Pat is a Registered Psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and has endorsement as a Clinical Psychologist. She has experience working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Adult Mental Health, the Neuropsychology Service at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and Mental Health Services for Older Adults.

Pat has been working in private practice since 1998. This has included contracts with the Memory Disorders Clinic and Griffith Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as involvement with clinical trials for different types of dementing illnesses at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Pat has also been involved as a consultant on a Memory Screening Project, jointly organised by Alzheimer’s Australia South Australia and Masonic Homes. Experience includes cognitive assessment, the management of anxiety and depression, and has incorporated a variety of therapeutic interventions including cognitive-behaviour therapy, and clinical hypnosis. Pat has been a Clinical Associate with CNS Consulting since 2008.

Pat also has experience working as a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Adelaide Health Service providing services to elderly psychiatric inpatients, as well as community clients. In addition to conducting cognitive assessments, and managing anxiety and depression, Pat has presented evidence to the Guardianship Board in order to protect the rights of individuals.

As an Executive Committee Member of the South Australian Society of Hypnosis, Pat is extensively involved in the promotion of hypnosis in South Australia, and with training professionals in the theoretical and practical applications.

Pat’s PhD thesis was on the early detection of dementia and was titled “Are deficits in naming and construction performance preclinical symptoms of dementia?” Consequently, Pat has a particular interest in and expertise in the early detection of cognitive difficulties.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies)
• Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
• Master of Psychology (Clinical)
• Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis
• Doctor of Philosophy

Professional Associations

Pat is a member of the following professional organisations :-

• Australian Psychological Society (APS)
• APS College of Clinical Psychologists
• International Neuropsychological Society
• Australian Society of Hypnosis
• South Australian Society of Hypnosis (Executive Committee Member)