

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Patricia Gallagher (psychologist & EMDR consultant) to unpack how early-career clinicians can safely and confidently support survivors of family and domestic violence.

They chat about:
👉🏽 The difference between toxic relationships and coercive control
👉 How to respond when clients don’t recognise they’re in an abusive relationship
👉🏿 Managing rescuer instincts and countertransference as therapists
👉🏾 Supporting clients who cannot safely leave a relationship yet
👉🏼 EMDR, stabilisation, and trauma recovery for victim survivors

Guest: Patricia Gallagher, Psychologist, EMDR Consultant, and Board-Approved Supervisor

LINKS

• Patricia's psychology practice, Gallagher Psychology
• Understanding EMDR podcast with Tracy Lynch
• Neurodivergent Women podcast episode with Patricia
• See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill

THE END BITS

Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵

Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email [email protected]

Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website

CREDITS

Producer: Michael English

Music: Home

Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.