Emergency Workers: Responder Assist – Episode 3 – Treatment options

Professor Mark Creamer is a clinical and consulting psychologist with over 30 years’ experience in the field of post-traumatic mental health.

Mark is internationally recognised for his work in the field and provides policy advice, training and research consultancy to government and non-government organisations, with the aim of improving the recognition, prevention and treatment of psychological problems following stressful life events.

Mark is a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne and has an impressive research record with over 180 publications.

Mark is an accomplished speaker and has given numerous presentations (by invitation) at national and international conferences.

Jane Nursey is Head of Clinical Services at Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. She is a registered Clinical Neuropsychologist with 30 years’ experience in the field of posttraumatic mental health, working in the public hospital, academic and not-for-profit sectors.

Her key areas of expertise lie in the development, implementation and evaluation of hospital, school and community-based mental health and trauma recovery programs; providing policy and service development advice to government and high risk industry on the assessment, management and treatment of trauma-related mental health problems across the lifespan.

Dr Tony McHugh is a senior fellow in Melbourne University’s Psychiatry Department. He was for two decades the principal psychologist and manager of Austin Health’s trauma-related mental health (TRMH) services. There he developed psychological treatment programs for severely traumatised current and former-serving Australian Defence Force and emergency services personnel. He has been a psychology advisor to TAC, WorkSafe and The Police Association of Victoria and Phoenix Australia. In his private practice, he specialises in the treatment of traumatised members of the community.

Tony provides high-level advice and advocacy around evidence-based psychological practice as a senior policy officer with the Australian Psychological Society. Tony has been lead-funded for, and continues to conduct research into, PTSD and associated conditions. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals on TRMH issues. He is an AHPRA-accredited psychology supervisor overseeing a range of mental health professionals across Australia providing education and training consistent with his research and clinical expertise.

Professor Andrea Phelps is the Deputy Director of Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. In this role, Andrea has strategic oversight of the Centre’s activities across research, service development and training and plays a key role in strategic planning and setting future directions. She has over 20 years of clinical experience in the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic mental health problems in Veteran and emergency service populations and was responsible for the accreditation of PTSD treatment programs for veterans across Australia for many years.

At Phoenix Australia, Andrea leads a number of major projects including the Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Complex PTSD. She also consults to a range of Government departments and industry partners on research, service development and policy issues regarding organisational responses to psychological trauma. Government departments include Veterans’ Affairs, Defence, Health, Australian Border Force, and Australian Federal Police; industry partners include state police, fire, ambulance and rail services.

Andrea’s research interests centre on the nature and treatment of posttraumatic stress with a particular focus on moral injury and posttraumatic nightmares. She has over 140 publications including peer reviewed papers, book chapters and technical reports