Senior Psychologists: Professional Support & Development
We value the wisdom that comes with experience, talent, and skill of professional maturity. The ongoing desire to stay fresh, inspired, and updated, underpins our ongoing support to senior therapists. We offer the opportunity for senior psychologists to have he opportunity to participate or develop:
At 4thought, we see the value in having team members with "fresh eyes" on treatment approaches, an eagerness to learn, develop, and invest in expanding and refining therapeutic techniques and approaches. We are passionate and have strong values in investing into the profession to develop capable and exceptional practitioners to support the community. We believe strongly in rigorous training within our profession with supportive mentoring and skilled senior therapists. Our whole team thrives on the enthusiasm and curiosity our intern program and provisional psychologists bring with them and create.
The Pathway, is a program especially developed by the Director and senior psychologist for provisional psychologists, mental health providers and those new to registration. Our meetings cover the foundations of practitioner’s skills needed, we also recognise the benefit of being fluid to incorporate interests of the group, areas of challenge and strengths.
Weekly meetings focus on and progress through stages to cover:
We value the wisdom that comes with experience, talent, and skill of professional maturity. The ongoing desire to stay fresh, inspired, and updated, underpins our ongoing support to senior therapists. We offer the opportunity for senior psychologists to have he opportunity to participate or develop:
- Mentor roles.
- Clinical placements and training for supervisor roles within 4thought's community.
- Continued extensions of skills through our fortnightly supervision meetings specifically targeting senior case reviews. Experiential training and extensions of therapeutic exercises and resources to extend the repertoire of tools used in therapy. This has included extensions to EMDR activation tools, polyvagal exercises to reduce anxiety, parts therapy, brain spotting collaborative therapeutic application, EFT, yoga, and trauma body exercises to process muscle memory.
- Encouragement and support for practitioners to follow their passions and create diversity and texture in their professional career in the development of workshops, seminars, and ability to use our onsite purpose-built group room that facilitates a creative and beautiful space amongst our gardens.
At 4thought, we see the value in having team members with "fresh eyes" on treatment approaches, an eagerness to learn, develop, and invest in expanding and refining therapeutic techniques and approaches. We are passionate and have strong values in investing into the profession to develop capable and exceptional practitioners to support the community. We believe strongly in rigorous training within our profession with supportive mentoring and skilled senior therapists. Our whole team thrives on the enthusiasm and curiosity our intern program and provisional psychologists bring with them and create.
The Pathway, is a program especially developed by the Director and senior psychologist for provisional psychologists, mental health providers and those new to registration. Our meetings cover the foundations of practitioner’s skills needed, we also recognise the benefit of being fluid to incorporate interests of the group, areas of challenge and strengths.
Weekly meetings focus on and progress through stages to cover:
- Building the foundation skills of the practitioner in building rapport, creating consistency in therapy and engagement of clients
- Skills in the management of “family of origin” presentations, working collaboratively with parents and children without breaching confidentiality
- 1st session: history taking, balancing client expectations, procedures and policies that assist in boundary setting, engagement and improving therapeutic outcomes.
- Mindfulness within the practitioner: transference, countertransference, appropriate self-disclosure
- Incorporating different therapeutic approaches/tools/strategies/frameworks: Play therapy, EMDR, ACT, IFS, Polyvagal tools/exercises, anxiety, and depression tools
- Note writing, Gp letters
- Risk assessment and management
- Key areas of that groups unique or individual practitioner’s interest
- Case management and discussions
- COVID safety and management of exposure risk
- Skills in telehealth and engaging clients and children
- Flexibility and Fluid approach to these meetings enables the practitioners to cover topics of interest and expand knowledge.
How do we value and prioritise the wellbeing of our practitioners?
Case load balance
When a practitioner joins the practice, we spend time exploring and identifying client presentations that are areas of strength, challenge, inspiration, and concern. Our intake team get to know you well so that we can refer clients that compliment your style, expertise, and create texture in the work that you do. We recognise that practitioners have an integral part and involvement in clients that complement their case balance and extension of skills. Our practitioners play an active role in client allocation, and we encourage practitioners to work collaboratively to anticipate adjustments to maintain a healthy case load.
