When did you start at NBP? And what were you doing before that?
I started practicing at North Brisbane Psychologists in early November 2021. Before that, I was completing my Masters degree. The final placement for this degree involved providing one-on-one psychological support for job seekers, plus some consultation work. Prior to this – and to Covid – I was an English teacher to speakers of English as a second language (ESL). I spent 6 years living abroad during this time and feel very lucky to have done so. Budapest was my home for 2 years, and it’s a place that remains close to my heart.
Why did you get into psychology/therapy in the first place?
I’m not joking when I say this, but it came to me in a dream. I’d been interested in psychology for a long time before this due to its capacity to improve lives, but one night in my late twenties, I dreamt I was returning to university as a mature-age student. I remember the feeling of standing before a sandstone building and finally having the courage to tackle what I always wanted to do. It was as if my unconscious mind was giving me the green light!
What would you have done if you didn’t become a psychologist/therapist?
Hmmmm…. tricky question. Of all the jobs I’ve ever done, this is the only one that has felt like a “perfect fit.” I’d probably have stayed a teacher of English or history. I also had dreams about succeeding in sport and music when I was young.
What do you like best about your job?
It’s an honour and a privilege to be allowed into somebody’s inner world, and people are endlessly fascinating. I have respect for anyone who takes the journey into therapy. The relationship that we create in therapy isn’t replicated anywhere else, and I don’t take that lightly.
Which are your favourite therapies to draw from and why?
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) seems to be the therapy du jour, and I concede it is very useful in a broad range of settings, but I will be training further in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP) once I get more established at NBP, as I think it enables therapist and client to forge fundamental changes at the level of our defence mechanisms.
What activities do you enjoy outside work?
Running, cycling, meditating and playing the piano. So, I am recharged by music, vigour and stillness.
Read more about Lachlan by visiting his profile.