By Psychology podcast host Amy Felman
The podcast currently has 57 episodes available.
Damien Stewart is a Sport and Exercise Psychologist based on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. Damien currently works in private
practice servicing both sport, exercise and mental health clientele.
Damien was a police officer for 20 years and an elite-level softball player. He then received a pain diagnosis that would be life-changing.
In this interview, we discuss the critical importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treating pain, what “successful therapy” might actually mean in the context of managing pain, and the role of active acceptance!
For more information on Damien Stewart, check out the show notes.
Dr Jacqui Stanford is a health psychologist and a director at Empower Rehab, a clinic which specialises in providing interdisciplinary pain management, as well as working with clients presenting with a range of psychological presentations.
She regularly provides training to health and return to work professionals around Australia about working with clients with persistent pain to help facilitate recovery and optimal function.
For more information on Jacqui Standford check out the show notes!
Mindfulness is a “hot topic” in Western psychology. It is used as an intervention for everything from anxiety to work stress to developing emotional intelligence. Whilst the popularity of mindfulness practice is positive, there are a number of common myths that are important to know when teaching and learning mindfulness.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a powerful mindfulness-based therapy of which Russ Harris is a world-renowned trainer. In this interview, we discuss the common Mindfulness Myths.
For information on Dr Russ Harris and the links we spoke about check out the show notes.
Shirley Hicks is a somatic psychotherapist and yoga teacher, with a private clinic in Varsity Lakes, QLD. She has a specific interest in how the body carries unresolved life events and how through “talk therapies” the body is often overlooked.
With over 22 years of clinical experience, Shirley has refined the way she supports clients to involve their body in the healing process, drawing on the work of Judith Herman, Babette Rothschild, Peter Levine and Bessel van der Kolk.
Shirley is a clinical member of PACFA (Psychotherapists and Counsellors Federation of Australia), as well as a Mental Health Practitioner and Supervisor with PACFA.
For more information and the links we spoke about check out the show notes.
Trish Purnell-Webb is an experienced psychologist with 38 years of work experience. She is a certified Gottman Marital Therapist, and is the only certified Gottman Marital Therapy Trainer and Consultant in Australia. Trish is also certified to present the Gottman Art and Science of Love Couples Workshop.
Today we chat Gottman Therapy!
For more information on Trish Purnell-Webb check out the show notes!
Clark Baim PhD is a psychotherapist and psycho-dramatist with over twenty years’ experience.
In his early 20’s Clark accepted an acting contract with the Geese Theatre Company (US) which involved performing in prisons across the country. An aspiring performer, Clark was convinced this would be the best acting education he could get. Not only were his expectations met, but Clark developed what would become a lifelong passion for changing lives through performance.
For more information on Clark and his best self-care tip check out the show notes!
Dr David Curnow is a Forensic Psychologist, expert on White Collar Crime and full time member of the Adult Parole Board of Victoria. He is the first Forensic Psychologist to sit on the board which is populated by Lawyers and community members.
Dr Curnow also provides consultancy services and training to corporations on such topics as embezzlement and employee theft. His PhD examined both personality and decision making of incarcerated embezzlers who took from 100k to 25 million dollars from their organisations. Other specialist training programs he presents include Violence Treatment, Forensic Interviewing and Offence Mapping.
Earlier in his career David worked at the Department of Justice as the Regional Manager of Offending Behaviour Programs. Prior to this he was a senior clinician for Corrections Victoria.
David also has a strong interest in Chronic Pain. One of his great loves is group work and he strongly encourages psychologists to consider management roles, enabling them to effect change at a systematic level!
For more information on Dr Curnow check out the show notes!
Dr. Crystal Lee is a licensed psychologist and owner of a private practice called LA Concierge Psychologist, based in Los Angeles, California. Through her unique "house call" therapy model, she's able to join her clients in partnership and transform their lives. Dr. Lee's life’s passion is to help others grow through life, achieve their goals, and become the best version of themselves. In her practice, she uses this passion to support emerging adults (18-29 year olds), who feel stuck, successfully transition to full-fledged adulthood. In her professional endeavours, she channels that passion into supervising and mentoring early career psychologists.
Check out the website for the show notes and links Crystal spoke about!
This episode is the fifth and final chapter of the early career psychologist series, showcasing early career psychologists who are either completing their training, or in their early years of working.
These psychologists have come from all different backgrounds and have vastly different life experiences. I love how in this small sample of seven, you get a sense of the diversity of individuals that come to this profession. Each interviewee reminded me of the sheer determination and hard work it takes to become a psychologist, something we should pat ourselves on the back for achieving regularly!
In this episode I chatted to Emily Green, a 27 year old from Brooklyn, New York. Emily graduated with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in May 2016 from Yeshiva University in the Bronx, NY.
In the US, to obtain a license to practice, you are required to pass the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) after you've received your degree. Emily completed hers in April 2017. She is currently completing her doctoral training (a years worth of supervised clinical hours) at a community mental health centre. This role involves working with children, adults and families from diverse cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic communities. She described her clients as representing the "whole gamut of pathology" from depression and anxiety, to substance abuse disorders, and psychotic-spectrum disorders.
It was fabulous to chat to an early career psychologist from overseas!
To check out the website head to
This episode is the fourth of a series of five chapters with early career psychologists. They’re either completing their training, or are in their early years of working, and come from all different backgrounds with vastly different life experiences.
I love how in this small sample of seven people, you get a sense of the diversity of individuals that come to this profession. After publishing just 6 of these interviews you’ll see what I mean!
Each person reminds me of the sheer determination and hard work it takes to become a psychologist, something we should pat ourselves on the back for achieving, regularly!
In this episode I chatted to Rose Evans, 51 year old mum of 4 (her kids are aged between 23 and 10), owner of 3 chickens and 2 beagles. I also chat to Anastasia Hronis who is 25, and as well as being a psychologist is a professional pianist!
Rose lives in Northwest Sydney and is in her first year of general registration. She works in a variety of different roles including in private practice at PSYCHmatters in Concord and at a small clinic in West Pennant Hills; director at CAE Psychological Profiling; National Supervising Psychologist for Australian Mensa; and marking for Charles Sturt Uni. Rose also mentors provisional psychologists, which is one of her areas of passion!
Anastasia Hronis was raised and lives in Sydney. She has a Masters of clinical psychology and is in her first year of working as a fully registered psychologist and clinical psychology registrar.
Anastasia studied a Bachelor of Psychology and Honours at the University of Sydney and Master of Clinical Psychology at the University of Technology Sydney. She is currently doing her PhD in the area of adapted CBT mental health interventions for children and adolescents with intellectual disability.
Anastasia currently works in a private practice and at St John of God Hospital where she runs group day programs (anxiety groups, depression groups and DBT).
She also works as a musician, has two music performance degrees and has spent time teaching piano and also working as a concert pianist. This is essentially what got her interested in psychology, as she was very curious as to how the mind worked, and how people and children learnt.
Anastasia was keen to do this interview because she's a huge fan of the podcast and find it inspiring hearing what other people do. She says "I'm constantly amazed by the diversity within the field of psychology."
For more information check out the show notes!
The podcast currently has 57 episodes available.