The Peregrine Rural Mental Health Podcast

We know that many practitioners take on leadership roles in mental health without having the opportunity to explore leadership or management training, particularly in rural areas. In this episode, Peregrine Research Associate Dr Caitlin Miller interviews Dr Jenny Brown, Director Emeritus and founder of the Family Systems Institute, and Ken Morgan, chair of the Family Systems Institute, give us a t...

Is practice supervision just for professions where it is one of their registration requirements? Or does supervision offer something to all mental health practitioners? How do you get it? How do you get the best out of it, if you do get it? Join Peregrine Director, Rebecca Sng as she speaks with her peer supervision buddies, Anna Sidis and Mark Donovan, about the where, how and why of supervision...

This three episode miniseries looks at working with people who have experienced trauma. The first two episodes contain an annotated role play of a first session with a family who has experienced a death by suicide. Family therapist, Dr Rebecca Sng, explains her thinking as she speaks with the family for the first time. The final episode is a panel discussion with three different rural and regional...

This three episode miniseries looks at working with people who have experienced trauma. The first two episodes contain an annotated role play of a first session with a family who has experienced a death by suicide. Family therapist, Dr Rebecca Sng, explains her thinking as she speaks with the family for the first time. The final episode is a panel discussion with three different rural and regional...

This three episode miniseries looks at working with people who have experienced trauma. The first two episodes contain an annotated role play of a first session with a family who has experienced a death by suicide. Family therapist, Dr Rebecca Sng, explains her thinking as she speaks with the family for the first time. The final episode is a panel discussion with three different rural and regional...

We all know that self-care and preventing burnout as mental health practitioners is important, but how do we truly care for ourselves and our clients, particularly in rural and regional areas where there can be added complexities? And is it possible to go beyond that to thriving in mental health practice? Join Peregrine research associate, Dr Caitlin Miller, as she speaks with John Dean (District...

Long thought of as "basic", Behavioural Interventions have been shown by the research to be incredibly powerful tools in the right circumstances. However, successful Behavioural Interventions can be far trickier than they first appear. Understanding how to fully utilise these principles can transform your work with those suffering from depression, anxiety and other common difficulties. Join Peregr...

Lived experience expertise has been rapidly growing as a key component of recovery orientated practice. Peer work can help break down barriers to mental health care, facilitate hope, and help organisations reflect on their practices for the benefit of consumer care. Yet many people can feel confused about the role of a peer worker, and how to integrate peer work into care appropriately. This month...

Motivational Interviewing was first developed for use with people with substance abuse problems, however in its 40 year history it has been applied with a range of presentations. At its core, Motivational Interviewing places emphasis on listening, empathy, and encouraging our client’s own knowledge. In this episode, The Peregrine Centre’s research associate Dr Dayle Raftery is joined by Tara McGre...

Getting Started with Narrative Therapy: Probably Australia's best known export to the therapy world, the model of Narrative Therapy is used with individuals, families and communities worldwide. It is particularly well supported in its use with Indigenous peoples. But Narrative Therapy is a pretty different. It requires a different way of thinking, leading to a unique use of language. How can a rur...

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy was developed to help people who have with their sense of self and with emotional regulation and therefore struggle in relationships. This presentation is often named as one that practitioners find challenging. In this episode, Peregrine Director, Dr Rebecca Sng, speaks with  Dr Marianne Bourke about how to get started with this effective treatment modality. They wres...

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is probably the most commonly mentioned of all the therapeutic models, yet it is often misunderstood. Although its concepts can appear simple, poorly practiced CBT has the potential to not only be ineffective but also put people off therapy altogether. So, what is real CBT? Join Peregrine Director, Dr Rebecca Sng as she chats with CBT trainer and practitioner, Dr...

Getting Started with ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is perhaps most well known for its role in the treatment of substance abuse but this model is widely used to help a wide range of people with a wide range of difficulties. In this episode, Peregrine Director, Rebecca Sng speaks with trainers and ACT practitioners Mark Donovan and Anna Sidis to learn a bit about this common model. This eng...

