Pascalle Bosboom
Perth
0432 585 216
pbosboom@ppcgroup.com.au
Interests:
- adults and older adults
- broad range of neuropsychological services
cheers,
Izabela
Izabela
Friday, December 14, 2012
Neuropsychologists in Private Practice - Western Australia
This entry is listing contact details of private practicing neuropsychologists in Western Australia. Or, in fact it is only listing one private practicing neuropsychologist. I am sure there is more! If you practice in Western Australia and your details are not here, please let me know, and I'll add you to this entry.
Neuropsychologists in Private Practice - ACT
As I mentioned before, we don't really have an mechanism for finding out about other private practicing neuropsychologists in our area. So, at the CCN Conference Private Practice Forum, we shared our details to be published on this blog, and, in the future, compiled into a directory. Today is the first instalment of contact details, starting with Australian Capital Territory. If you practice in or close to ACT and your details are not here, please let me know, and I'll add you to this entry.
Ursula Johns
Canberra
ursulajoh@hotmail.com
ph: 0403 916 671
Population: adult community neuropsychology
Judy Buchholz
Simply Psychology (ACT)
ph: 0404 370 572
email: judy@simpsyc.com
Private rooms in Tuggeranong ACT
Areas of interest:
cheers,
Izabela
Ursula Johns
Canberra
ursulajoh@hotmail.com
ph: 0403 916 671
Population: adult community neuropsychology
Judy Buchholz
Simply Psychology (ACT)
ph: 0404 370 572
email: judy@simpsyc.com
Private rooms in Tuggeranong ACT
Areas of interest:
- Geriatrics
- Learning disabilities
- TBI/ABI
- Behaviour management
- Clinical counselling and therapy
- Neuropsychological assessment
cheers,
Izabela
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Acquired Brain Injury and Intellectual Disability and Prison
The other day I met with Lachlan Dunrick in Port Philip Prison. He is a Prison Services Coordinator of the DHS and is organising services for intellectually disabled and brain injured prisoners in Victoria. A very interesting meeting, and I thought I'd share the information on the blog.
First of all, he made me aware of a research paper on acquired brain injury in the Victorian prison system (available on the internet here). A nice study, screening prisoners who entered the system and then confirming the possibility of brain damage with a full neuropsychological assessment. The study found that 42% of males and 33% of females entering the prison system had an acquired brain injury. These numbers may be an underestimation, because only 75% of all male and 58% of female prisoners entering the system agreed to participate in the study.
Also, I found out that there is a separate unit for brain injured and intellectually disabled prisoners at Port Phillip Prison. The prisoners have to need a bit of extra care and to agree to participate in the services. The unit is much nicer than the rest of the prison - with flower beds and quite a bit of greenery, and the prisoners work in a small horticultural area in the unit rather than working in the prison factory with the mainstream prisoners. The prisoners who receive the disability services (in the unit or outside) are also helped to obtain appropriate help upon release from prison.
Lachlan pointed me to the Service Access Policy of the DHS (available here). It has a nice definition of disability due to an acquired brain injury, which may be worthwhile to consider in our reports when we are recommending services. Lachlan hoped that we can address this definition in our reports, which would make determining whether the person can access services somewhat easier.
So, disability is:
A sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination thereof, which
First of all, he made me aware of a research paper on acquired brain injury in the Victorian prison system (available on the internet here). A nice study, screening prisoners who entered the system and then confirming the possibility of brain damage with a full neuropsychological assessment. The study found that 42% of males and 33% of females entering the prison system had an acquired brain injury. These numbers may be an underestimation, because only 75% of all male and 58% of female prisoners entering the system agreed to participate in the study.
Also, I found out that there is a separate unit for brain injured and intellectually disabled prisoners at Port Phillip Prison. The prisoners have to need a bit of extra care and to agree to participate in the services. The unit is much nicer than the rest of the prison - with flower beds and quite a bit of greenery, and the prisoners work in a small horticultural area in the unit rather than working in the prison factory with the mainstream prisoners. The prisoners who receive the disability services (in the unit or outside) are also helped to obtain appropriate help upon release from prison.
Lachlan pointed me to the Service Access Policy of the DHS (available here). It has a nice definition of disability due to an acquired brain injury, which may be worthwhile to consider in our reports when we are recommending services. Lachlan hoped that we can address this definition in our reports, which would make determining whether the person can access services somewhat easier.
So, disability is:
A sensory, physical or neurological impairment or acquired brain injury or any combination thereof, which
- is likely to be permanent, and
- causes a substantially reduced capacity in at least one of the areas of self care, self management, mobility or communication, and
- requires significant ongoing or long term episodic support, and
- is not related to ageing, or
An intellectual disability, or
A developmental delay.
