This article aims to summarise the evidence-based paradigm shift in our understanding of loss and grief (culminating in recent changes to diagnostic criteria for psychological ‘disorders’) which now allows those people significantly incapacitated by grief to be recognised and receive access to specific treatment. Additionally it behoves the author to highlight for unwary consumers of... Read more » The post Prolonged Grief Disorder: Recognition & Treatment appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Given our perception that our bosses affect our mental health as much as our partners/spouses (69 percent(1.)), it is unsurprising that the far-reaching impact of work stress on our wellbeing is a growing issue. According to various government and peak body reports, forty percent of people are often or always ‘stressed’ about work and about... Read more » The post Coping with Work Stress appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Inspired by an 800% increase in academic interest over the last three decades, this article aims to outline the evidence-base for the use of Mindfulness in sport and exercise. Testing the reader’s patience, a lengthy description of the general approach precedes a comprehensive summary of the benefits of contemporary Mindful sport and exercise practices. Whilst... Read more » The post The Benefits of Mindfulness in Sport and Exercise appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Inspired by an 800% increase in academic interest over the last three decades, this article aims to outline the evidence-base for the use of Mindfulness in sport and exercise. Testing the reader’s patience, a lengthy description of the general approach precedes a comprehensive summary of the benefits of contemporary Mindful sport and exercise practices. Whilst... Read more » The post The Benefits of Mindfulness in Sport and Exercise appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

With the 2020 Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Australian Mental Health highlighting the need to address trauma as a major social and environmental determinant of poor mental health, and prominent media coverage of recent research indicating women to be more at risk of trauma-related disorders than men, it is timely to examine Post Traumatic Stress Disorder... Read more » The post PTSD in Women: the Unique Signs appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

By adopting a research domain criteria approach, this scoping review of mainstream and grey literature aims to facilitate a more cogent understanding of the (relatively recent) concept of ‘wokeness’ from a psychological perspective. What’s in a name..? The term ‘woke’ can be traced back to pre-war African Americans responding to racist persecution. For example, in... Read more » The post The Psychology of Wokeness appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Introduction This article aims to address issues of individual and family access to psychologists for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants and prospective entrants. Whilst all care has been taken in the fact-based rendering of opinion expressed here, readers are reminded that the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is ultimately responsible for interpreting and administering... Read more » The post Psychology and the NDIS. appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Within the context of recent debate around regulation of the (arguably profligate) technology-enabled gambling industry, this article aims to summarise the current evidence-base informing therapeutic gambling interventions. Warning: although this article includes no gambling-related images likely to amplify incentive salience(Appendix), the information contained herein may evoke some distress for those affected by disordered gambling. Introduction... Read more » The post Understanding Gambling Disorder appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Unswayed by the popular media frenzy surrounding it, this article aims to describe the fundamentals and utility of Porges’(1.) Polyvagal Theory in enhancing modern evidence-based psychotherapy. Introduction: a psychophysiological research-based theory To be clear, ‘Polyvagal theory’ (PT) was not developed as a stand-alone therapy, but a rather achieved recognition as a possible enhancement to, or... Read more » The post Polyvagal Theory appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more

Integral to building strong family supports, this article aims to summarise current research and best practice in navigating family conflict. Like all the best families, we have our share of eccentricities, of impetuous and wayward youngsters and of family disagreements. Queen Elizabeth II Predominantly idealised as the bedrock of society, ‘real’ families embody a complex... Read more » The post Navigating Family Conflict appeared first on Brisbane Counselling Centre ..read more