Mental Work

Bronwyn Milkins

Mental Work is the Australian podcast unpacking the challenges faced by early-career psychologists, so they don't have to go it alone. Hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins.

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Episodes

Rethinking Borderline Personality Disorder and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
17-04-2024
Rethinking Borderline Personality Disorder and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Bron chats with Matthew about Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and its application for folks diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). We dive into the stigma surrounding BPD and discuss how reframing BPD as a trauma response can help us to be more compassionate practitioners. Matthew explains the core components of DBT, the importance of a supportive therapeutic relationship, and his favourite DBT strategies. Guest: Matthew Jackson, Intensively Trained DBT Psychologist. LINKS Online training in DBTDBT Skills Training Manual for TherapistsNeurodivergent-friendly workbook of DBT skills by Sonny Jane WiseDialectical Behaviour Skills WorkbookResearch articles: A Systematic Review of the Association Between Early Childhood Trauma and Borderline Personality Disorder (2023)Research article: The Role of Trauma in Early Onset Borderline Personality Disorder: A Biopsychosocial Perspective (2021)Research article: Multiple and Interpersonal Trauma are Risk Factors for both Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder: A Systematic Review (2019) THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Please rate & review on Apple and Spotify. Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee β˜• Sponsor the show for $2 a month on Patreon Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
"Why I chose contract work" (with Jordan Turner)
27-03-2024
"Why I chose contract work" (with Jordan Turner)
Bron chats with Jordan about why she chose to work as a contractor and how she knew it was time to open her own private practice. We also unpack what you need to know if you're considering contract work, including πŸ‘‰πŸΌ What's a fair split arrangement? πŸ‘‰ How do I know if I'm a contractor or an employee? πŸ‘‰πŸΏ The importance of understanding the financial side of contracting. Guest: Jordan Turner, Educational & Developmental Registrar LINKS Jordan's previous episodes: Working with parents and kids, and Working while pregnantJordan's book of poetry!! "First time mother" 😍Fair Work Australia - All about independent contractingFair Work Australia: "I think I could be an employee not a contractor"Differences between employees and contractorsMental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Trauma-informed therapy for eating disorders (with Sherry-Lee Smith)
20-03-2024
Trauma-informed therapy for eating disorders (with Sherry-Lee Smith)
Bron and Sherry-Lee explore the application of trauma-informed approaches, particularly Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, to eating disorders. We dive into πŸ‘‰πŸΏ trauma-informed care πŸ‘‰πŸ½ adapting trauma therapy for clients with eating disorders πŸ‘‰ What EMDR is and how it can be used to help clients with eating disorders. Guest: Sherry-Lee Smith - Director of the Phoenix Holistic Health Centre, Psychologist, EMDR Consultant, Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician LINKS Keen to learn EMDR? There's heaps of trainers in Australia. I did my training with Graham Taylor which was fab, but have heard excellent things about training delivered by Caroline Burrows and Chris LeeKeen to become a credentialed eating disorder clinician? Learn more about credentialing from ANZAED here. I did my training with Kiera Buchanan from the Centre for Integrative Health and it was fantastic.Book: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Eating Disorders edited by Andrew Seubert and Pam Virdi. THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How to help clients with an eating disorder (with Harriet Iles)
13-03-2024
How to help clients with an eating disorder (with Harriet Iles)
Eating disorders are complex but don't stress, we're here to help. Bron and Harriet chat about πŸ‘‰πŸΏ The critical roles that body dissatisfaction, shame, and perfectionism play in eating disorders πŸ‘‰πŸΎ Treatment approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Enhanced (CBT-E) and Maudsley Family Therapy πŸ‘‰πŸ» The importance of being aware of your own attitudes towards weight and shape πŸ‘‰ Why treatment plans need to be client-centred πŸ‘‰πŸΌ Guidance if you're interested in specialising in eating disorders. Guest: Harriet Iles, Psychologist LINKS Body Matters Australasia offers heaps of training for therapists keen to learn more about eating disorders.The National Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) has great resources on eating disorders that you can share with clients, family members and partners.Keen to become a credentialed eating disorder clinician? Learn more about credentialing from ANZAED here. I did my training with Kiera Buchanan from the Centre for Integrative Health and it was fantastic.Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• Thanks Jemma! 😍 We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Upskilling in culturally-responsive practice for Asian clients (with Daniela Ho Tan)
06-03-2024
Upskilling in culturally-responsive practice for Asian clients (with Daniela Ho Tan)
Bron and Daniela talk about how to ensure that therapy is culturally responsive, particularly for clients of Asian heritage. They chat about πŸ‘‰πŸ½ Daniela's lived experience as a person of the Asian diaspora πŸ‘‰πŸ» How culture shows up in therapy (even if we're not aware of it) πŸ‘‰ Strategies for building rapport and retaining clients who are culturally-diverse πŸ‘‰πŸΏ Daniela's passion project, Project Horizon, in which she strives to make culture part of the therapy conversation. Guest: Daniela Ho Tan, Clinical Psychologist and Advanced Accredited Schema Therapist at Mindwealth Psychology LINKS Daniela is hosting workshops on Integrating Culture into Clinical Practice for Asian Heritage Populations in 2024! Further info at Project Horizon. Email Daniela at contact@projecthorizen.com for student/early-career rates. THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜•Thanks to Steph for the coffees! ✨😍 We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Should you join a professional association? (with Sahra O'Doherty and Carly Dober)
27-02-2024
Should you join a professional association? (with Sahra O'Doherty and Carly Dober)
You might have heard that professional associations exist for psychologists -- but what exactly do they do, and what are the benefits of joining one? Bron is joined by two Directors of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi) to chat about what professional associations do for their members, how professional associations collaborate with Government, and where psychology advocacy is headed in the future.  Guests: Sahra O'Doherty (AAPi President) and Carly Dober (AAPi Director). LINKS Check out the AAPi conference, 20-22 March 2024 in BrisbaneThe main professional associations that allow psychologists to join are AAPi, APS, AACBT, ACPA, EMDRAA, ISST, and ACBS. Have a look and see if any resonate with your values. THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• THANKS SO MUCH to Sarah and Anonymous for the recent coffee donations πŸ₯Ή. Even though we are now sponsored by AAPi, the coffee donations still help to cover costs and keep the podcast going. We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Using deliberate practice to improve your therapy skills and confidence (with Aaron Frost)
14-02-2024
Using deliberate practice to improve your therapy skills and confidence (with Aaron Frost)
Bron and Dr Aaron Frost discuss the importance of deliberate practice in the development of psychologists. They highlight that psychologists can reliably improve their skills by collecting client data and working on the areas that are difficult (like client retention), instead of learning therapy after therapy. We talk about πŸ‘‰ What role plays should look like πŸ‘‰πŸΌ Why step-by-step improvement is the goal to therapist skill development πŸ‘‰πŸΎ How to find a deliberate practice supervisor. Guest: Dr Aaron Frost, Director of Benchmark Psychology / Program Lead for the Psychology Registrar Endorsement Program (PREP). LINKS Psychology Registrar Endorsement ProgramAaron's psychology practice - Benchmark PsychologyPsychology Supervisor Training and Approval ProgramBook co-authored by Aaron: "Creating Impact: the four pillars of private psychology practice"Better Results: Using Deliberate Practice to Improve Therapeutic Effectiveness (This is a great intro to deliberate practice!) THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Disability and working effectively in the NDIS (with Dr Katherine Elliston)
07-02-2024
Disability and working effectively in the NDIS (with Dr Katherine Elliston)
Bron and Katherine demystify the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and working effectively with people with a disability. They chat about πŸ‘‰πŸ½ Katherine's insights as a Behaviour Support Practitioner πŸ‘‰πŸ» The importance of understanding the functional behaviour of people living with disabilities πŸ‘‰ Katherine's advocacy work within the disability sector.  Guest: Dr Katherine Elliston, Psychologist / Representative on the Australian Disability Advisory Council (Tas), Deputy Community Chair of the Premier's Disability Advisory Council (Tas). LINKS Where do psychologists fit into the NDIS? Article written by Hannah Kirkwood10 Steps to Excellent NDIS ReportsAustralian Disability Advisory CouncilPremier's Disability Advisory Council THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
PhD curious? Everything you wanted to know (with Dr Michael English)
31-01-2024
PhD curious? Everything you wanted to know (with Dr Michael English)
Dr Bron and Dr Michael deep dive into the world of PhDs. They chat about πŸ‘‰πŸ½ their very different experiences of doing a PhD πŸ‘‰πŸ» How doing a PhD has helped Bron to be a better therapist πŸ‘‰ How Michael has used his PhD as a postdoctoral researcher & PhD supervisor πŸ‘‰πŸΏ Tips, tricks, and considerations if you're thinking of studying a PhD. Guest: Dr Michael English, Postdoctoral Researcher ✨ SPECIAL NEWS ✨ The Mental Work podcast has a NEW sponsor -- The Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi). Check out the announcement on our socials here (Insta) and here (LinkedIn). AAPi works really hard to create a unified, equal, and diverse psychology profession, and these values align perfectly with my own, so I'm THRILLED to have AAPi sponsor the podcast. If you're not already an AAPi member, do check them out and see whether they are right for you: https://bit.ly/JoinAAPI  LINKS Thesis Whisperer THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• We want your episode ideas! What aren't we talking about that early-career psychs need to know? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Mental Work is sponsored by the Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) - Click here to learn more about AAPi and become a member. Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Family therapy: The basics and an intro to relational dynamics (with Marie Vakakis)
17-01-2024
Family therapy: The basics and an intro to relational dynamics (with Marie Vakakis)
Bron and Marie unpack family therapy using the hypothetical case study of the Wilson family, who are finding it hard to be in the same room without arguing, all while navigating work stress and teenage development. They chat about πŸ‘‰πŸ½ When family therapy is appropriate πŸ‘‰πŸ» How to conceptualise presenting concerns in family therapy πŸ‘‰ Common family therapy strategies πŸ‘‰πŸΏ How to understand family dynamics πŸ‘‰πŸΎ Further training and reading recommendations for budding family therapists. Guest: Marie Vakakis, Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW), and Family & Couples Therapist LINKS Article: "We don't need your help but please fix our children" by the Family Systems Institute Book: Mastering Competencies in Family Therapy: A Practical Approach to Theories and Clinical Case Documentation by Diane Gehart Book: Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring Your Best to All of Life's Relationships by Jenny Brown THE END BITS Mental Work is your companion to early-career psychology, hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milkins. Love the podcast? Reviews really help! Leave a rating & review on Apple and Spotify. Keep the pod alive by joining our Patreon for $2 a month 😎 Thanks Matthew for joining up! πŸ₯³πŸŒˆ Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee! β˜• Thanks to Jade for the coffee! Have an early-career question? Send it to our mailbag! Facebook / Instagram / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website / Apply to be a guest / Email Bron CREDITS Producer: Michael English Music: HomeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.