APS College of Health Psychologists

Bowel Cancer Screening & the Health Belief Model - APS College of Health Psychologists:

Fascinating peer supervision session this morning with Dr Rosemary Higgins! We unpacked why less than half of eligible Australians skip a free test with a 99% Stage I survival rate - and discovered that psychologists are just as susceptible to the barriers we study. 😄

The standout moment? Discussing the "severity paradox" - the counterintuitive finding that higher perceived threat can actually reduce screening, driven by fatalism, avoidance, and the sense that some threats are simply too big to face.

Rich, humbling, and real - as always. Thank you to all participants for sharing so openly!

📅 Next up: Disability Awareness - July

Registration closes 15 May 2026

Today's session deepened my understanding of Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) as a condition sitting at the intersection of neurology and psychology. Dr Kate Gill's lived experience powerfully illustrated the harm caused by systemic dismissal, while Linda Tamre's framing of FND as a dysfunction in predictive processing and stress response systems - rather than a product of single trauma - offered clinically useful, de-stigmatising language.

The Emma case study prompted useful reflection on my own biases around the physical-psychological divide and reinforced the idea that advocating for diagnostic clarity is itself a meaningful clinical act. I leave with greater confidence that my existing skills in chronic pain and complex presentations are highly transferable to FND.

A sincere thank you to Sue Yencken for facilitating such a thoughtful and well-structured round table.

Hello everyone! Have you received our study article for tomorrow's workshop? Please email us at [email protected] if you haven’t. This month, we have two very special guests who are experts in FND to help facilitate our reflection. We look forward to seeing you all at noon tomorrow🤩

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When one door closes, another opens!

Registration for Mindfulness Japan has now closed.

But don't worry, a brand new opportunity is now OPEN!

Join us for a unique conference designed to meet AHPRA professional competencies in self-care and reflexive practice, while deepening your knowledge of psychological pain management.

Reflexive and Deliberate Practice in Health Psychology: Advancing Psychological Pain Management
Location: The Westin Brisbane
Time: 12-14 June 2026

🧘 Mindfulness, selfcare & somatic experiencing
🔍 Workshops for reflexive practice & self-awareness
🧠 Evidence-based chronic pain interventions
🤝 Professional networking & community of practice

Hosted by: Prof. John Toumbourou | Dr Sze Yan Cheung | Dr Thai Ohtsuka | Dr Rosemary Higgins

Register now via the APS website: https://psychology.org.au/event/25935

Don't miss your chance to invest in your professional growth AND your personal well-being. See you in Brisbane!

APS Events: 25935 | APS We're here for you — supporting your career, our profession, and serving as your trusted advisor. Click here to renew today.

Some learning stays with you long after the workshop ends.

Come experience Japan - its culture, its stillness, its wisdom - alongside a community of like-minded practitioners. Wander through bamboo groves, soak in an onsen, share meaningful conversations, and return home not just professionally enriched, but genuinely restored.

This is CPD that takes care of you, too.

📩 [email protected] | 22–29 October 2026.

Today's Health Series: Reflecting on Indigenous Health and Social & Emotional Well-being

What a rich and thought-provoking session we had today. We were honoured to be joined by Tanja Hirvonen, a proud Jaru and Banuba woman and clinical psychologist, and Louise Roufeil, a health psychologist with over 20 years of experience working in remote communities across the central desert, who generously shared their knowledge, wisdom, and lived experience with our group.

Today's conversations are centred on the Social and Emotional Well-being (SEWB) framework, a holistic, community-developed model that recognises the deep connections between self, family, kinship, community, culture, Country, and spirituality that shape the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It was a powerful reminder that well-being cannot be reduced to the absence of illness, it is about wholeness, connection, and self-determination.

We reflected on the importance of cultural safety, trauma-informed care, and the courage it takes to truly meet people where they are, not where we expect them to be.

A heartfelt thank you to Tanja and Louise for their generosity in sharing and for challenging us to think more deeply about how we show up in our work. 🙏

We leave today's session with more questions than answers, and that feels exactly right.

Until next month! 💙

Lifestyle Medicine: What Does It Mean for Psychology?

This month's Health Psychologists Workshop Series explored the growing field of lifestyle medicine, facilitated by Professor Paul Martin.

We discussed the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and how they align with what health psychologists have long practised under the biopsychosocial model. Lively conversations covered the value of multidisciplinary collaboration, integrative approaches in practice, and the challenge of measuring lifestyle holistically.

A key reflection: rather than establishing a new "lifestyle psychology," many felt it's about raising the visibility of what we already do, and ensuring psychologists are recognised for their role in translating lifestyle science into meaningful health outcomes.

Thank you to all who attended and to Paul Martin for his expertise and facilitation.

📅 Next month: Indigenous Health, with a lived experience indigenous practitioner guiding our session.

🔗 APS College of Health Psychologists, Victorian Committee 2026 Workshop Series.

Are you curious about the role of psychology in Lifestyle Medicine? Join us for our next live online workshop!

The APS College of Health Psychologists, Victorian Committee, invites psychologists and health professionals to our March session in the 2026 Live Online Health Psychology Monthly Workshop Series.

Lifestyle Medicine is a rapidly growing field that focuses on evidence-based behavioural interventions to prevent, manage and even reverse chronic disease. This session will explore the psychological dimensions of lifestyle-based approaches and how health professionals can support meaningful, lasting behaviour change.

Come along to connect with colleagues from across Australia, share your expertise, and gain valuable insights in this important area of health psychology practice.

Registered participants:
Please check your email for the study article to review ahead of the session. Reading this in advance will help you get the most out of our discussion!

Topic: Lifestyle Medicine
Facilitator: Prof. Paul Martin
Date: 10 March 2026

For more information on the full 2026 schedule and to register, please visit:
https://psychology.org.au/event/25782