The University of New South Wales

Graduate Student, National Centre in HIV Social Research

Research Officer

University of New South Wales

Thesis Title: Dynamics of Shame: implications for counsellors working across alcohol and other drug settings

About

I am an English Literature graduate (BA Hons) who specialised in Literary Theory (University of Salford UK). This lead to a Masters in Critical Theory (University of Nottingham UK). At Nottingham, I took particular interest in Gender and Sexuality Studies, Queer Theory and Post Colonialism. I have since adopted an additional interest in Critical Race Theory. I moved to Australia in 2001 and trained as a counsellor and group worker. Through this mechanism, I was exposed to the work of Carl Rogers, Irvin Yalom, Edmund Husserl and Martin Buber. My first job as a counsellor was at a Women's Dual Diagnosis AOD Residential Rehab. A circular from the NCHSR invited staff to apply for post graduate studies. As a result, I am now finishing a PhD thesis on shame and AOD counselling models. At the centre, I assist on qualitative health projects, including Hep C risk management and Aboriginal Patterns of Health Care in New South Wales. I am also a part time Research Officer at Relationships Australia (NSW) and help to evaluate group interventions which address family violence.

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