He also agreed to me putting up his details on the blog and was happy for neuropsychologists to contact him if they needed some information. His details are:
Lachlan Durinck
Prison Services Coordinator
Disability Forensic Assessment & Treatment Service
Department of Human Services
Ph. 9217 7200 (ext 306) & 9280 2730
Lachlan.Durinck@dhs.vic.gov.au
Prison Services Coordinator
Disability Forensic Assessment & Treatment Service
Department of Human Services
Ph. 9217 7200 (ext 306) & 9280 2730
Lachlan.Durinck@dhs.vic.gov.au
cheers,
Izabela
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Apologies for a long silence. I veered close to burnout and didn't feel like writing much. Holidays helped, even though I only got out into the country overnight (was supposed to be away for two days, but on Monday morning I got a phone call asking about a report that I promised for Tuesday. Back to the desk I went).
I have since talked with two other neuropsychologists working in private practice and it seems that regular holidays are the best antidote to burnout. I marked a week in mid-November for a bit of a break.
Any other suggestions re. burnout busters? I'll be grateful for any advice, apart from exercise, which is against my religion.
--
Another private practicing neuropsychologist:
Contact Details:
Mary Fitzgerald
M Psych (Clin Neuropsych), APS
Associate member College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
Member College of Counselling Psychologists
Endorsed in Counselling Psychology
Supervisor
107 Droop St
Footscray 3011
9687 0700
giverny107@hotmail.com
Region:
Western region of Melbourne
Type of clients most frequently seen
General counselling
ABI counselling
Preferred clients
Paediatric neuropsychological and educational assessments
Part time : Four days
M Psych (Clin Neuropsych), APS
Associate member College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
Member College of Counselling Psychologists
Endorsed in Counselling Psychology
Supervisor
107 Droop St
Footscray 3011
9687 0700
giverny107@hotmail.com
Region:
Western region of Melbourne
Type of clients most frequently seen
General counselling
ABI counselling
Preferred clients
Paediatric neuropsychological and educational assessments
Part time : Four days
cheers,
Izabela
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Working in vacuum - is anybody there?
I have recently had an interesting experience. I got a file on a new client that included a neuropsychology report. The Neuropsychologist saw the client in a nearby magistrates court, suggesting that she practices nearby. But I have never heard her name before.
Being naturally curious, I called the number on the letterhead and found out that she has been practicing for the last three years in the same region of Melbourne and with the same client group as I have. Yet this was the first time our paths crossed.
We met for a coffee and had a great chat, both pleasant and oh-so-useful for collecting these precious peer supervision hours. We exchanged information and practice tricks.
---
This experience makes me realise that in private practice we often lack information about other practitioners. And having that information can be so very useful: passing referrals on, holiday cover, renting tests, peer supervision, etc.
I am not worried about competition: a long time ago, when I was starting my first private practice, I was told by a wise psychologist (whom I visited to make sure that I don't unwittingly muscle in on her area) that each of us develops their own referral networks and that there is very little competition out there. This has definitively been my experience. The fact that I have practiced for several years in complete parallel with another neuropsychologist just underlines this fact.
So, I that that it would be worth compiling a brief directory of private practitioners: send me some information, and I'll post it on the blog. When there is enough of us, I'll create a separate document with practices sorted by regions.
I'll start with myself:
Contact Details:
Izabela Walters
Clinical Neuropsychologist, MA, MAPS
Member of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
(I have just found out that saying CCN or MCCN is not allowed, we have to write it out in full)
107 Droop Street
Footscray 3011
0407 866 579
iwalters@lawandbrain.com
www.lawandbrain.com
Region:
Western suburbs of Melbourne, can travel to country Victoria (or interstate if somebody would pay me)
Type of clients most frequently seen:
Medico-legal and forensic assessments
Preferred clients:
Personal injury assessments, preferably adults
Full time/part time
Full time in private practice
Here are also details of my newly discovered colleague:
Contact Details
Dr Linda Borg
Neuropsychology Services
Being naturally curious, I called the number on the letterhead and found out that she has been practicing for the last three years in the same region of Melbourne and with the same client group as I have. Yet this was the first time our paths crossed.
We met for a coffee and had a great chat, both pleasant and oh-so-useful for collecting these precious peer supervision hours. We exchanged information and practice tricks.
---
This experience makes me realise that in private practice we often lack information about other practitioners. And having that information can be so very useful: passing referrals on, holiday cover, renting tests, peer supervision, etc.
I am not worried about competition: a long time ago, when I was starting my first private practice, I was told by a wise psychologist (whom I visited to make sure that I don't unwittingly muscle in on her area) that each of us develops their own referral networks and that there is very little competition out there. This has definitively been my experience. The fact that I have practiced for several years in complete parallel with another neuropsychologist just underlines this fact.
So, I that that it would be worth compiling a brief directory of private practitioners: send me some information, and I'll post it on the blog. When there is enough of us, I'll create a separate document with practices sorted by regions.
