On my return to Australia I pursued my growing interest in children with special needs and transferred to special education in the late 1970's working as a teacher with hearing impaired (HI) children and later with physically impaired (PI) children. Following my teaching experience with these children I was appointed as an Advisory Visiting Teacher (HI). I then completed a Graduate Diploma in Special Education (cerebral palsy and orthopaedically handicapped) and taught for an number of years at the New Farm Special School (in Brisbane). After my teaching I was then appointed as an Advisory Visiting Teacher (PI). I also continued my part-time study at The University of Queensland completing my B.A. majoring in psychology and B.Ed.St. majoring in special education. I was then selected for guidance training (school counselling) and completed my Diploma in School Counselling and worked for two years doing country service. On my return to Brisbane I completed my M.Ed.St. part-time and became involved in a number of other professional activities.
In the early 1980's along with three paediatricians and two educational specialists, I was instrumental in establishing the Mater Learning Clinic, which was the first combined private medical and educational clinic inQueensland. At that time I became one of the first Education Queensland employees to work in a permanent part-time status, and used the time to established my own private practice at the Wesley Hospital (Private Practice Centre) and the Mater Hospital (Mater Staff Specialists Private Practice Clinic). This private clinic continues to be a major emphasis of my work (Professional Services Outline). A significant amount of the work within this clinic originates from outsideAustralia including the Asia Pacific region and North America.
From 1997 to 2001 I continued my research activities within my Ph.D. where I undertook a longitudinal study of the issues surrounding the early literacy development of one child in each of 30 families (Ph.D. abstract and summary).
Dip.T.; Grad.Dip.Spec.Ed.; Dip.Sch.Couns.; B.A.; B.Ed.St.; M.Ed.St.; PhD.
Member of the Australian Psychological Society, College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists (# 108643)
Registered Psychologist (QLD #1023547: N.S.W. #PS0072435: Singapore)
Member of the Singapore Psychological Society
Member of the Australian Guidance and Counselling Association (Q83/050)
Queensland College of Teachers, Registered Teacher (QLD # 185180)