Dr Johana Stefan - Paediatric Psychiatrist

Dr Johana Stefan - Paediatric Psychiatrist Paediatric and family psychiatry

Dr Johana Stefan is a dually trained paediatric psychiatrist

Dr Stefan has worked as a child psychiatrist in hospital and community settings in metropolitan and regional WA, including Princess Margaret Hospital, Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Complex Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Services in Joondalup and Murdoch. She was a Clinical Senior Lecturer with the University of Western Australia for many years and remains

involved in teaching and mentoring of medical students, postgraduate teaching and examination of psychiatrists and pediatricians in training. Dr Stefan has special interest in school age children with complex presentations, taking a holistic approach to patient care. She values collaborative work with paediatricians, psychologists, schools and families to provide patients with the best possible service.

14/07/2025
Happy school holidays!
14/07/2025

Happy school holidays!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FictNPXLE/
02/07/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FictNPXLE/

When it comes to making a big life decision, it can sometimes feel like your whole future happiness rides on making the "right" choice.

If this sounds familiar, you might have experienced "analysis paralysis".

The burden of choice is something Jemma Sbeg knows well.

She told Sarah Kanowski on ABC Conversations about how she found herself at a crossroads when her podcast, The Psychology of Your 20s, unexpectedly took off.

Jemma had to decide between her podcast and completing her master’s degree to become a clinical psychologist.

"I remember being like, ‘OK, you have to make a choice. You just can’t do both. The podcast is so much work. What are you going to do?'" she said.

As Jemma reassessed her career trajectory, it triggered a "quarter-life crisis".

"It's a big door to open to acknowledge 'I'm unhappy', and then, 'I have to do something about it,'" she said.

So, when we find ourselves at a crossroads, why do we get stuck in indecision?

In a nutshell, as we overthink each path, we fear the potential costs of making the "wrong" choice.

Thankfully, there are strategies to help overcome decision paralysis. Clinical psychologists Zena Burgess and Max Von Sabler suggest to:

⏰ Set yourself a deadline
👀 Reduce your situation to just two options
✍️ Write a list of pros and cons
❤️‍🔥 Explore the underlying emotions holding up your decision
🗣️ Talk with someone you trust for their perspective
🩺 See a psychologist to guide you through the decision

If you’re fearful of regret and still struggling to take that next step, Jemma offers this perspective:

"If you are doing **something**, there's no way that you are doing it wrong," she says.

"Movement will get you somewhere faster than staying still, even if it means you have to turn around and come back."

✍️ Story by Fiona Purcell

02/07/2025
01/07/2025
29/06/2025

New Blog and Free Download are Up!

"When it comes to supporting a PDAer, traditional ideas around respect and authority often backfire.

Not because the student doesn’t care, and not because they lack boundaries or discipline, but because what we’re asking for isn’t respect…it’s compliance.

And often because our traditional approach to ‘respect’ may be rooted in power and control, not connection."

To have a full read, link to article here
https://open.substack.com/pub/laurahellfeld/p/demanding-respect-from-pdaers-in?r=4idypv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Some of the signposting:
PDA North America - Pathological Demand Avoidance
The PDA Space
PDA Society
Programme
Kristy Forbes - Autism & ND Support
Linda K Murphy
Spectrum Space, Clare Truman

- - -
ID. Photo to showcase a new blog. It is of a classroom filled with empty blue chairs and wooden-topped desks. Text 'demanding respect from PDAers in the School Setting'

Seeing things from the child's perspective creates room for growth.
29/06/2025

Seeing things from the child's perspective creates room for growth.

Having a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset decreases judgment and increases curiosity, as beautifully illustrated by Kristin Wiens. Get access to more infographics here: https://self-reg.ca/early-childhood/ ✨

When we see things from the child's perspective, we make room for growth. Good advice as always, from the MEHRIT Centre.
29/06/2025

When we see things from the child's perspective, we make room for growth. Good advice as always, from the MEHRIT Centre.

Having a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset decreases judgment and increases curiosity, as beautifully illustrated by Kristin Wiens. Get access to more infographics here: https://self-reg.ca/early-childhood/ ✨

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Subiaco, WA

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Paediatric and family psychiatry

Dr Stefan has worked as a child psychiatrist in hospital and community settings in metropolitan and regional WA, including Princess Margaret Hospital, Community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Complex Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Services in Joondalup and Murdoch. She was a Clinical Senior Lecturer with the University of Western Australia for many years and remains involved in teaching and mentoring of medical students, postgraduate teaching and examination of psychiatrists and pediatricians in training.

Dr Stefan has special interest in school age children with complex presentations, taking a holistic approach to patient care. She values collaborative work with paediatricians, psychologists, schools and families to provide patients with the best possible service.