Narelle Dickinson Psychologist Queensland

Our Story

Narelle Dickinson is a Clinical and Health Psychologist and fertility counsellor working in Brisbane (Australia). She speaks with people about a whole range of issues, but most often, clients come to discuss their infertility, or the treatment they are undertaking to help them achieve a pregnancy, including donor conception and surrogacy. She has a particular passion for working with people who have experienced pregnancy or neonatal loss .mugshot crop Narelle’s Professional Background Clinical and Health Psychologist Churchill Fellow (2015) Member Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association (MANZICA) Narelle has been a Psychologist in Queensland since 1995 and is currently endorsed as a Clinical and Health Psychologist. She has been actively involved in her profession, not only as a clinician, but also within various professional boards and organisations. She is a 2015 Churchill Fellow Recipient, investigating the risks and implications of Cross Border surrogacy for Australians. For eight years she served as member of the Psychology Board of Australia and has practiced in government and non-government settings, in the areas of mental health, women’s health, fertility, paediatric services, relationships counselling, physical health and disability. She currently operates a private psychology practice with a focus on women’s mental health. A key aspect of her practice is the provision of counselling to individuals and couples either contemplating or undertaking assisted reproductive treatment. Narelle is well-known and respected in the fertility and counselling industries. She has worked in infertility counselling since 2003 and has been involved in surrogacy counselling since the enactment of the Queensland Surrogacy Act 2010. She is an active member of ANZICA and was involved in preparing the ANZICA (Australia and New Zealand Infertility Association) submission during consultations leading up to enactment of this legislation, and presented the submission in person to the Queensland Surrogacy Review Committee in 2009 (the bipartisan parliamentary standing committee considering surrogacy at that time). Narelle is committed to the ongoing professional development of psychologists and counsellors, as a means to ensure the best possible service delivery for clients. She has demonstrated this commitment by conceiving and coordinating the professional development workshop program Essential Topics in Psychology which ran statewide for three years. Furthermore she has assisted in the organisation and management of a number of national psychology conferences. She has presented inservice workshops on a range of topics including fertility, grief and loss, sexual abuse, and clinical initiatives in maternal mental health care to a range of practitioners, NGOs and Government service providers. She has undertaken postgraduate research and coursework study in psychology and has lectured psychologists engaged in both undergraduate and postgraduate study at UQ, QUT, ACU and Shaftson University. Narelle provides clinical and health psychology supervision and mentoring to psychology students and registered psychologists. Narelle is a member of the Advisory Group providing strategic advice to the Vasa Praevia Project coordinated by the International Vasa Praevia Foundation. She is an active member of her general community (eg: local school P&C Vice President, Board member Mental Health Association) as well as the psychological community (eg: APS, AACBT, ANZICA), as evidenced by her membership of various boards and committees (frequently as executive member), editorship of newsletters and contributions to newsletters, community newspapers and other organisational activities. Summary of qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in the Field of Psychology University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD Awarded 1994 Key Areas of Practice in Clinical Psychology: Depression and other mood disorders Anxiety disorders Adjustment Disorder Grief and Bereavement Stress management Assertiveness and social skills development Workplace issues and conflict resolution Work-life balance Couple and relationship therapy Key Areas of Practice in Health Psychology: Psychological management of chronic health conditions Psychological management of pain Adjustment and coping to health diagnosis Psychological management of fertility, gynaecology and obstetrics conditions Supervision Supervision and ethics consultation for psychologists and other mental health professionals

Professional memberships and registrations Psychology Board of Australia (Registration PSY0001395336 – registered in QLD since 1997) Fertility Society of Australia (Member since 2007) Australian and New Zealand Infertility Counselors Association (ANZICA) (Member since 2003) Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapists (AACBT) (Member since 1994) Marce Society (Member since 2006)

Board/Committee Executive Member: Current Membership: Steering Committee for the Master of Applied Psychology (University of Queensland). Advisory Group – Vasa Praevia Project (coordinated by the International Vasa Praevia Foundation). Past Membership: Psychology Board of Australia, Queensland Committee (previously the QLD Psychologists Registration Board). Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association. Australian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapists (Qld Branch). Queensland Mental Health Association. Churchill Fellowship Association Queensland

Professional experience September 2002- Current: Private Psychology Practice Narelle manages a private practice operating from a number of metropolitan practice addresses. The specific focus of this practice is providing psychological support to women undertaking fertility, gynecology and obstetric management. In addition to a specific clinical interest in women’s mental health, Narelle offers general counselling and psychology services for both individuals and couples. January 2009 – Current Care Fertility (Formerly Assisted Conception Australia) Consultant Psychologist/Counsellor May 2014 – Current: Greenslopes Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant Psychologist/Counsellor July 2015 – Current: Bears of Hope Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Service Consultant Psychologist/Counsellor February 2015 – Current: Australian Catholic University Course coordinator and Lecturer for the Master of Clinical Psychology. Clinical Supervisor to students on placement within the Master of Clinical Psychology Program. June 2009 – Current: University of Queensland Placement co-ordinator for the Master of Applied Psychology program. Clinical Supervisor to students on placement within the Master of Applied Psychology Program. Clinical Counselling Skills tutor for the Department of Medicine. January 2009 – August 2012: Essential Topics in Psychology Narelle founded Essential Topics in Psychology in 2009, making links with speakers and co- ordinating all aspects of the co-ordination, logistics, administration, marketing and obtaining APS accreditation for the workshop series. January 2004 – June 2012: Psychology Board of Australia Member of the Queensland Committee of the Psychology Board of Australia and the Disciplinary Subcommittee of the Board (prior to 2010: Queensland Registration Board). September 2006 – April 2009: Queensland Health Principal Project Officer in a number of projects focusing on initiatives for improving workforce recruitment, retention and productivity within the department. June 2004 – November 2004: Shaftson University Course co-ordinator and lecturer. March 2003 – June 2004: Mater Hospitals Psychologist/counsellor for the Nuchal Translucency screening program. August 2001 – March 2003: Queensland Health Psychologist with the Mental Health Promotion and Youth Su***de Prevention Programs. June 1999 – August 2001: Queensland Health Health Psychologist for the Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Service at Mater Public Adult and Mothers Hospitals, and QEII Hospital. 1995 – 1999: Various roles as Psychologist in the Health and Disability Sector