Mental Work

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 emot...

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 d...

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: 👉🏽...

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 stu...

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 psyc...

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...

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 ca...

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 instinct...

Bron is joined by Tiffany, a licensed psychotherapist based in Switzerland, to chat about the emotional realities of starting out in therapy and what it’s like working in mental health on the other side of the world. They chat about: 👉🏽 Why personal therapy helped Tiffany become a better clinician 👉🏻 Feeling like you’re “drowning and swimming at the same time” when star...

Bron is joined by Chris Long, psychologist, to unpack two of the most widely used trauma therapies: EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT. If you’re an early-career clinician who feels nervous about trauma work, overwhelmed by the number of approaches out there, or worried about “making things worse” by asking clients about trauma, this episode is for you. They chat about: 👉🏽 Common fear...

Bron is joined by Dr Catherine Hart (Clinical Psychologist) to unpack one of the most overlooked but clinically significant parts of therapy: therapeutic endings. Catherine shares how recent large-scale clinic closures prompted her to reflect on how little training clinicians receive on ending therapy, despite how emotionally complex and ethically important it is. Together, she and Bron explore wh...

Bron is joined by Dr George Loram (Psychologist working in Mparntwe/Alice Springs) to explore what it’s like to work as a psychologist in very remote Australia and with Aboriginal mob. George shares how a placement during lockdown led him to stay long-term, and what surprised him most about working with Aboriginal communities. They chat about: 👉🏽 What a typical week looks like across remot...

Bron is joined by Dr Ben Searle (Organisational Psychologist) for part two of their deep dive into severe and prolonged burnout, focusing on what it actually looks like in practice and how clinicians can support recovery. This episode focuses on: 👉🏽 What cynicism really looks like in burnout and why it becomes a barrier to recovery 👉🏿 The role of moral injury and values misalignment in driving...

Bron is joined by Tess Philip (psychologist and founder of Tess Philip Psychology ) to chat about her provisional psychology journey and what it takes to keep going when everything feels stacked against you. They chat about: 👉🏽 Tess' experience of working across six different workplaces during her internship. 👉🏻 What workplace bullying can look like in psychology training 👉 How Tess navigated...

Bron is joined by Ben Searle (Organisational Psychologist and burnout researcher) to unpack what it really looks like to treat clients with severe burnout. Ben shares his own experience of burning out during COVID after years of researching stress, and why even doing “all the right things” didn’t lead to quick recovery. They chat about: 👉🏽 Why burnout is still poorly understood...

Bron is joined by Amy Henderson (Organisational Psychologist) to unpack psychosocial hazards in the workplace and what early-career mental health workers need to know about recognising and responding to them. They chat about: 👉 What psychosocial hazards are and how they differ from physical workplace hazards 👉🏾 Why high caseloads, isolation, and workplace bullying are common risks in mental hea...

Bron is joined by Vi-An Nguyen (Organisational Psychologist and Founder of An Tâm Psychology) to talk about how culture shapes both our own experiences and those of our clients, and why conversations about culture and work matter for the clients we support. They chat about: 👉🏽 Why discussions about culture and work can feel uncomfortable but necessary 👉🏾 The common workplace tensions fac...

Bron is joined by Dr Catherine Hart (Clinical Psychologist and Director of Succoris Psychology) to chat about how to stay relevant and innovative as a mental health worker in a rapidly changing mental health landscape. They chat about: 👉 Why innovation in psychology often comes from necessity 👉 How small changes in systems or services can improve client care 👉 Why many clinicians want more vari...

Bron is joined by Laura Lee (psychologist & sexologist) to talk about why sexual healthcare matters in therapy and how to talk about sex with clients without fear, awkwardness, or shame. They chat about: 👉 Laura's journey into sexology, beginning with noticing gaps in her own psychology training 👉🏿 Why avoiding conversations about sex can unintentionally reinforce stigma 👉🏾 Common barrier...

Bron is joined by Dr Trisnasari Fraser (Community Psychologist and researcher) to explore how sharing music across cultures can foster connection, build community resilience, and deepen cultural humility in mental health work. We chat about: 👉🏽 Trisnasari's music-filled pathway from running a multicultural performing arts school to completing a PhD on intercultural music engagement. 👉🏻  M...

Calling new psychology Masters students - this episode is for you! Bron completed the 5+1 Masters & is now completing a Master of Clinical Psychology, and Jordan completed an Educational/Developmental Masters. In this episode, we share what we wish we knew before starting our Masters and our best tips for making it through the course. We chat about: 👉🏽 Why learning matters far more than grad...

Bron is joined by Huda Al Bukhari (clinical psychologist) for an early-career listener story that spans social work, clinical psychology training, and practising across Australia and Abu Dhabi! They chat about: 👉🏽 What it was really like to move from social work into psychology, including the fear of "not making it"  👉🏻 Managing the intensity of a clinical psychology Masters, including wh...

Bron is joined by Claire Trevitt (psychologist and Board-approved supervisor) to unpack one of the most quietly stressful parts of early-career practice: client retention. Together, they explore why clients disengage from therapy and why it’s so often not a sign that you’re “bad at therapy.” They chat about: 👉🏽 Why ambivalence and drop-out are common (and normal) 👉...

Bron speaks with Dr Hayley D Quinn (former clinical psychologist turned anti-burnout coach) about the realities of working in mental health when you’re still finding your feet including self-doubt, emotional load, and the pressure to feel more competent than you actually feel. Hayley also shares her personal story of changing careers from clinical psychology to business coaching, and how sel...

Bron is joined by Beatrice Ng-Kessler (Clinical Psychologist, Schema Therapy Trainer) about working therapeutically with clients from collectivist cultures, and why Western, individualistic models don’t always translate as cleanly as we expect. They chat about: 👉🏽 How collectivist and individualist values shape therapy 👉🏻 Filial piety, family hierarchy, and unmet needs 👉🏿 Cultural safe...