Adult and Children Counsellor

BSocSc(Couns) (ACAP), MSocWk (ACAP), AdvClinBereaveCouns (Children/Adults) (NCCG); AASW.

I first became aware of the McKissock’s through the ABC radio program Step by Step – Coping With Grief when I was about 12 years of age. Although most of the content went over my head at the time, my mother gained a great deal of comfort through listening to the program. She had also bought one of the first editions of Mal and Di’s book (Coping With Grief), back when it was much smaller than it is now, and a well-thumbed copy was kept on the family bookshelf for many years.

I started my counselling training through the Australian College of Applied Psychology while I was working at Optus as a Dispute Resolutions Officer. I left Optus prior to graduating and worked for two years in a funeral home. During this time, I obtained a thorough knowledge of the funeral industry and was dedicated to assisting families in a meaningful and personalised funeral experience. The majority of my undergraduate field placement was completed at the Homicide Victim’s Support Group (HVSG), and I continued to work there as  a volunteer on the 24-hour telephone support line until I was offered a full-time position shortly thereafter. While working at HVSG over the next 5 years, I completed both the adult and children’s bereavement counselling training at NCCG, and became involved as a support worker in one of the fortnightly children’s support groups. My current roles at NCCG involve counselling adults and children and providing education and practical skills training for professionals who work with bereaved adults and child or people who are dying.