Mindfulness is a real buzz word at the moment, but what does it actually mean? Join Dr Dayle Raftery, Research Associate at The Peregrine Centre, as she talks all things mindfulness with Dr Judy Pickard, clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at University of Wollongong. They discuss the science behind mindfulness, explore how to apply it for yourself and your clients, and even practice mindful...

For our 2023 podcast series, The Peregrine Rural Mental Health podcast will take a whirlwind tour of some of the most common therapeutic modalities. In response to the requests from rural mental health practitioners, this series will ask experts in their field to guide a beginner in getting started in a variety of different models. In this episode Peregrine Director, Rebecca Sng and Peregrine Rese...

How do you work differently with older adults as a mental health practitioner? In this episode, Dr Caitlin Miller speaks to Ian Rawson, Service Manager for Older People’s Mental Health in Hunter New England LHD, and Dr Neil Jeyasingam, Clinical Director Mental Health Drug and Alcohol in Far West NSW. They talk about what unique challenges older people face, how to differentiate normal aging proces...

Is practice supervision just for professions where it is one of their registration requirements? Or does supervision offer something to all mental health practitioners? How do you get it? How do you get the best out of it, if you do get it? Join Peregrine Director, Rebecca Sng as she speaks with her peer supervision buddies, Anna Sidis and Mark Donovan, about the where, how and why of supervision...

Many practitioners feel at a loss when working with people who use violence or aggression. In this episode, Peregrine Research Associate Dr Caitlin Miller talks to Dr Lisa Warren, a forensic and clinical psychologist and Clinical Director of Code Black Psychology, about working with people who use aggression or violence as a mental health practitioner. They talk about identifying and intervening w...

We know that many practitioners take on leadership roles in mental health without having the opportunity to explore leadership or management training, particularly in rural areas. In this episode, Peregrine Research Associate Dr Caitlin Miller interviews Dr Jenny Brown, Director Emeritus and founder of the Family Systems Institute, and Ken Morgan, chair of the Family Systems Institute, give us a t...

For many generalist practitioners, working with the family system is intimidating. However, many recognise the enormous influence difficult family relationships can have on the lives of children and adults alike. In this episode, Dr Rebecca Sng talks to Bowen Systems guru, Dr Jenny Brown, and Open Dialogue proponent, Dr Anna Sidis about the concept that "problems don't exist within people, but bet...

People in the LGBTQIA+ community experience higher rates of mental distress than the general community and face greater barriers to accessing care, which can have a lifelong impact. This is particularly relevant to those living rurally where gender and sexuality affirming services may be limited, or non-existent. Many NSW practitioners identified the importance of understanding and a desire to app...

 One of the most requested topics we get at the Peregrine Rural Mental Health Podcast is how we should respond to natural disasters and large-scale stressors, like the global pandemic. In this episode, Peregrine Director, Dr Rebecca Sng chats with clinical psychologist, Dr Rob Gordon. Over more than 30 years, Dr Gordon has worked extensively with governments and NGOs in responding to bushfires, fl...

This month, Peregrine Director, Dr Rebecca Sng chats with Dr Suzie Hudson, Clinical Advisor to the NSW Health Centre for AOD. The treatment of individuals with both mental health concerns and coping strategies that involve substance misuse is one of our most requested topics. This episode Suzie describes, in an easy-to-understand format, the considerations for practitioners when they are attemptin...

The comorbidity rates of mental health conditions and neurodivergence are high. However, not all clinicians have experience working with neurodivergent clients, particularly in rural areas.  Communication difficulties and anxieties around social interaction can further isolate neurodivergent clients who are in need of mental health support. In this episode Peregrine Local Project Officer, Charley...

Most mental health practitioners are familiar with the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) – but if you’re not trained in specialist treatments for BPD, can you still be helpful to this group of people? In this episode, Peregrine Research Associate Dr Caitlin Miller interviews Psychologist and Research Fellow at Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders, Dr Nick Day, and Staff...