some new faces to Newosis management during november!

Robert Charles Kavanagh

My work and studies concentrate on mental and neurological health research, which I am deeply passionate about. I am the Founder and CEO of the Newosis Mental Health Foundation with a fantastic team of fellow mental health professionals. Our purposes are to carry out novel mental and neurological health research, education, and support, according to a framework of compassion, empathy, and benevolence, from the 'lived experience perspective'. We have a solid and salient agenda for 2023, which is exciting!

I am also linked with the University of Adelaide concerning specific research and undertaking a Master of Theology through Charles Sturt University. Moreover, the internationally-based Victory Bible College recently awarded me a 'Doctorate of Pastoral Psychology and Counselling' for my academic achievement in Theology and my voluntary counselling of trauma-affected adolescents over the past 10 years.

Relevant to this is my Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy. I was particularly captivated by the topic of trauma and (Buddhist-buttressed) compassion-focused methodologies for soothing and healing. This opened my mind to the untapped potential of a spectrum of spirituality for these purposes (including revisiting ancient rituals via anthropology): 'A conjunction of the established with the confounding' strives towards an enlightened and profound philosophical approach to psychotherapy (where it is hermetic by way of ethical scrutiny and scientific verification). My book is in progress!

Between 1995 and 2000, I completed an 'LL.B', 'BA', and 'BMus' at the University of Adelaide (as a Charles Hawker Scholar, residing at St. Marks College, North Adelaide) (and a 'GDLP' at the Law Society of SA). I practised law in various senior roles at top-tier firms in Adelaide, Melbourne, and the United Kingdom, specialising in corporate and commercial tax law. I also lectured and tutored in corporate, international, and tax law at the University of Adelaide at various times. I also participated in many professional musical ventures from my school years to the last decade.

Having decided to end my legal career due to mental health reasons, I then took on studies in media and politics, lecturing in law 'on the side'. However, I had an epiphany (thankfully) and decided to move into the helping professions and began helping troubled adolescents. This led me directly to the Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy to where I am today - and I could not be happier with my choices! I finally feel at home!

Here is a link to Rob's full Biography

Kelly Atkinson Tligi

Kelly started her tertiary education at the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide on a scholarship for performance with a major in Trombone. Switching her major from performance, Kelly focused her attention on Ethnomusicology and carried through to receive Honours, focusing on the role of music in maintaining identity in forced migrant people from war-torn African countries. This included helping refugees from South Sudan settle into Australian life and performing alongside them in the Nile Band and other ethnic groups.

At the same time as studying Honours, Kelly completed a Graduate Diploma in Education and then travelled to Japan to teach English as an additional language in Tokyo. On her return to Australia, Kelly ran international English language programs for the AFS exchange program and took on various teaching roles in schools in the Barossa and Gawler areas.

Kelly Married in 2002 and has four children of her own, and has fostered three African children who were without parents in South Australia. Kelly completed her Master in Education and Cert IV in TESOL, focusing on English as an additional language teaching after the birth of her first child.

After the birth of her fourth child, Kelly enrolled in a post-graduate Law Degree through Charles Darwin, with focused electives on cross-cultural legal studies and family law. After Completing her GDLP through Adelaide University, Kelly worked for her father in general law practice. In 2021, Kelly completed a Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution at the College of Law. 

She is a registered mediator and currently works as a mediator for the South Australian Legal Service Commission and for her own business, in addition to maintaining her employment in her father's firm. In 2022, Kelly completed her certification in Parental Co-ordination and is registered as a Parental Co-ordinator to assist separated families where the parents have a history of high conflict communication.

Through her work with the Sudanese and African communities, Kelly has seen first-hand the effects of PTSD and Trauma on individuals and families. Having worked as a teacher and now in Youth Criminal Court, Kelly is acutely attuned to the impact that underlying mental health issues have on outcomes for young people in the school environment and the wider community. Kelly has a strong passion for community service, with a personal focus on forced migrant communities and secondary trauma (trauma of children of PTSD sufferers).

