From a young age, I was captivated by the complexities of the mind. Growing up in the socioeconomically disadvantaged area of 2168, I was surrounded by the harsh realities of poverty and homelessness. I witnessed aggressive, antisocial behaviours in public areas and saw people at the local medical centre responding to internal stimuli, appearing to be talking to themselves. People around me were being diagnosed with depression and taking medications. This environment sparked not only my curiosity but, more importantly, a sense of empathy. I was always the person who would strike up a conversation with someone at the bus stop, hoping they didn't feel alone or awkward.
During high school, it became trendy to aspire to be a forensic psychologist, so without much thought I pursued my education with this goal in mind. I was equally moved by the deep, resilient, and therapeutic nature of the palliative care nurses who cared for my late father, so nursing remained in the back of my mind. In my third year of university, while sitting in a Bachelor of Psychology lecture, I found myself thinking, "When are we going to start talking to people and understanding their innermost struggles?" The absence of practical placements at the undergraduate level was frustrating for a hands-on learner like me. This realisation led me to transfer to a Bachelor of Nursing — a decision that proved to be life-changing.
In the first semester, I completed an aged care clinical placement and it was exactly the type of practical learning that inspired me. When the mental health placement came along, I was certain this was my calling. After graduation, I worked in both mental health and primary health, eventually merging the two fields. I pursued two postgraduate degrees in mental health — one leading to credentialing with the ACMHN and the other to endorsement as a Nurse Practitioner with AHPRA.
Credentialing allowed me to register as a Medicare provider, practise privately, and eventually lead a PHN mental health model as well as co-design several others. Endorsement led me to private practice, and I have since launched a nurse-led online mental health clinic named NPathy. Being in this field has also opened doors in digital health and health informatics, as well as academic opportunities teaching mental health nursing at the university level. I have also helped shape health policy and clinical governance and continue to champion mental health nurses across Australia.
I have always encouraged empathetic, practical, and passionate individuals to pursue a career in mental health nursing. It is such a varied field — no two days are alike. There are so many areas to specialise in and so many places to work. There are senior, executive, state and federal government nursing roles, but most importantly there is a large cohort of the Australian public that needs us.