We invite practitioners to let us know if their caseload is too top heavy with a particular presentation or age group and wish for clients from a specific referral population. This is especially important to protect practitioners from burn out and taking on too many at risk or complex clients, or to add complexity to lighter loads.
Our culture
4thought psychology has a culture that is open, transparent, respectful, and honest. We encourage all members of our practice to take concerns or insights directly to the person that can make the difference, so that, as a practice, we all 'walk our talk, and live our values' with integrity and kindness. Our choice to work together is out of mutual respect and the acknowledgement that great things are born from supportive and creative groups who work together using the same values and principles.
Case load balance
When a practitioner joins the practice, we spend time exploring and identifying client presentations that are areas of strength, challenge, inspiration, and concern. Our intake team get to know you well so that we can refer clients that compliment your style, expertise, and create texture in the work that you do. We recognise that practitioners have an integral part and involvement in clients that complement their case balance and extension of skills. Our practitioners play an active role in client allocation, and we encourage practitioners to work collaboratively to anticipate adjustments to maintain a healthy case load.
We invite practitioners to let us know if their caseload is too top heavy with a particular presentation or age group and wish for clients from a specific referral population. This is especially important to protect practitioners from burn out and taking on too many at risk or complex clients, or to add complexity to lighter loads.
Our culture
4thought psychology has a culture that is open, transparent, respectful, and honest. We encourage all members of our practice to take concerns or insights directly to the person that can make the difference, so that, as a practice, we all 'walk our talk, and live our values' with integrity and kindness. Our choice to work together is out of mutual respect and the acknowledgement that great things are born from supportive and creative groups who work together using the same values and principles.
What are the benefits of being part of the 4thought team?
At the root of our practice is the ethos of supporting meaningful connections, contentment, and purpose in our lives and with others.
Complimentary use of Cenre4life venue
We offer our practitioners private access to our beautiful onsite function space, Centre 4 Life, to host private and COVID-safe functions for their family and friends on an annual basis.
Weekly professional development and mentoring
We provide two-tier professional development and mentoring support for both senior practitioners and those on an intern pathway or new to the profession. These sessions include skills and therapeutic intervention training, case presentations, coaching and practical application.
Daily touch stone times for case needs
Between 1-2pm every day, practitioners are given the opportunity to speak with the principle psychologist or senior psychologist onsite for case support. It is important that there is regular onsite support for cases that require attention that do not fit the supervision timetabling. It is one of the greatest advantages 4thought as a group practice can provide with its collegial support and reassurance that professional responses to critical cases have been actioned appropriately.
Valuing practitioner contribution
We recognise and value exceptional skill and dedication to making a positive difference to the community and others lives. We enjoy celebrating the unique contributions of practitioners through a peer nomination process where we can acknowledge and celebrate their achievements.
Ethics and contract agreements
Our highest priority is that our agreements together are extensions of our professional ethics and code of conduct. Our contract agreements for subcontractors and employed positions are developed and authored by the law firm, Hunt and Hunt, and is endorsed by the Australian Psychological Society. New and exiting practitioners are invited to consult with a Hunt and Hunt representative to ensure they receive a smooth and collaborative transition in or out of the 4thought community.
At the root of our practice is the ethos of supporting meaningful connections, contentment, and purpose in our lives and with others.
Complimentary use of Cenre4life venue
We offer our practitioners private access to our beautiful onsite function space, Centre 4 Life, to host private and COVID-safe functions for their family and friends on an annual basis.
Weekly professional development and mentoring
We provide two-tier professional development and mentoring support for both senior practitioners and those on an intern pathway or new to the profession. These sessions include skills and therapeutic intervention training, case presentations, coaching and practical application.
Daily touch stone times for case needs
Between 1-2pm every day, practitioners are given the opportunity to speak with the principle psychologist or senior psychologist onsite for case support. It is important that there is regular onsite support for cases that require attention that do not fit the supervision timetabling. It is one of the greatest advantages 4thought as a group practice can provide with its collegial support and reassurance that professional responses to critical cases have been actioned appropriately.
