Melbourne Centre for Women's Mental Health

TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS OPENING NEXT WEEK!

First up:

With the support of Multicultural Women Victoria, visual artists Leila Ashtiani (Iran), Sofie Dieu (France), Humaira Fayazi (Afghanistan), Abouk Giir (Sudan) and Rahila Zeeshan (Pakistan) present Our Plants, Our Heritage.

Through textile art, graphic design and photography, the women explore their birth land flora, how it is used in medicine, in ceremonies and in cooking. The artists looked at their plants' intangible qualities such as their sacredness and the emotional affinities their families have with them.

Exhibition opens Thursday 12 September to Friday 4 October 2024

Opening Launch Thursday 12 September 5.30-7.30PM

ABOUT US 💪🏽💜

At Melbourne Centre for Women’s Mental Health, we’re proud to be an Australian feminist mental health service dedicated to empowering women and girls across Victoria.

We offer a range of specialised services across three core areas:
- Therapeutic Programs: Tailored support through group, individual and relationship therapies (in-person and TeleHealth) as well as comprehensive neurodivergence assessments.
- Professional Programs: Professional development, masterclasses and 1:1 mentoring and supervision for professional women.
- Research and Publications: Applied research to advance women’s mental health and publications aimed at promoting Lived Experienced voices.

Our commitment to anti-oppressive practice means we focus on empowerment and collaboration, ensuring that you have access to high-quality care and information, wherever and whenever you need it.

We hope you had a good weekend! Let’s start the week with a simple promise to self 🙌🏽💜

JOIN US! 📣
We are taking expressions of interest from consultants with a feminist lens.

👌LOTS OF SUPPORT ~ GREAT TEAM 👌
We have a very supportive team that meets fortnightly for supervision, individual supervision also available alongside our Skills Share Professional Development Meetings.

🤜🤛CLIENT ENGAGEMENT IS HIGH🤜🤛 Our culture fosters great relationships with clients appreciating the high level of care, women’s specific programs, expertise in various mental health difficulties and collaborative client-centered planning.

👏FLEXIBLE WORK👏Work from home or utilise our beautiful office space within the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre on Lonsdale Street Melbourne and be surrounding by other like-minded professionals from all types of women’s services.

🤩GREAT RATES🤩 Very competitive consultant rates will not disappoint. We want the right people caring for our community and we know your worth.

Email Sonja for an initial conversation where she can provide more detail.
[email protected]

Have you ever said to yourself ‘I’ll start on Monday?’ 🤨Well here’s the rationale behind why it could actually work using the right combination of complementary steps. 🙌🏽 Swipe to learn about the Fresh Start Effect and ways to make it work for you! 😌

We are taking expressions of interest from consultants with a feminist lens.

👌LOTS OF SUPPORT ~ GREAT TEAM 👌
We have a very supportive team that meets fortnightly for supervision, individual supervision also available alongside our Skills Share Professional Development Meetings.

🤜🤛CLIENT ENGAGEMENT IS HIGH🤜🤛 Our culture fosters great relationships with clients appreciating the high level of care, women’s specific programs, expertise in various mental health difficulties and collaborative client-centered planning.

👏FLEXIBLE WORK👏Work from home or utilise our beautiful office space within the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre on Lonsdale Street Melbourne and be surrounding by other like-minded professionals from all types of women’s services.

🤩GREAT RATES🤩 Very competitive consultant rates will not disappoint. We want the right people caring for our community and we know your worth.

Email Sonja for an initial conversation where she can provide more detail.
[email protected]

📣 Shout out to these feminist folk! 💜💪🏽 One of our Queen Victoria Women's Centre neighbours ‘Women and Mentoring’.

We recently met with our QVWC fellow tenant Tricia Ciampa from Women and Mentoring - WAM Ltd and heard about the incredible work they do to empower positive change in women and help women engage in community, breaking the cycle of contact with the justice system.

This is life changing work for the clients and mentors! Learn more about WAM and the team here Women and Mentoring - WAM Limited 💜👏🏽

Hey book lovers! Did you know there’s a Book Swap section in the foyer of our building? It’s tucked in neatly on the left hand side 📚📖 Check it out Mon-Fri 9-5 🤗

What a smile! 😃 Happy Friday 🙌🏽Did you know that our Psychologist Rachel Purchase is available Mondays and Tuesdays 😊 In-person sessions are usually held on Mondays and TeleHealth videoconference is also available both days. Rachel has various interest areas 👌🏽 that she’d be delighted to help you with including Peri- and Post- natal challenges, relationship difficulties, neurodivergence and more!

Head to our website to learn more 😎

Michelle, a biomedical student from Monash Uni, has completed her first week as an intern with us 👏🏽 It’s a pleasure to have her in the office 😊 Michelle is working on a few different projects including designing the evaluation of our upcoming Coaches course ‘EATING DISORDERS, BODY IMAGE AND COMPULSIVE EXERCISE: AN INTRODUCTORY ONLINE COURSE for COACHES’ due to start in a couple of weeks. Thanks Monash Talent for another fantastic addition to our team 😊👏🏽

A follow up to a recent post on Eating the Frog ~ Here are 12 strategies we use to getting things done ☑️ Which is your favourite? 🐸

Sonja and Lydia collected data from women who were diagnosed/identified with Autism or ADHD later in life (after age 25). They have now completed all interviews and are focused on analysing the information collected. These data will help us better understand the challenges faced, coping mechanisms and changes needed.

We want to thank you all for your involvement. Taking the time to share your lived experiences will mean we can work toward creating more awareness in the general community and the health care industry in order make life better for women who have been diagnosed/identified with ADHD or Autism later in life. 🙏🏽

We will let you know when results have been released.

📸 Breeana Dunbar QVWC

We know the impact that the Coach-athlete relationship has on the mental health and wellbeing of all athletes young and older. We are proud to be offering this course specifically for coaches of female athletes. Book online and share ~ first course starts next week, then repeated in July.

🔗 https://www.trybooking.com/CPXNW

We are delighted to announce that Caryn Griffin, Art Therapist will be offering this 'Self Care' Art Therapy workshop FRIDAY 21st JUNE at Queen Victoria Women's Centre. 👏 This event is subsidised by Melbourne Centre for Women's Mental Health to keep costs to a minimum. We hope you join us for this fantastic evening of artistic self care and connection 😊

🔗 https://www.trybooking.com/CQIPM

Taking a break from collecting data as a research assistant with Melbourne Centre for Women's Mental Health … Lydia decides whether to check out the book swap, QVWC Shop or latest exhibition in the foyer of our home Queen Victoria Women's Centre 😊

Have you visited Queen Victoria Women’s Centre lately?! 💜There’s so much on!

QVWC SHOP

We are working to create more awareness in the general community and the health care industry in order make life better for women who have been diagnosed with ADHD or Autism later in life. Your input is essential to our research.

You can access a quick online survey * link in bio which will take you to a Plain Language Statement relevant to you. Alternatively, you can elect to have a short live telephone or videoconference call with one of our researchers.

More details on our website. Or email research at
[email protected]
Thank you.

Here is your chance to work alongside our resident feminist writer Sascha Elk ☺️📔. We are now taking expressions of interest in this brand new course 👏🏽 Sascha will provide 1:1 guided live interactive sessions to assist women in developing either a creative writing manuscript OR a meaningful paper or short story based on lived experience. Writing is such a powerful way to empower women so we are thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity. Contact us today to be placed on the mailing list for more details!

We are conducting a study to better understand the experiences of women who were diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Autism later in life (after 25 years old). We want to learn about the challenges they face and how they cope with them. We also aim to develop support strategies to improve their lives.

The study will also help us better understand general attitudes and community understanding of ADHD and Autism in women.

If you are:

👉a women who was diagnosed with Autism or ADHD later in life (after age 25)
OR
👉a family member or close friend of a women who was late diagnosed
OR
👉a practitioner who works with late diagnosed women

and you can spare some time, we would love to hear your thoughts.

Your involvement will be to share your thoughts through an online survey, or if you prefer a live interview via telephone or videoconference. The questions relate to general attitudes toward and experiences of neurodivergence in women; stigma and misconceptions, strategies for education and awareness.

We are working to create more awareness in the general community and the health care industry in order make life better for women who have been diagnosed with ADHD or Autism later in life. Your input is essential to our research.

🔗 Link to survey:
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YNL9QKH

Thank you for your help! 🙏🏽

📣 RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

We are conducting a study to better understand the experiences of women who were diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Autism later in life (after 25 years old).

We want to learn about the challenges they face and how they cope with them.
We also aim to develop support strategies to improve their lives.

If you are:

👉a women who was diagnosed with Autism or ADHD later in life (after age 25)
OR
👉a family member or close friend of a women who was late diagnosed
OR
👉a practitioner who works with late diagnosed women

and you can spare some time, we would love to hear your thoughts. Your involvement will be to share your thoughts through an online survey, or if you prefer a live interview via telephone or videoconference. The questions relate to general attitudes toward and experiences of neurodivergence in women; stigma and misconceptions, strategies for education and awareness.

🤝We are working to create more awareness in the general community and the health care industry in order make life better for women who have been diagnosed with ADHD or Autism later in life. Your input is essential to our research.

For more information, head to our website!

Melbourne Centre for Women's Mental Health Women's Mental Health Centre in Melbourne

Eat the Frog! 🐸
Here are some lesser known facts about getting the most undesirable or challenging task out of the way first!

(From our Dept of Professional Programs!)

Meet our Research Assistant Lydia Perry! 😎👏🏽Lydia works within our Neurodivergence Hub as a Research Assistant. Lydia joined Melbourne Centre for Women’s Mental Health in 2023 as a part of the Monash Science Work Integrated Learning Placement. By partnering with Monash University, Science, our Centre aims to empower the next generation of researchers and contribute to meaningful breakthroughs. During her time as an intern, Lydia learned a lot about scientific method and the process of conducting a research project while she was assisting with an important research project into Late Life acknowledgement / diagnosis of Neurodivergence in adult women. Upon completion of her internship, Lydia was asked to officially join the team as a Research Assistant so we could continue to work on this project together.

Lydia is currently studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biochemistry, and enjoying many other Science and Arts subjects as part of her degree.

We are thrilled to have Lydia onboard our Research & Publications team. 🤩

Monash Talent Monash Science Monash University

We are pleased to announce that the review of our assessment protocol is complete and we are now taking July/August bookings for adult assessments of ADHD and Autism. Contact Sonja direct on [email protected] for more info 🙌🏽

Harmful dynamics in families can be harder to recognise that in other relationships. Here some examples …

Happy days 🤩 Psychologist Rachel is available to take on a couple new clients in-person at our consulting suite in Melbourne’s CBD ☺️ Rachel is in the Centre on Mondays & Tuesdays and works with adult women of all ages and young people including children and parents. 👋🏽

“My approach is collaborative, strengths-focused and trauma-informed. My practice is also informed by examining the interplay between social forces and individual psychology, having observed that women and girls often develop negative ideas about themselves that have their origin in harmful cultural practices, such as the imposition of gender norms.

I aim to cultivate a safe environment where unhelpful feelings and patterns of behaviour can be explored and understood. And, when working with girls, I seek to foster a relationship with parents and include them in understanding and implementing the strategies being introduced to support their daughters’ wellbeing.“

Morning myth busting with Diane! 🤗

Let’s talk about fertility nutrition! 🙌🏽
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Did you know that our Senior Clinical Dietitian, Diane Rennard is an accredited Fertility Dietitian 👌🏽

This is so important. There is research on the direct association of negative BI/ disordered eating and the quality of the coach athlete relationship. And so many leaving this sport and others because of it. In Australia, naviforwomen and Melbourne Centre for Women's Mental Health are starting our own education session for local coaches to develop more awareness and become mindful of the language they use and the culture that they control. ✔️

https://www.trybooking.com/CPXNW

World Triathlon joins Laureus for Body Confident Sport campaign – World Triathlon It is a shocking statistic that 40% of young women leave the sport that they love because of self-consciousness about their bodies. At a time in their live

Let’s talk about gut health 😌
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