About Simonette

Simonette Vaja's Professional Curriculum Vitae
Psychologist - Clinical Hypnotherapist

Qualifications:

• 1986 Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Psychology Swinburne University of Technology awarded
  
  
• 1988 Master of Arts degree in psychology Sydney University
  
  
• 1991 Post Graduate Diploma of Clinical Hypnosis - 2 years accredited by the Australian Society of Hypnosis, (ASH) and Australian Psychological Society.
  
  
• 1992 Certified practitioner of EMDR advanced level
  
  

Professional Membership since 1991:

• 1991 Registered psychologist N.S.W. PS0006904
• 1993 Member of the Australian Psychological Society
• 1993 Member of the Australian Society of Hypnosis
• 1993 Member of the International Society of Hypnosis

Founder and Director Wild at Heart Facilitator for Life Author and presenter of the "Wild at Heart Facilitator for life" courses
Contracted by Nature Care College, St. Leonards Sydney

Additional Courses Completed Post Graduate

• Life Line Telephone counselling
• Training and 12 months work experience
• Marriage Guidance Council
• Course in COUPLE THERAPY training in the Milan Systemic approach
• Smokenders
• Training in presentation and theory for facilitating quit smoking courses to groups Size 20-45 participants over a seven week program
• Parenting effectiveness courses P.S.P manual 1990
• Training techniques for community living programs
• Macquarie university, Unit for Rehabilitation studies - Disabilities school of Education
• Clinical Hypnosis Diploma
• Two Year post graduate with the Australian Society of Hypnosis - 1991

1991-1992 Self Development Programs involved with:

• Discovery for teenagers
• Acting team leader and facilitator of 10 day residential for teenagers. Discovery incorporates outward bound activities and N.L.P. techniques of accelerated learning and personal and interpersonal skills development
• High Challenge - An experiential outward bound weekend, overcoming Fear.

Business Plus
Money and You is a four day experiential training for expanding business potential

Meditation
Transcendental Meditation techniques and advanced Sutras (TM Shidi)

1992 E.M.D.R.
Advanced Certified practitioner training in the Eye Movement desensitization and reprocessing with Dr. Francine Shapiro.
Post Traumatic Stress Symptom management.
World Congress of Cognitive Therapy held at the University of Toronto, Canada

Workshops Attended

1992 Cognitive therapy for individuals - Dr. Don Meichenbaum
Rational Emotive Therapy - Dr. Albert Ellis
Cognitive Therapy for Couples - Dr. Judy Beck

1992 -1996 Personal in depth psychotherapy - Dr. Eng.Kong Tan (Self psychotherapy)
Advanced techniques in Trancework - conducted by Michael Yapko USA president of the Ericksonian Institute in L.A.
Post traumatic stress symposium - 2 day attendance conducted by the Australian Psychological Society, counselling board. Critical incident debriefing
Dieting Disorders - assessment and treatment of anorexia and bulimia at Northside Therapy Clinic and Lynton Private Hospital

1995 Memories of Abuse - constructive strategies for a confusing issue. Held by the Milton Erickson Institute of Western Australia a 2 day intensive update on theory and current legal and psychotherapy issues.
Wisdom and Compassion Conference "Buddhism and Psychotherapy"
Training to Train - 5 month program with Stephanie Burns PhD
"Reflections of Hypnosis and Mind-Body Healing". 26th Congress of the Australian Society of Hypnosis (Fraiser Island) Workshops attended:

1997 New Approaches to the Ideo-Dynamics of Hypnotherapy work - Dr. Ernest Rossi USA
Breaking the patterns of Depression - Dr. Yapko USA
Zen Buddhism - the practice of meditation in everyday life - Mr. Geoff Dawson MAPs.S
Shidda Yoga - regular meditation and spiritual study
Emotions - Dr. Simon Crow Latrobe University A one day seminar for Health professionals

1999 Doctor of Philosophy - commenced PhD social ecology research student:
University of Western Sydney, Faculty of Social Ecology 2001 transferred to the Critical Psychology faculty: School of Psychology at Parramatta campus.

