Dr Kate Owen

06/03/2026

Hi everyone, I will be out of the office from March 6th and returning Monday March 23rd 2026.

I will return emails and phone calls when I return.

Take Care
Kate

26/02/2026

New Workshop!

Looking forward to working with leaders in Youth Justice today and amplifying their skills in Systemic Reflective Practice.

Together, we will be exploring how reflective thinking strengthens decision-making, sharpens professional curiosity, and enhances collaboration across systems.

By slowing down our thinking, examining assumptions, and considering the broader relational and organisational context, leaders can model the kind of reflective culture that improves outcomes for children, young people, and families.

Thank you Compass Seminars AUS for the collaboration :)

25/02/2026

Good morning Townsville!

I loved walking to my workshop this morning and seeing the iconic Castle Hill. Very grateful the humidity was not too bad and my hair has not turned into a ball of frizz 😊

Looking forward to working with Youth Justice workers today and talking about collaborative practice.

Thanks to for the collaboration 🙌🏻

25/02/2026

Your February newsletter has arrived 😊

It’s waiting in your inbox. Grab a cup of tea, take five quiet minutes, and have a read. I hope something inside sparks a new idea, a fresh perspective, or simply a moment of encouragement in your week.

17/02/2026

Day 1 of Key Skills in Family Therapy in beautiful Ballina NSW with child and youth practitioners travelling from Tweed Heads all the way to Grafton.

Looking forward to exploring the region this afternoon.

Any suggestions for walking trails and dinner options welcome ☺️

05/02/2026

For Team Leaders and Managers in the Youth Justice sector, reflective conversations often require constant movement between different positions.

At different moments they may be:
• a formal practice supervisor.
• a manager, holding organisational and legislative accountability.
• a statutory steward, carrying risk and legal responsibility.
• a teacher, supporting learning and skill development.
• a mentor, drawing on experience to guide growth.
• a colleague, thinking alongside staff who are doing demanding work

Without a clear process, this can feel messy, unsafe, or confusing - both for leaders and for staff.

That’s why I am running a one-day workshop for Youth Justice Team Leaders and Managers focused on learning a clear, systemic reflective practice process in collaboration with Compass Seminars Australia

Participants will be supported to:
• Learn a step-by-step structure for reflective thinking and conversations.
• Practise using the process for self-reflection, formal supervision, and mentoring.
• Develop confidence navigating the complexity of multiple roles.
• Leave with a practical template that can be adapted to their own teams and contexts.

This work isn’t about choosing one role over another. It’s about learning a process that helps leaders move between roles intentionally, safely, and transparently.

Looking forward to connecting with the Youth Justice leaders very soon :)

03/02/2026

Treatment getting stuck with complex families? You're not alone.

Key Skills in Family Therapy is a 2-day intensive with Dr Kate Owen covering systemic, structural, solution-focused and narrative approaches. You'll leave with practical tools for assessment, genograms, circular questioning, reframing, and strategies for engaging resistant family members.

Perfect for professionals in therapeutic, community, or health settings wanting to elevate their practice in 2026!

📍 Wollongong | 30 Apr – 1 May 2026
⭐ 4.92/5 rating | 15 CPD hours | ACA approved
🎟️ Early bird $580 (save $100) – ends 9 April

Limited to 40 seats.

4.92 out of 5 ⭐ "Exceptional"

✅ AMAZING! Really jam packed, but with enough opportunities for reflection and practice. - Social Worker

✅ Excellent, Excellent , thank you so much. Great in-depth knowledge and practices about FT. - Psychologist/ School Counsellor

✅ Brilliant course. I have learnt so much and was impressed by the calibre of presentation. Feel inspired to learn more. - Social Worker

Book today at:

https://www.compassaustralia.com.au/event/key-skills-in-family-therapy-ksftwol310725

03/02/2026

02/02/2026

A little choked up and a glow beaming from my heart as I embrace the warm words and gifts of gratitude from a long term supervisee today who is heading on to her next adventure.

To this wonderful person,
I am grateful our paths crossed and I was apart of your journey. I will smile whenever I think of you, and know that you are doing amazing things in the world.

01/02/2026

We are not aiming for perfection.
We are aiming for progress.

These were the words that I heard on Friday when I was enjoying a yoga class with

She was referring to the stretch we were holding but I thought to myself…you’re right.

It’s not about being perfect every day or doing things to perfection, but rather the small consistent efforts of progressing in whatever way that means to us.

Maybe it’s about that small step in the direction we want, or maybe resisting the urge to keep “doing more”.

My small steps of progress lately have been improving my fitness for a multi day hike in New Zealand in March and saying no to things to create more time to just be.

I definitely need to keep working on both of these things, but Michelle’s words are in my ears.

Not perfection.
Progress.

28/01/2026

What’s behind you doesn’t define you.
What’s ahead of you is out of your control.

What matters is what’s already inside you…the strength, resilience, and courage you bring into every moment.

Keep going.

You’re carrying more power than you think.

22/01/2026

What a week! Starting the week running Advanced Skills in Systemic Practice for Child and Youth Mental Health teams, and finishing the week running Working Systemically with Stakeholders for Youth Justice.

I love how systems thinking and practice applies to SO MANY areas!

And then ready to recharge and refresh over the long weekend.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are somewhere in the world with people you love or doing the things you love.