Valuing practitioner contribution
We recognise and value exceptional skill and dedication to making a positive difference to the community and others lives. We enjoy celebrating the unique contributions of practitioners through a peer nomination process where we can acknowledge and celebrate their achievements.
Ethics and contract agreements
Our highest priority is that our agreements together are extensions of our professional ethics and code of conduct. Our contract agreements for subcontractors and employed positions are developed and authored by the law firm, Hunt and Hunt, and is endorsed by the Australian Psychological Society. New and exiting practitioners are invited to consult with a Hunt and Hunt representative to ensure they receive a smooth and collaborative transition in or out of the 4thought community.
Administration support
We value a responsive and future-focused administrative team with senior staff and a skilled team to ensure our procedures and technology is streamlined. The admin team works to reduce the time our practitioners spend on administration requirements of mental health programs, case notes, letters, and other correspondence. We continue to unlock the possibilities of new systems and deliver increased efficiencies whilst maintaining compliance.
Our practice manager, Narda Harris, lends her comprehensive experience in specialist medical and health care administration roles, customer service, and operational management to continue to elevate, and lead our practice's administrative functions. Investing in these areas has helped reinforce the foundations which will further strengthen our effectiveness and support our success.
The practice support enables practitioners to take annual leave with the peace of mind that caseloads are managed during their absence, client support put in place and a continued referral stream engaged to optimise their diary upon their return.
We value a responsive and future-focused administrative team with senior staff and a skilled team to ensure our procedures and technology is streamlined. The admin team works to reduce the time our practitioners spend on administration requirements of mental health programs, case notes, letters, and other correspondence. We continue to unlock the possibilities of new systems and deliver increased efficiencies whilst maintaining compliance.
Our practice manager, Narda Harris, lends her comprehensive experience in specialist medical and health care administration roles, customer service, and operational management to continue to elevate, and lead our practice's administrative functions. Investing in these areas has helped reinforce the foundations which will further strengthen our effectiveness and support our success.
The practice support enables practitioners to take annual leave with the peace of mind that caseloads are managed during their absence, client support put in place and a continued referral stream engaged to optimise their diary upon their return.
Opportunities to generate additional income
Our onsite studio facilities give practitioners a unique opportunity to develop their own group workshops or seminars. This opens up possibilities to positively impact clients in new ways and generate new personal income streams. Practitioners have the option to rent the space and facilitate these independently or collegially join in partnership ventures. Some of the initiatives may include specialist group workshops, seminars, resilience groups, parenting seminars and clinical supervisory roles.
Engagement of a business mentor
This will provide us with even greater insight into growth and sustainability strategies that ensures our success, strengthen our model, and future-proof our practice.
Mindful management and leadership
Mindfulness, for us, means that our team, regardless of the position held in the practice, is valued as an integral part of our ecosystem. We thrive upon openness to share ideas, curiosity on how we can improve and grow, and the willingness to work towards common goals.
Bringing compassion and curiosity to our interactions are the foundation of a safe place for our team. Greatness comes from the creations of trusting partnerships.
Our onsite studio facilities give practitioners a unique opportunity to develop their own group workshops or seminars. This opens up possibilities to positively impact clients in new ways and generate new personal income streams. Practitioners have the option to rent the space and facilitate these independently or collegially join in partnership ventures. Some of the initiatives may include specialist group workshops, seminars, resilience groups, parenting seminars and clinical supervisory roles.
Engagement of a business mentor
This will provide us with even greater insight into growth and sustainability strategies that ensures our success, strengthen our model, and future-proof our practice.
Mindful management and leadership
Mindfulness, for us, means that our team, regardless of the position held in the practice, is valued as an integral part of our ecosystem. We thrive upon openness to share ideas, curiosity on how we can improve and grow, and the willingness to work towards common goals.
Bringing compassion and curiosity to our interactions are the foundation of a safe place for our team. Greatness comes from the creations of trusting partnerships.