Trauma Support Providers

Professional Biography

As a survivor of complex trauma myself it has become a passion of mine to work alongside people who are making their way through fear, painful emotion, and intense bodily-experienced trauma symptoms. So I like to share what works for me and why, plus what didn't work. As a clinical social worker I bring a holistic approach to wellness and recovery; I have worked as a manager of a secondary school counselling service, managed a branch of Relationships Australia, served as a social worker in an adult mental health setting in Perth plus I have been in private practice since last century. As a father of adult children I have a commitment to family safety and have served on many family and domestic violence project teams. I'm very aware of the harms that can happen in religious organisations and non-religious ones; I remain curiously interested in what helps people from their spirituality and how I can support and work with that. I still let myself get thrilled as people become more empowered, self-regulated, calmer and more confident of getting in charge of anxiety and mood symptoms. So many brain-based evidence-based strategies are becoming available that are exciting to share; the person does not have to fit some 'model' since together we find things that suit the client. If a client becomes overwhelmed I like to hear about it right away so we can get to do something else designed to get the client feeling back in charge promptly. I know I am doing a good job when a client can do this in less than 2 minutes. I like to maximise safety in the room (e.g. I explain if I need to leave my chair to get materials and check if that is ok) and I'm happy to take the session outside if that helps a client feel safer; I maximise a client's choice and ask permission to try interventions once the client knows what they are; I like to work together with a client to work things out rather than assuming I know what is going on and why and what needs to happen. I'm a member of the Perth-based Complex Trauma Mental Health Professional Network and routinely attend meetings and workshops on working with people who have lived experience of trauma. If it turns out that my service is not the best fit I have places I can refer people to in Perth but not many outside of Perth. Appointments are for 50 minutes; waiting times are generally less than a week or two. Complex trauma cases can require longer term treatment (10 sessions really provide too little but can make a good start to stabilising symptoms; some people still find value continuing weekly or fortnightly for more than a year when they feel the need). I work in GP surgeries in rooms equipped for doctors' use, a space familiar to many. For rural or remote clients I can use Skype or FaceTime at a time that suits both of us. If you think my service might be a good fit for you I look forward to your contact.
sincerely
Owen Robinson

Client Types

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Couple
• Family