Mental Work

Bron is joined by returning guest Harriet Isles (psychologist and founder of Restorative Space Psychology) to talk about therapist self-disclosure. Harriet shares her practical, intentional approach to deciding when sharing personal information with a client helps the therapeutic relationship, and when it gets in the way.
They chat about:
👉🏽 How to know when self-disclosure is actually for the client's benefit, not your own
👉🏻 What the AHPRA Code of Conduct says about sharing personal information with clients
👉 Findings from the 2025 "Goldilocks Disclosures" study on when self-disclosure lands well (and when it backfires)
👉🏿 Why speaking "from the scar, not the wound" protects clients from role confusion
Guest: Harriet Isles, Psychologist and Founder of Restorative Space Psychology
LINKS
Research article: "Goldilocks disclosures: A qualitative exploration of when therapist self-disclosure of lived experience is "just right"
Harriet's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restorativespacepsychology/
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the podcast for psychologists about the realities of working in mental health, with an early-career focus. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Nishie Govender (clinical psychologist and occupational psychology consultant) for an honest conversation about building a career that looks nothing like the one you imagined. Nishie shares how realising full-time clinical work wasn't sustainable for her led to a fulfilling dual career working between corporate psychology and private practice, and what prompted her to go back to study a Clinical Masters bridging course as a registered psychologist.
They chat about:
👉🏻 What a corporate/occupational psychology role actually looks like day-to-day, and why it surprised her
👉 How clinical training transfers into nonclinical settings (and vice versa)
👉🏿 What the post-registration Clinical Masters bridging course involves, and who it's really for
👉🏾 The identity challenges of going back to being a student when you're already a competent psychologist
Guest: Nishie Govender, Clinical Psychologist
LINKS
Cetas Psychology website
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Samantha Duroska (clinical psychologist) for a practical deep dive into using imagery techniques in therapy.
They chat about:
👉🏽 How to adapt if clients struggle to visualise
👉🏻 The common mistake of talking about imagery but not actually doing imagery
👉🏿 How to manage dissociation risks with simple, practical grounding strategies
👉 Why allowing clients to feel strong emotion in session can be a strength, not a failure
👉🏼 How Samantha manages her own emotions doing trauma work, and why she still finds it deeply meaningful
Guest: Samantha Duroska, Clinical Psychologist and Board-Approved Supervisor
LINKS
Samantha Duroska's website
Previous episode with Samantha on IRRT
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Richard Sedgman (social worker and founder of Live Well HQ) to talk about one of the most emotionally challenging areas in clinical work: supporting clients through grief and loss. Richard draws on his three years in palliative care and extensive private practice experience to share what actually helps, and what well-meaning therapists often get wrong.
They chat about:
👉🏽 The difference between grief, bereavement, and loss, and why grief extends far beyond death
👉🏻 Why ACT and narrative therapy are Richard's go-to approaches with grieving clients
👉 The powerful "wave" analogy that helps clients understand how grief shifts over time
👉🏿 The common therapist mistakes to avoid
👉🏼 Why therapists don't need lived experience of a loss to do genuinely good grief work
Guest: Richard Sedgman, Social Worker, Therapist, and founder of Live Well HQ
LINKS
Live Well HQ website
Live Well HQ on Instagram
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bron is joined by Ethan Solomon (organisational psychologist and private practice therapist) to chat about building a career that blends both therapy and corporate work. Ethan shares how he went from wanting to be a clinical psychologist to specialising in psychometric assessment, leadership development, and coaching, while keeping one foot firmly in private practice therapy.
They chat about:
👉🏽 What organisational psychology actually involves day-to-day
👉🏻 The transferable skills that connect therapy and org psych work
👉🏿 Why knowing your values is the best career compass you have
👉🏾 The misconceptions early-career psychs hold about what their career can look like
👉🏼 Why the human element in psychology will always matter, even in a world of AI
Thank you for sharing your story, Ethan! 😊
Guest: Ethan Solomon, Organisational Psychologist and Therapist
LINKS
Ethan Solomon on LinkedIn
THE END BITS
Mental Work is the Australian podcast for early-career psychologists about working in mental health. Hosted by psychologist/researcher Dr Bronwyn Milkins.
Support the show by buying me a virtual coffee ☕🍵
Have a question, episode idea or just want to say hi? DM Bron on Instagram, leave a comment on the Spotify episode, or email mentalworkpodcast@gmail.com
Apply to be a guest / YouTube (with captions & transcript) / Website
CREDITS
Producer: Michael English
Music: Home
Commitment: Mental Work believes in an inclusive and diverse mental health workforce. We honour the strength, resilience, and invaluable contributions of mental health workers with lived experiences of mental illness, disability, neurodivergence, LGBTIQA+ identities, and diverse culture and language. We recognise our First Nations colleagues as Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging. Mental Work is recorded on unceded Whadjuk Noongar boodja.
Disclaimer: Mental Work provides informational content. Mental Work is not a psychological service and being a listener or guest does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Content should not be considered a replacement for professional consultation or therapy. All views expressed are personal, subject to change, and do not represent those of any affiliated employer, service, or organisation past or present. Efforts are made to ensure accuracy, but opinions may not always align with fact. Listeners are encouraged to thoughtfully assess the information presented and report any inaccuracies or concerns via email. Further information can be found here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.