Leonie Otten

Leonie is a double brain aneurysm rupture and stroke survivor with a traumatic brain injury. She has a lived experience with familial and personal mental health issues, including PMDD and CPTSD.

She is medically retired after a career in the finance sector. After growing up in Tasmania, Leonie, her husband David and their teen children are based in Adelaide.

Leonie has a history of volunteering and enthusiasm to actively support her community. She has a passion for utilizing her compassion and lived experiences to provide support and share knowledge within the Newosis community.

Bernadette Millar

Bernadette is retired and widowed but has had a lifetime of community service and involvement. Starting her career in Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the newspaper office, she went on to undertake tertiary administration studies in Australia. She has held various board and committee positions and brings a wealth of experience.

She took on the role of a mental health carer and support worker for her son since he suffered a mental health breakdown over 10 years ago. She has critical knowledge of mental health and neurological issues from the 'lived experience' perspective, including her own anxiety and depression, which have struggled intermittently throughout her life. She wishes to mould her administrative experience with her mental health 'lived experience' to benefit the Newosis community as best she can.

Stuart Kavanagh

Stuart Kavanagh is a journalist currently residing in Broken Hill, Australia. He writes for the Barrier Truth newspaper, along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, He also co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast and contributes at edgeofthecrowd.com when time permits.

Like many people, he has been on a mental health journey his whole life. From experimenting to finding the proper medication and adjusting his lifestyle to find the right balance, mental health is an ongoing learning curve for him, like many people.

Neurological research is the key to helping find the right solutions with minimal side effects. The advances we have made in the 21st century have been incredible. Our efforts at Newosis build on existing research to help find better solutions for people suffering from mental health issues.

If you want to chat about mental health or sports, you can find Stuart on Twitter at @stueyissickofit

Punitha Rajendra

Punitha moved to Adelaide from Singapore at the age of 10 to complete her primary and secondary education. Despite leaving at a young age, she could maintain a connection with her Sri Lankan Tamil roots and formally studied Tamil as part of her SACE curriculum. Punitha left high school with little direction and commenced an undergraduate degree in Psychological Science, where she was lucky enough to find her passion. She continued her university education with a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy, which allowed her to undertake 12 months of placement as a school counsellor. 

There, she worked with teenagers with concerns ranging from poor grades to complex PTSD. Punitha was required to implement psychosocial assessments and various therapeutic modalities, including elements of cognitive-behaviour therapy, mindfulness, and person-centred therapy. During this time, Punitha also volunteered at Lifeline Australia as a crisis counsellor, which required taking a holistic approach to help individuals thinking of suicide.

After finishing her postgraduate degree, Punitha began her career in 2020 as a counsellor to job-seekers through a recruitment agency. She implemented person-centred therapy and elements of cognitive-behaviour therapy to help individuals with significant mental health concerns and family and employment concerns that arose with the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This work forced Punitha to look inward when empathizing with clients, as many of them came from non-Caucasian backgrounds and, consequently, came with the pressures and co-occurring mental health concerns that she knew immigrants and children of immigrants faced. Upon undertaking this introspection, Punitha developed a deep sensitivity and appreciation for individuals of other cultures and abilities than her own.

In 2021, Punitha shifted career directions and began work as a Behaviour Support Practitioner for participants of the NDIS. The provision of Positive Behaviour Support is intended to improve quality of life. This is achieved by implementing non-restrictive reactive and proactive strategies to decrease incidents of behaviours of concern, wherein an individual's behaviour puts them and/or others at risk of harm. In developing these strategies, Punitha meets and works with individuals and their formal and informal supports - an element of her work for which she proudly brings her counselling skills and knowledge.

Jaymi Humphreys

Jaymi is a PACFA accredited Clinical Psychotherapist; a Gottman Trained Couples Counsellor, writer, advocate, dancer, and musician passionate about helping others cultivate a deeper understanding of themselves.

Jaymi started her career in performing arts, dancing, and singing professionally around Australia. Convinced she needed a 'real job', she went to university and studied a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Laws at the University of South Australia. She majored in Human Rights Law, Family Law, Performing Arts and Public Relations.

