I met with midwifery some 15 years ago while working as a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, caring for a women post birth. I was fascinated by how to care for a women so acutely unwell in the context of her being a new mother. I became curious opening up to the idea of midwife and then the feeling dropped in, I felt as though I was walking in the footsteps of my calling.
I enjoyed a variety of nursing specialties such as spinal injury, emergency department, rehabilitation, aged care, neurology and cardiac to name a few. During my time transitioning to midwifery, I distinctly remember the felt sense of our 'life cycle', working one day with those at the end of life in Palliative care and the next with those at the other end of life, midwifing birthing mothers.
The first birth I was witness to was that of my my first nephew, supporting my sister. The first baby i ever 'caught' (delivered) was my second nephew. I was blessed in these experiences to be present with the feminine power in my family.
I have since worked primarily as a Clinical Midwife Specialist in a level 3 teaching hospital in Melbourne. I have worked in all the areas of the Maternity setting with a variety of roles including;
I was born in NZ where my placenta was buried under a tree in accordance in Māori tradition. I believe this has rooted me deeply into mother earth and the natural world which sustains us all. I also lived in Holland and the UK before we came to Australia. I experienced many travels both as a child and adult to locations such as Oman (the middle east), Vietnam and Thailand to name a few. This has given me a wide view of human experience and I bring a deep sense of love for humanity to my work.
I am now a mama of my own two children and both have their own unique story of entering into this world.
I live along the Birrarrung in a bushy area with many other creatures who call this place home. I am an adventurer and love to spend most of my time outdoors both exploring new places and also sinking deeper into places i feel a sense of belonging.
I am studying a Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy, as I have always been fascinated by our human consciousness and psyche. I believe that my role as a midwife, having supported hundreds of women through the 'rite of passage' transition into motherhood brings a deep and grounded ability to hold space for other deep personal transformation. Furthermore, developing the therapeutic interpersonal communication, and intimate listening skills of a counselor and psychotherapist brings a richness to my midwifery practice and much needed skills in healing from Birth Trauma as well as preparing for birth by healing from life events that may impact ones birthing journey.
Qualifications
Registration
Achievements/ Publications
Additional training counselling/psychotherapy
Additional education midwifery
Voluntary work:
I enjoyed a variety of nursing specialties such as spinal injury, emergency department, rehabilitation, aged care, neurology and cardiac to name a few. During my time transitioning to midwifery, I distinctly remember the felt sense of our 'life cycle', working one day with those at the end of life in Palliative care and the next with those at the other end of life, midwifing birthing mothers.
The first birth I was witness to was that of my my first nephew, supporting my sister. The first baby i ever 'caught' (delivered) was my second nephew. I was blessed in these experiences to be present with the feminine power in my family.
I have since worked primarily as a Clinical Midwife Specialist in a level 3 teaching hospital in Melbourne. I have worked in all the areas of the Maternity setting with a variety of roles including;
- Antenatal clinic
- Operating theatre
- Fetal monitoring unit
- Birth Centre (for low risk, natural birth)
- Caseload. Maternity Group Practice
- High Dependency Unit
- Birth Suite
- Postnatal Ward
- Home visits
- Research and Education
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific Antenatal Clinic
- Breast Feeding Support Service
I was born in NZ where my placenta was buried under a tree in accordance in Māori tradition. I believe this has rooted me deeply into mother earth and the natural world which sustains us all. I also lived in Holland and the UK before we came to Australia. I experienced many travels both as a child and adult to locations such as Oman (the middle east), Vietnam and Thailand to name a few. This has given me a wide view of human experience and I bring a deep sense of love for humanity to my work.
I am now a mama of my own two children and both have their own unique story of entering into this world.
I live along the Birrarrung in a bushy area with many other creatures who call this place home. I am an adventurer and love to spend most of my time outdoors both exploring new places and also sinking deeper into places i feel a sense of belonging.
I am studying a Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy, as I have always been fascinated by our human consciousness and psyche. I believe that my role as a midwife, having supported hundreds of women through the 'rite of passage' transition into motherhood brings a deep and grounded ability to hold space for other deep personal transformation. Furthermore, developing the therapeutic interpersonal communication, and intimate listening skills of a counselor and psychotherapist brings a richness to my midwifery practice and much needed skills in healing from Birth Trauma as well as preparing for birth by healing from life events that may impact ones birthing journey.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Postgraduate Diploma of Midwifery
- Screening Diagnostics Pharmacology and Prescribing for Midwives
- Certificate of Couselling
- Masters of Counselling and Psychotherapy (currently enrolled)
Registration
- AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)
- Student membership with PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation Australia)
Achievements/ Publications
- Finalist in HESTA graduate nurse of the year award
- Publication in Nursing Review regarding project of informed consent for Induction of Labour
- Article on my work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women
- The results of an important Study of Caseload care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, for which i collected data
Additional training counselling/psychotherapy
- ASIST Suicide prevention training
- Working with Sexual Issues (PACFA)
- Psychoanalysis and the Body's relational journey (PACFA)
Additional education midwifery
- Mercy Hospital for Women mandatory competencies
- Birth Trauma Training, online
- Annual completion of Fetal Surveillance Education Package
- Educational Tour of Rumbalara- Shepparton Aboriginal Health Service
- Educational Tour of Victorian Aboriginal Health Service
- Australian College of Midwives (ACM) membership until
- Global Obstetric Update
- Medical Disorders in Pregnancy
- Women’s Alcohol and Drug Service
- Discharge examination of newborn
- Perineal suturing competency
- Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training (PROMPT) trainers course
- Hepatitis C/HIV pre and post-test discussion course
- Adult Resuscitation Assessors course
- Deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis course
- Intravenous cannulation accreditation course
- Intradermal sterile water injections
- Acupressure for the perinatal period, professional development workshop
- Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand, symposium
- Lean basics for manager’s seminar
Voluntary work:
- Event Assistant for Maternity Coalition Movie nights
- Assisted with the initiation and development of an undergraduate student Bursary fund
- Tutor in Evidence Based Practice seminar for medical students, Melbourne University
- Development and execution of felt-making workshop for people with disabilities
