about me

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First and foremost, I am a mother to children through adoption and foster care. I have firsthand experience with the challenges and triumphs of parenting children from difficult beginnings.  I have experienced the positive impact of therapeutic parenting.  When parents and carers are in the driver's seat, that is when real change and healing occurs. 

I am a qualified mental health social worker and professional member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). I completed my degree at Monash University, Melbourne with Honours. I am a licensed trainer in Mental Health First Aid. I hold a Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training. 

I have contracted to Life Unlimited psychology practice for several years, providing holistic therapy for people of all ages. I teach and assess students studying to be youth workers, mental health and drug / alcohol workers. I counsel in an educational setting, addressing a wide range of issues and complexities. I trained and assessed foster carers in preparation for children joining their families through ACT Child and Youth Protection Services.

I am a former Vice President of the Canberra based Adoptive Families Association. I am particularly proud of helping establish an annual teen camp for young adoptees and facilitating support groups for parents of adopted teenagers. I train young adoptees in workshops to help with challenging questions around their adoption stories.

testimonials

"Elizabeth was able to really understand and empathise with our adoptive family situation.  Given the impact on our family of major stressors like the fires, covid and building our house, her professional ability to articulate our family’s dynamics and put them into perspective was quite reassuring. Her ability to clarify our child’s specific emotional developmental stage has been incredibly helpful for our child to settle into the classroom and home. Her insightful questions and practical hands on approach gave us hope and real clarity.  We felt we could move forward, empowered as adoptive parents". R, adoptive parent 

 "Our training was professional and well researched.  Elizabeth worked with us to ensure the training package was tailored to the unique needs of our team.  Elizabeth was personable, engaging and delivered training successfully in both a virtual space and face to face. Training was thoroughly enjoyed by the whole team!!" Elodie, Director, Services Australia