Swinburne Psychology Clinic's Free E-Newsletter

Help is on the way: Support for individuals, couples and families in the community

The Swinburne Psychology Clinic’s electronic newsletter is designed to keep the general community, health professionals, past and present clients and counsellors informed about the Clinic’s upcoming events and activities. Over 700 community members, students and health professionals have already subscribed to receive this free service. If you would also like to subscribe, please send an email to the Project Officer at abrydon@swin.edu.au.

The April edition of our newsletter can be read below and can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking here.

April Edition
This edition of the Psychology Clinic's newsletter acknowledges the 18th anniversary of the opening of the Psychology Clinic and invites you to celebrate International No Diet Day with the staff of the Psychology Clinic next month. The newsletter also announces an opportunity for members of the community to participate in a free trial of an online program designed to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and includes a ‘last call' to be assessed for upcoming the Bipolar Group. As usual, we end this edition with our monthly joke.

The Clinic Comes of Age
On 6 April, the Psychology Clinic celebrated its 18th birthday. Over the years, the Clinic has become an integral part of the Psychology Department and the psychological profession, having provided over 500 Masters and Doctoral students with specialised training in Clinical, Counselling and Health Psychology. The Psychology Clinic has also become an invaluable community resource by providing an avenue for the community to access client-focused evidence-based psychological support and treatment on a low-cost basis.

Free Public Event: International No Diet Day
On Tuesday 6 May, Swinburne's Psychology Clinic is hosting a free public event to raise awareness of International No Diet Day, which is an annual celebration of body acceptance and diversity that was established in 1992. The aims of International No Diet Day include dispelling the notion of one ‘right' body shape, reducing community focus on dieting and appearance, raising awareness of weight discrimination and acknowledging the experience of individuals struggling with an eating disorder.

In hosting the event, the Clinic aims to promote a community focus on physical and mental wellbeing, rather than weight and shape, that extends beyond International No Diet Day to everyday life. The event will include a free public screening of the movie ‘Perfect Body', which tells the story of young gymnast who nearly starves herself to realize her dream of making the Olympic gymnastics team. An interactive Mindful eating exercise will be run by a facilitator of the Mindful Moderate Eating Group.

To find out more about this event, or to register your attendance, please call the Clinic on (03) 9214 5528 or visit www.swinburne.edu.au/lss/psychology/ pc/no_diet_day.html

10 Ways to Celebrate No Diet Day
1. Wear a blue ribbon, which is the symbol of International No Diet Day
2. Celebrate and acknowledge the natural beauty and diversity of the human body.
3. Tune into your body, identify your body's unique hunger and satiety needs and use this information to guide your choice about what to eat.
4. Affirm your right to good health, emotional wellbeing and for your body to be its natural size and shape.
5. Remove the labels of "good" and "bad" attached to particular types of food.
6. Try to do at least one thing you have been putting off ‘until you loose weight'.
7. Prepare a meal with your friends and family, remembering that eating is meant to be social, enjoyable and good for you.
8. Be aware of the dangers of strict dieting.
9. Model healthy eating behaviours and body image to young people in our community and spread the word about International No Diet Day.
10. Try eating mindfully by enjoying eating with all your senses; experiencing its taste, aroma, aesthetics and texture.

If food has become your enemy and you are preoccupied with concerns about weight and body image, seek help by making an appointment to speak with your GP or psychologist. Information about the Psychology Clinic's low-cost counselling service and the Mindful Moderate Eating Group can be obtained by calling reception on (03) 9214 8653.

Free Online Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Swinburne's Faculty of Life and Social Sciences is currently evaluating PTSD Online which is an internet-based treatment program for PTSD. Participants are needed for the evaluation and those who participate in the research will receive access to PTSD Online and regular email support from a psychologist as they complete 10-weeks of treatment. This research follows on from the success of other successful internet-based treatment programs, such as ‘Panic Online' (for the treatment of panic disorder) and is supported by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund.

The PTSD Online project is an invaluable opportunity for people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to receive readily accessible and convenient psychological treatment assistance. To be eligible to participate in the evaluation participants must reside in Australia, be over 18-years-old, have a primary diagnosis of PTSD (as assessed by one of our psychologists), and have an email address and access to the internet.
For further information on this study, please visit: www.ptsd-online.org

Important Dates
21 April Group Therapy for Bipolar Disorder
The next Collaborative Therapy Group for Bipolar Disorder has been delayed and the program will now commence on 21 April. If you, or someone you know, would like to access this treatment service, please contact the Clinic a.s.a.p. on 9214 8653.

Tuesday 6 May International No Diet Day
In May, the Psychology Clinic will host a free public movie screening to raise awareness of No Diet Day. The event will commence at 5.30pm. Please visit the Clinic's website for more information: www.swin.edu.au/clinic

Saturday 2 August ACT and Mindfulness Workshops
In August, the Psychology Clinic, in conjunction with Dr Russ Harris, will run an introductory workshop in the use of ACT and Mindfulness in therapeutic settings. The introductory workshop will be followed by a sequence of three development workshops. The training will be open to all counselling and health professionals. More information about these workshops can be found at the following link of the Psychology Clinic's website: www.swinburne.edu.au/lss/psychology/pc/mindfulness_and_acceptance_and_commitment_therapy_pd.htm

Monthly Joke
We hope you have enjoyed this edition of our newsletter. This month joke with was submitted anonymously by a member of the Clinic's staff.

A psychologist was conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. "You all have obsessions," he observed.
To the first mother he said, "You are obsessed with eating. You even named your daughter Candy."
He turned to the second mom. "Your obsession is money. Again, it manifests itself in your child's name, Penny."
He turned to the third mom. "Your obsession is alcohol and your child's name is Brandy."
At this point, the fourth mother got up, took her little boy by the hand and whispered, "Come on, Richard, let's go home."

If there is a seasonal or psychology-related joke that has made you smile, please share it with us by submitting it to: abrydon@swin.edu.au.

This newsletter is an initiative of the Psychology Clinic to provide you with the information you need to keep up-to-date with the activities and services we provide. Currently, over 700 community members, students and health professionals subscribe to this newsletter, which is produced by Aisha Brydon. We welcome any feedback and ideas you have about this publication and if there is a topic, query or segment you would like to see in future editions please send an email to: abrydon@swin.edu.au.

To subscribe, send an email to: abrydon@swin.edu.au.