Welcome to Reflective Practice Group

Chris Dawber

Psychotherapist, group facilitator, clinical supervisor & credentialed mental health nurse.

I am a mental health nurse with 40 years experience working with health care professionals, non-government agencies and emergency services in a range of public and private settings. I have a history of involvement with peer support programs and the mental health consumer movement, dating back to the early 1990’s. I have established and run disaster recovery, critical incident stress management and reflective practice group programs in a range of institutional and community settings.

I have been providing clinical supervision for over 25 years; having trained at the University of Queensland, ‘Mindful’ Centre in Victoria  and Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning.  I have particular experience in, and passion for, the facilitation of reflective practice groups and supervision of supervision. In 2006 I began researching and developing a reflective practice group model as a form of group clinical supervision for nurses and midwives.

My Integrative approach draws from Humanistic-Existential, Interpersonal, Psycho-dynamic,Ego-state and Cognitive Behavioural frameworks; including the use of mindfulness techniques and hypnosis. I have a particular interest in the mental health of health professionals and support workers; with a focus on the interpersonal aspects and personal costs of caring, exploring ways to enhance effectiveness and resilience.

Qualifications:

Master of MH: Psychotherapy (UQ)

Master of Mental Health Nursing (USC)

Certificate of Developmental Psychiatry – Melbourne

Post Graduate Certificate in Clinical Hypnosis & Strategic Therapy (AICHP)

Credentialed Mental health Nurse (ACMHN)

Dave Baker

Counsellor, group facilitator, clinical supervisor, educator & credentialed mental health nurse

Counsellor, group facilitator, clinical supervisor, educator & credentialed mental health nurse
I am mental health nurse and counsellor with over thirty years’ experience in government and non-government organisations. I have coordinated and facilitated groupwork in the mental health sector since the early 1990s, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. As an experienced clinical supervisor, I have delivered supervision for ten years and deliver statewide multidisciplinary supervision training programs.

Drawing off Rogerian person-centred therapy and, more recently (since 2021), the Dawber model (Dawber 2013) for reflective practice groups (RPGs) my aim always is to create psychological safety which will allow individuals and groups to freely express inner thoughts and feelings without judgement. I believe that good quality supervision, whether it be group or as an individual, is an essential component of being a healthy and effective health practitioner.

Qualifications:

Master of Mental Health Practice (Griffith University)

Postgraduate Certificate in Psychosocial Interventions and Behavioural Family Therapy (Bedfordshire University, UK)

QC4 Supervisor, QC12 Supervising Supervisors (Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning. Accredited to deliver QC4)

Teaching Adult Learners (City and Guilds, UK)
Certificate in Counselling in the Development of Learning (Royal Society of Arts, UK)

Accredited Reflective Practice Group Facilitator (Dawber model)

Credentialed Mental Health Nurse (ACMHN, AHPRA)

Photo Credit:Louis Lim