I am a doctor of over 40 years experience with a passion for supporting other docs.
I grew up in Melbourne having a father who was a University Professor (almost – he was a pioneer in Biomedical Engineering, so the department hadn’t been formed yet) and a brother who was one of the first to survive with spina bifida. Poor Mum!
My first passion was a fascination for computers and still work on old machines today. However, I chose a career in medicine to work with people rather than machines.
I graduated in the late 1970’s and trained as a rural doc, working around Victoria for 10 years. I enjoyed meeting families and treating three or even four generations at once. This is a real privilege.
This time included a year in Tennant Creek in Aboriginal Health, which at the time was quite stressful (battling “the powers that be”), but working in the community was highly enriching and rewarding.
Unfortunately, I became burnt out twice. Ultimately, I ended up requiring a pacemaker. Perhaps the wires in my heart also became burnt out – literally! It was time to understand more about burnout, and learn to not only help myself better, but also pass on to others what I learnt.
So I decided to work full time in Mental Health and embarked on a career specialising in Psychiatry. I entered and studied in the training program for five years, but before finding the final key to pass my exams, family illness caused us all to move to Cairns.
I stayed in Cairns for nearly 20 years, working in my own unique General Practice with a mental health focus. This gave me the opportunity to complete my studies and obtain a Masters in Mental Health in the field of Psychotherapy through the University of Queensland. I guess I always preferred to talk rather than just be a drug dealer!
After moving back to Melbourne to be closer to my elderly Mum, I continued to work in General Practice with a focus on Mental Health. Mum managed to live well, and survived into her 100th year before passing, and missing out on her 100th Birthday (and the letter from the Queen)
In January 2018 I took on the position of Medical Director for the Victorian Doctors Health Program, and worked as the champion for those stressed in the medical community. I worked there for two years with stressed and unwell docs, and talked to many doctor groups in Melbourne, Rural Victoria and in Tasmania. I have now recently resigned, to move into working privately from home.
The most important help, I discovered, was sitting down and having a chat with another colleague who was going through a stressful time. I believe my job was to understand where they were coming from, and even learn together. There are no miracles in “psychotherapy”. This is just the chance for another human being to be there with a colleague. Being a doctor with many various experiences myself helps me to understand better, and for them to accept that I may know what they are going through.
I intended to return to locum work to support our rural community, but the current crisis means that it is safer to remain at home, and support as many docs as I can through Telehealth. At this time I bulk-bill this service under Medicare, so there is no added cost.
Kindly contact me through this website or via my email to set up a time when we can chat.