Corporate Presentations

• Corporate Health Services
• John MacMannus, Consulting psychologist
• Self esteem in the workplace, training for Human Resource personnel - 25 participants
• Westpac Banking Corporation - Maryanne Steadman - Human Resource
• Self esteem in the workplace, 12 human resource personnel participants
• 1995 - Relaxation weekend - Karuna lodge in the Blue Mountains
• Relaxation trainer and facilitator - 70 participants
• South Pacific Private Hospital - Leisa Johnson, Hospital Manager
• Presentation of a three hour workshop on Stress, relaxation and meditation. Inner Sanctuary Series - 25 participants, clients and hospital staff
• Cremorne Medical Centre - Dr. Tony Andrew
• Public seminar Stress and Relaxation - 50 participants
• 1997 - MBF Corporate Health management - Virginia Fuge-Smith Manager
• Kmart - Ms. June McNaughton, Human Resource:
  A one day seminar "Stress, Relaxation Communication & Time" 18 participants
• Alcon Australia - Mr. David Rath MD
• Stress and Relaxation presentation with 40 participants and Balancing personal and professional goals: 35 participants
• Monpro Australia Finance - Ms. Sue Price - Managing Director
• Building quality relationships - 12 participants
• Herbs of Gold Australia - Ms Kate Fisher - Managing Director
• Building positive outcomes, attended by 9 members of the sales team
• Zenith Media College - Ms June Kiotka - principal
• How to deal with difficult clients - Conflict resolutions skills training - 7 participants
• 1977 - Qantas flight catering: Rehabilitation consultant
• Australian Business Women's Network - Ms Suzy Daphni, Hyatt Hotel: Guest speaker
• Topic "Bringing the Wild Woman to the Workplace". 90 participants
• Colonial Insurance Centre: Women's Network
• Communication seminar - 30 participants
• 1997 - Equals Interact - Telstra network
• Relaxation techniques - Meditation and chanting 25 participants
• Telstra Australia - Women's Network
• Relaxation and meditation Seminar - 30 participants
• South Pacific Private Hospital - Jackie Fury, Hospital Manager/Psychotherapist
• Presentation of a three hour workshop on Stress, relaxation and meditation. Inner Sanctuary Series - to out patients, clients and hospital staff
• IT People: North Sydney a recruitment agency for the IT industry
• Taking care of self in leadership positions
• 2000 - Qantas in-flight entertainment
• Presenting a two hour series of guided relaxation methods on audio. Available across all international and domestic Qantas flights
• Media representative for Professional Public Relations
• 2001 - Corporate Leadership
• 11 day intensive "The Kimberley Challenge" Darwin
• Leadership skills developed through intensive (experiential) outward bound leadership activities - Assistant course facilitator
• 2001 - RSVP on-line dating service
• Consulting Psychologist and media representative for commentary about Singles, relationships and RSVP's on-line dating service. RSVP.com.au. see Media coverage
• 2001 Australian Private Capital
• Guest presenter: Stress management and building positive relationships - Melbourne
• 2002 Art Gallery of NSW
• Buddhism exhibition. Celebrity Talks: Presentation on the influence of Buddhism in psychotherapy and the experience of guided meditation
• 2002 Boston Consulting group - Sydney and Melbourne offices

Scientific Conferences that I have presented at:

Consulting Psychologist

General Psychological Practice since 1991
I practice as a psychotherapist and clinical hypno-therapist for a wide range of presenting issues, across a varied type of client. I have consulted to over 900 individual and couple cases. Most clients consult for a minimum of 6 sessions with some longer term clients continuing on and off for 9 years. I have a 50-50 ratio of Men and Women clients with an average age range from 25-55 years. My clients come from all works of life, such as plumbers, through to Court Judges, Medical practitioners, through to hairdressers, single mothers through to family counselling. Therefore the range of issues I deal with varies from early childhood trauma therapy, to car accident post-traumatic stress, marital counselling, life transition, career choices, personality disturbances, anxiety disturbances, depression management and general life style issues.

Resolutions Health Management - 1995-1998
Contracted rehabilitation providers: My case load involves psychological and stress assessment, treatment for Anxiety and work related stress, pain management and adjustment issues post injury. Work conflict and interpersonal skills training

Industrial Program Service
Employee assistance scheme 1995 - 1997
Case load, general practice, post traumatic stress, critical incident debriefing, family, marital counseling, workplace discrimination.

Qantas (QFC) - since 1997 - Ms. Sandra Taylor - Human Resource Manager
Rehabilitation, stress management consultant, integration back to the work place, conflict resolution

Supervisor and Mentoring

Acted as a supervisor for the College of Psychological Practice, Director Don Mckenzie

Mentoring and continual supervision of Trainee wild at heart facilitators

Nature Care lecturer presenting the "Wild at Heart Facilitator for Life course". Four levels over a one year period of time. Designed and implemented by Simonette Vaja