After leaving University, Jaymi worked at a boutique law firm in Adelaide as an assistant to senior counsel in constitutional, criminal, family, tax, and migration matters. Jaymi also worked as a Campaign Manager for the candidate for Morphett for Nick Xenophon's SA Best Campaign in the 2018 State Election.

From working at a law firm and the election, Jaymi observed the power imbalance from interactions with people. She felt uncomfortable with the dynamic of someone claiming to know another person more than that individual knew themselves. Coupled with her own lived experiences of family trauma, domestic violence, and mental health, she enrolled in a Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy at the University of Adelaide. Whilst finishing her Master Jaymi worked as a freelance journalist and copywriter, professional musician, and dance teacher.

When Jaymi isn't gigging on weekends or writing songs she works as a Family and Relationships counsellor with AnglicareSA and facilitates women's, children's, and men's groups in the specialised family violence space.

Jaymi is now looking to do a PhD in domestic violence prevention programmes, specifically looking at creative expression as a method of cultivating a deeper relationship with the 'Self'.

Adam Christian Bratt

Executive Advisor in Lived Experience and Peer Support

Adam grew up in and lived in Melbourne, although they resided in Sydney for 9 years. Adam attended Monash University, completing a Bachelor of Arts double majoring in History and Politics and then a Bachelor of Laws (Hons.) Adam excelled at Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property law and Federal Criminal law. Adam practised law for 9 years, becoming a Senior Associate, Property Law after 4 years. During this time, Adam sat on the committee to establish the firm's Pro Bono policy and continued as a practising lawyer taking on Pro Bono matters. During this time, Adam also volunteered at the Footscray Community Legal Centre. After leaving legal practice Adam worked as a Legal Executive recruiter and managed several food venues (one of Adam's passions is cooking, learning about and educating on food!). Adam also worked as an administrator at the University of Sydney Law School, managing two of the faculty's post-graduate programs.

Upon returning to Melbourne, Adam assisted his father full-time, looking after his ailing mother at home. Ironically a few years on and Adam was the full-time carer for his father. During this period, he trained and worked in Integration Aide Teaching, working part-time due to his role as a carer.

Adam was diagnosed in 2007 as having Anxiety base chronic depression. Having had several hospital admissions and working with a range of professionals Adam has lived experience in treating mental health from a patient's perspective. For a period of 8 years, Adam had a substance abuse problem. Adam addressed this issue by attending a 10-week rehabilitation program and continues to approach both his mental health and his addiction in a holistic approach. Adam has been free of addictive substances for 3 years.

Adam is passionate about the interaction between addiction and mental health. He has worked in two rehabilitation hospitals. He continues his own development and that of others by being an active member of Narcotics Anonymous and holding several service positions.

Currently, Adam volunteers two days per week with Sacred Heart Mission. He works with and interacts with people with mental health and addiction issues. The highlight of Adam's time since leaving law practice has been volunteering to help build a school in Ethiopia. Adam worked doing a range of manual labouring tasks, interacted with the local community and is very proud of the cooperative project. Adam plans on going back to Ethiopia to work with addicts and to further education where he can.

Sina Saberi

Sina comes to Newosis with an open heart, clear mind, and awareness and consciousness to improve the lives of all he encounters because he values all life. Utilizing the inner and outer sources, he meets everyone where they are in their lives and understands what they may seek or need for them to be soothed or improve. 

The inner sources include (but are not limited to) a Bachelor's degree in Nursing (and Sina is an experienced Psychiatric Nurse), a Master's degree in Mental Health, personal life learning, shamanic practices and an ongoing and never-ending journey of living, complemented with evidence-based, research-based and practised-based approaches to formulate holistic care. 

Born in Iran and raised in Australia, Sina has been travelling around the world and yet is not bound to any land or culture - allowing a free soul to roam, absorb and deliver. 

Currently, Sina is practising as a therapist and helping many from different ages, backgrounds and circumstances.

NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE ADVISORS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON