Session F9
Tracks
Stream F (Ground)
| Sunday, May 18, 2025 |
| 1:45 PM - 2:45 PM |
| Central Room A | GREEN (Ground floor) |
Overview
- Veterans Psychology - understanding and working with veteran populations in private practice | Nadia Teong, Michelle McInnes, Kirsti Claymore (60 mins)
Presenter
Nadia Teong
Veterans Psychology - understanding and working with veteran populations in private practice
1:45 PM - 2:45 PMAbstract
Veteran mental health is a critical issue, as highlighted by the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. While there are clear opportunities to improve mental health care for veterans, clinicians may feel uncertain about working with this population due to a limited understanding of military culture, the support pathways available, and the barriers to care that veterans may face.
This session, presented by Nadia Teong, Michelle McInnes, and Kirsti Claymore, will explore the unique benefits and challenges of working with veterans in private practice. Collectively, the presenters have over 80 years of service in the Australian Army, bringing both clinical and lived experience perspectives to the discussion. It will provide insight into how military culture, identity, and experiences shape mental health outcomes, along with practical strategies for private practitioners to address these challenges. Importantly, the session will highlight the many rewards of working with veterans in private practice, and provide an overview of key resources to support clinicians in providing services to this unique population.
This session, presented by Nadia Teong, Michelle McInnes, and Kirsti Claymore, will explore the unique benefits and challenges of working with veterans in private practice. Collectively, the presenters have over 80 years of service in the Australian Army, bringing both clinical and lived experience perspectives to the discussion. It will provide insight into how military culture, identity, and experiences shape mental health outcomes, along with practical strategies for private practitioners to address these challenges. Importantly, the session will highlight the many rewards of working with veterans in private practice, and provide an overview of key resources to support clinicians in providing services to this unique population.
.....
Nadia is a Clinical Psychologist who began practicing psychology in 2010. She served as a Senior Psychology Officer in the Australian Regular Army for 11 years, and is a veteran of operational tours to Afghanistan and the Solomon Islands. Following discharge from full-time service, Nadia observed several opportunities for contributing to the veteran mental health ecosystem. She formed a Veterans Psychology in 2021 - private practice that delivers veteran-focused mental health support to veterans across Australia. From there, Veterans Psychology has grown and increased its reach. Starting out servicing clients in New South Wales only, it now comprises of 12 psychologists, servicing hundreds of veterans around the country.
Nadia consults with businesses and government on co-designing and delivering interventions to meet organisational outcomes. Her experience as a psychologist spans clinical, counselling, program design/implementation, project management, governance and management. She also maintains a small clinical case load in Sydney, Australia.
Ms Michelle McInnes
Veterans Psychology
Veterans Psychology - understanding and working with veteran populations in private practice
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM.....
Michelle McInnes is a psychologist and military veteran currently serving in the Australian Army, for over thirty years. She completed overseas deployments to Bougainville, East Timor, and the Middle East Area of Operations. She is part of the award winning Veterans Psychology team, a veteran-owned, female-led psychology consultancy specifically focused on veterans. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), Master of Public Health, Master of Health Management and Master of Science (Coaching Psychology).
Ms Kirsti Claymore
Veterans Psychology - understanding and working with veteran populations in private practice
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM.....
Kirsti Claymore is a Lived Experience Professional and qualified Social Worker. She also spent over 30 years as a soldier in the Australian Army. Kirsti brings the wisdom gained from her own lived experience to champion service reform and also supports others to safely share their own stories.
