This Complex Life

Dr Rosemary Higgins joins me in the podcast to discuss Motivational Interviewing. Rosemary has vast experience in the domains of research and practice. With over 50 publications in peer reviewed journals she is internationally renowned in her field.

Rosemary is interested in the areas of lifestyle and behaviour change including smoking cessation and improving health and psychocardiology and adjustment to chronic illness, including neurological disorders, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

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Working in mental health advocacy and peer work.

In this week's episode, Matthew Jackman shares with listeners some of his experiences being a social worker and service user. Matthew has been in the out of home care system and the foster care system as well as having psychiatric mental health services involved in his life. 

Matthew encourages us to rethink how we work with clients, to think systemically, and to continue to challenge ourselves as professionals.

What's the most recent book you’ve read?

Feminsit therapy by Bonnie

What's the last tv show you binge watched?

Ozark 

What's one dish you cook well?

Lean cuisine ?

Uber eats 

Pad thai 

Favourite things to do on a day off?

Tennis

Drive and day trips 

Back up career? What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Journalist

Paramedic

Singer 

A quote or mantra that resonates with you?

Nothing about us without us 

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Jo and Alice return the podcast to update listeners on their upcoming social work talks quarterly issue. We recap some of the key areas from previous issues, looking at decolonising social work and mental health in social work. 

The next issue of Social Work Talk Quarterly is all about social work education. Jo and Alice share their inspiration for this topic and some of the ways they are challenging educators to think about how social workers are created and trained. 

https://www.facebook.com/socialworktalkquarterly/

The previous episode with Jo and Alice, episode 13 was in December 2019

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-inside-social-work-podcast/id1459084811?i=1000459713683

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Amanda shares with listeners her social work journey, navigating the disability sector, working in statutory services in the UK, and traveling across the world on the Churchill fellowship. She has carved out a niche for her private practice working in Parkinson's care. Listen to the episode to hear Amanda's story. 

Amanda is an accredited mental health social worker, she has a Bachelor of Social Work, a Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a Certificate IV in Assessment and Training. She has over 19 years of experience working with individuals and families affected by chronic illness. Amanda offers Parkinson's Specific Counselling for individuals and families.

In 2007, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigated models of care for Young-Onset Parkinsons Disease. Her recommendations were accepted by Parkinsons Australia and led to the inaugural Young Onset Parkinsons Conference.

Having previously worked for Parkinsons Victoria, she is passionate about supporting people faced with neurological illness and is experienced supporting people through her past work over the helpline, facilitating support groups, coordinating support forums and conducting family meetings. 

What advice do you have for the audience?

‘’Get educated and learn about the subject matter’’

• Take self-care seriously 
• Committed to your own self-care
• Exercise 
• Sport 
• Hobby

‘’Our work is unseen, you may never know the impact of your work’’

What's the most recent book you’ve read? 

Podcasts - Brene Browns Unlocking us

What's the last tv show you binge-watched?

Outlander 

What's one dish you cook well?

Spaghetti bolognese 

Favourite things to do on a day off?

Bike ride

Back up career? What did you want to be when you were a kid?

Actor, photography 

A quote or mantra that resonates with you?

Try to be your best self

The best version you can be 

Check out Amanda's Churchill fellowship report https://www.churchilltrust.com.au/project/?id=PR0012817

https://www.parkinsonsvic.org.au/images/site/publications/Annual_Reports/Parkinsons_Vic_Annual_Report_2008.pdf

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In this week's episode, I talk with Louise Pearson. Louise is an accredited mental health social worker with over twenty years of experience in the disability and community sector. She has completed training as a Gestalt Psychotherapist and is also a grief and bereavement counsellor working in Melbourne’s North-East

We talk about the grief and loss that can accompany chronic illness and disability. We explore some of the needs that people have when they are coming to terms with a recent diagnosis or a change in their health that means they’re not able to do the things that they used to do before. 

Louise shares with listeners some of her personal story and journey in social work. 

Louise has a lot of experience and has engaged with additional study and professional development in the loss and grief space. Louise remains passionate about continuing education and encourages listeners to explore gaps in knowledge and read books, listen to talks, and find ways to enhance your learning. She has a list of resources she recommends available on her website also in the links below

‘’Its ok to be impacted and affected by clients, their stories touch our hearts’’

Resources

Get in touch with Louise 

www.louisepearson.com.au

Books and other resources Louise recommends https://www.louisepearson.com.au/resources

Join Louise's mailing list https://mailchi.mp/fcda67176cd2/sign-up 

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Listen to Blake share some of his experiences working in a men's behaviour change program. 

Blake is an accredited mental health social worker, working across a variety of settings including mental health, substance misuse, domestic violence, sexual offending, child protection, adolescent violence and disabilities. He refined his practice working as Primary Practitioner on Men’s Behaviour Change Programs, and has developed an approach he regards as male-positive, pro-feminist, child-centred, intersectional, and trauma-informed.  

https://blakejohnscounselling.com/

https://www.anrows.org.au/

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Visit the website for the latest info and show notes https://insidesocialwork.com/

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In this week's episode, I talk with Caroline Burrows about EMDR.

Caroline talks us through what EMDR is and what it can be used for. 

Caroline is an Accredited EMDR Trainer and Consultant with a background in Clinical Social Work and Psychotherapy. Through the delivery of innovative EMDR training and consultation services, she encourages, inspires and motivates EMDR therapists in their clinical work. She is also an experienced clinical supervisor. Caroline has 15 years of experience providing therapeutic services across community, hospital, medical and university settings. She is the Owner and Director of Mindful Living, a successful group private practice in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. As the EMDR Coordinator at The Melbourne Clinic, Caroline developed the first inpatient hospital EMDR program in Victoria, Australia. Outside of work Caroline is an animal lover and enjoys walking her dogs, laughing and sharing meals with friends and family.  

Carolines private practice Mindful Living in Croydon, where people can access EMDR therapy (either in-person or online): www.mindfulliving.com.au

Carolines website where people can find out more about her EMDR training, consultation and clinical supervision services: www.carolineburrows.com.au

The Get Ready for Therapy Journal Here https://thetherapyhub.com.au/the-journal-pdf/

Connect with Marie

https://thetherapyhub.com.au/

https://marievakakis.com.au/

https://www.instagram.com/marievakakis/

Liz Andrew- Brake is a qualified Social Worker that is AASW registered. She has been working in the Child Protection field for the past 12+ years. She’s worked in a variety of roles in New Zealand, United Kingdom, and Australia in both government and non-government organisations (Child Protection Social Worker, Case Worker, Team Leader, and Manager) and currently works with an NGO as a Practice Lead for Child Protection and Early Intervention.

Liz is passionate about good quality practice in the child protection field and also about the professionalisation of Social Workers and Case Workers in Australia. She sees career development, reflective practice, and good quality support as key things that ensure that there are skilled workers in the child protection field which then leads to the most important thing- that we see positive outcomes for children, young people, and their families.

You come with all that history as a child protection worker when you knock on someone's doors  

What are some of the misconceptions about child protection?

Working with abuse and neglect, some people assume the parents are cruel or bad people

People do things because of their own history and background. Trauma, family, people parent how they were parented.

What are some of the challenges of working in child protection?

Losing social work identity. You can be disconnected from the social worker role.

Time-poor & resource-poor.

Get into survival mode

Get caught up in that 

What are some tools or resources you can recommend?

Being connected to other social workers can prevent burnout 

• Make sure that you have a social work supervisor 
• • In supervision tell them what you want to get out of it 
  
  
• CP does raise a lot of things for people, system issues, bureaucracy, trauma, and abuse
• Self-care 
• Whatever energy you're putting out, put in 
• Self-care needs to be long term and at the moment 
• Exercise and eating well 

If there’s one piece of advice you could impart to the audience, what would it be? 

Honing in on your why.

What made you become a social worker and revisiting that.

Course - The practitioner passion project 

For practitioners who have lost their mojo  

Starting 6th July, offering Modules and coaching

Get in touch with Liz

Link to Liz’s website:

http://lizandrewbrake.com/

Practitioner Passion Project

http://lizandrewbrake.com/the-practitioner-passion-project/

People can follow her on Instagram or facebook  @LizandrewBrake.com

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 ‘’Thinking big’’ providing counselling in a women's refuge and starting a social enterprise.

Jen Wiedman 

Jen has had a very diverse and interesting career. In this interview, she shares with listeners some of her journey and what inspired her to become a social worker. We discuss so much in this episode. We explore some of the frameworks Jen draws on when working in her counselling practice, managing self-care and reducing burnout and connecting with others Jen is an accredited mental health social worker, working in public health, private practice and is the founder of a social enterprise, 4th space. 

Jen has us thinking about 

What's motivating you to be in this space?

Why are you in it? 

Why are you wanting to do this work?

Things to consider

Working to reduce the power imbalance

Supervision is important

Feeling powerless and hopeless → at the system

Holding the space and hope 

Trusting your knowledge and instinct 

Vicarious trauma

→ It's going to happen

Self-care practices 

Knowing yourself, your triggers, supportive network

Find Jen 

https://www.jenwiedman.com/ 

https://www.jenwiedman.com/about-counselling-psychology-services

www.4thspace.com.au 

Resources recommended by Jen 

Ikigai 

See what you made me do. By Jess Hill

If you're interested to check out some engagement activities around things like 

• Your local MHPN
• Events 
• National days and events 

Join the Inside Social Work Facebook Group

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Visit the website for the latest info and show notes https://insidesocialwork.com/

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In my interview with Ashton Hayes, she shares her journey starting off as a paralegal working in family law. Her career took on a new trajectory as she discovered she felt she could do more hands-on work as a social worker. 

Ashton Hayes (Bachelor of Social Work (Hons); Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice), is an accredited mental social worker with many years of experience working with children and families. She is passionate about working with people who have experienced trauma and works collaboratively with each client to create a safe and positive therapeutic experience. Ashton utilises a number of different modalities and creative approaches, in consultation with her client, in order to create a supportive environment. Ashton is also a clinical supervisor and leadership coach who uses a trauma-informed approach to support supervisees and leaders in their roles as well as helping them to achieve their career goals.

She talks about how she felt children were being left behind in family law and the legal system. So she made the move from family law to social work. 

Some key parts of this interview

• You’re allowed to ask for support
• Don't engage in comparative suffering 
• Watch the power, clients are inherently powerless in the system
• Take time to nurture yourself, you can't pour from an empty cup
• Supervision is VERY important
• Watch the golden girls for self-care 
• Joining groups with other social workers
• Keep a reflective journal

https://willowtreewellbeing.com/ 

https://willowtreewellbeing.com/support-for-professionals

link to the therapod mentioned  https://therapyblanket.com.au/products/therapy-pod

Join the Inside Social Work Facebook Group

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Visit the website for the latest info and show notes https://insidesocialwork.com/

Support the show by making a contribution https://www.paypal.me/Insidesocialwork

Subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts!