Associates

Meagan has particular expertise in counselling children and young people with various issues including, anger and aggression, ADD / ADHD / ODD and conduct disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, low self esteem and / or confidence, difficult peer or other relationships, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, parental separation and sexualised behaviour.

Meagan has worked and trained extensively in utilising a strength based approach with regards to working with children, adolescents and families, supporting them to realize their full potential.

Meagan was employed for ten years with the Samaritans where she primarily conducted group work with children experiencing behavioural and emotional challenges from disadvantaged backgrounds and provided support for their families. During this employment Meagan coordinated the service for two years.

Meagan also worked for the Department of Community Services as a Child and Family Psychologist for over two years.

Meagan has been working in private practice for approximately six years counselling adults and children with a wide range of issues.

Jeanette is a registered Psychologist with the NSW Psychologists’s Registration Board (# PS 0058211), and Associate Members of the Australian Psychological Society (#026825). She has worked in a range of community based settings, and gained extensive experience working with children, adolescents and their families.

Jeanette is a Novocastrian who completed her undergraduate studies in psychology (Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Arts (Honours Class 1) Psychology in 1996) at the University of Newcastle. She has completed the final component of Master of Psychology (Clinical) degree: a research thesis undertaken in the area of Childhood Understanding of Secrets and Lies.

Jeanette commenced work as a psychologist and trained with a child, adolescent and family counselling team. She then spent three years in a specialist team working young people who engaged in harmful and sexually abusive behaviour, where her role involved risk assessment of offenders, the provision of individual and group treatment programs, and consultancy and training to departmental staff.

Jeanette then moved to a position in child protection, where she worked for a further three years with several local child protection and out of home care teams. Her role involved the provision of clinical assessment reports of abused children's needs (mainly for Children Courts), consultancy advice to field workers and foster carers along with counseling and behavioural management of abused children in substitute care settings.

More recently, Jeanette worked with one of our local area health service teams providing a range of psychological services to children aged 0-12 years. She has also assisted with the teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Newcastle Department of Psychology as guest lecturer, lecturing on the clinical and ethical issues involved in working with children and adolescents.

Jeanette was delighted to move into private practice with John Waring and Associates in 2004, and now provides a range of psychological services to clients of the practice, with energy and enthusiasm including: assessment and diagnosis, behavioural management, counselling, together with parenting advice and training.

Jeanette works on a part time basis in our practice, which allows her to spend lots of quality time with her own family, and thereby enjoy the challenges and delights of parenthood !