I'll start with myself:
Contact Details:
Izabela Walters
Clinical Neuropsychologist, MA, MAPS
Member of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
(I have just found out that saying CCN or MCCN is not allowed, we have to write it out in full)
107 Droop Street
Footscray 3011
0407 866 579
iwalters@lawandbrain.com
www.lawandbrain.com
Region:
Western suburbs of Melbourne, can travel to country Victoria (or interstate if somebody would pay me)
Type of clients most frequently seen:
Medico-legal and forensic assessments
Preferred clients:
Personal injury assessments, preferably adults
Full time/part time
Full time in private practice
Here are also details of my newly discovered colleague:
Contact Details
Dr Linda Borg
Neuropsychology Services
0407 827 356
lindaborg@ymail.com
Region:
Western suburbs of Melbourne, performs assessments mostly in courts or on Legal Aid premises
Type of clients most frequently seen:
Forensic assessments
Preferred clients:
Linda, let me know who your dream clients are
Full time/part time
2-3 days in private practice
---
Please email me on izawalters@gmail.com (or the email address above) if you would like to put your details in the blog. The section preferred clients is for you to let us know which kind of clients you'd like to see more of. You never know - we may oblige.
cheers,
Izabela
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Legal Matters - permanent stay in criminal proceedings
I have recently came upon a completely new reason for a neuropsychological assessment - an application for a permanent stay in criminal proceedings. This apparently happens when there is a long delay between the alleged offence and the trial. We are talking quite a few decades, usually.
As the accused is usually quite elderly at this point, one of the important arguments lawyers use is the inadequate mental capacity of the accused to cope with the trial and to remember the circumstances of the matters alleged against him.
Interestingly there is a precedent (case of Littler), that says that the person does not have to have an impairment compared to age peers. They just need to experience a substantial difficulty, which can be entirely due to age.
That is an unusual twist to our usual assessments. I ended up comparing the person first to age peers, and then, in a separate results section, to an average younger adult. Fortunately, the patterns of results made the conclusion not too tricky, with no marked impairment in either case.
I'd be interested in how others would approach this assessment.
Cheers,
Izabela
As the accused is usually quite elderly at this point, one of the important arguments lawyers use is the inadequate mental capacity of the accused to cope with the trial and to remember the circumstances of the matters alleged against him.
Interestingly there is a precedent (case of Littler), that says that the person does not have to have an impairment compared to age peers. They just need to experience a substantial difficulty, which can be entirely due to age.
That is an unusual twist to our usual assessments. I ended up comparing the person first to age peers, and then, in a separate results section, to an average younger adult. Fortunately, the patterns of results made the conclusion not too tricky, with no marked impairment in either case.
I'd be interested in how others would approach this assessment.
Cheers,
Izabela
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Legal Matters - Fitness to stand trial
From time to time, I will be posting about legal matters. Please be aware that these posts reflect my understanding of the material and are not a formal legal advice! If you don't agree with my facts, opinions and interpretations, please post a comment!
To start with - the biggie - fitness to stand trial.
This issue impacts directly into ethical obligations of the legal profession. If there is a question of somebody being unfit to stand trial, it is unethical for the legal practitioners to proceed unless the matter is resolved. Therefore, be prepared that if you raise that issue, there will be a flurry of activity, questioning, requests for supplementary reports, etc. etc. Of course, it is unethical for us to avoid this question just because it will have an effect of throwing a stone into a beehive.
Anyway, memory problems do not make a person unfit to stand trial, and this is clearly said in the Act. There are 6 reasons a person may be unfit, and it is enough if only one of them is present. The reasons include:
- being unable to understand the nature of the charge
- being unable to enter a plea and exercise the right to challenge jurors or the jury
- being unable to understand the nature of the trial
- being unable to follow the course of the trial
- being unable to understand the substantial effect of any evidence that may be given in support of the prosecution
- being unable to give instruction to the legal practitioner.
The link to the actual Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 Act No 65/1997 is here. The bits of interest are: Part 2.6 and 2.7.
It is important to remember that intellectual disability alone is not usually considered to be enough to be unfit to stand trial.
Cheers,
Izabela
To start with - the biggie - fitness to stand trial.
This issue impacts directly into ethical obligations of the legal profession. If there is a question of somebody being unfit to stand trial, it is unethical for the legal practitioners to proceed unless the matter is resolved. Therefore, be prepared that if you raise that issue, there will be a flurry of activity, questioning, requests for supplementary reports, etc. etc. Of course, it is unethical for us to avoid this question just because it will have an effect of throwing a stone into a beehive.
Anyway, memory problems do not make a person unfit to stand trial, and this is clearly said in the Act. There are 6 reasons a person may be unfit, and it is enough if only one of them is present. The reasons include:
- being unable to understand the nature of the charge
- being unable to enter a plea and exercise the right to challenge jurors or the jury
- being unable to understand the nature of the trial
- being unable to follow the course of the trial
- being unable to understand the substantial effect of any evidence that may be given in support of the prosecution
- being unable to give instruction to the legal practitioner.
The link to the actual Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 Act No 65/1997 is here. The bits of interest are: Part 2.6 and 2.7.
It is important to remember that intellectual disability alone is not usually considered to be enough to be unfit to stand trial.
Cheers,
Izabela
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