Curriculum Vitae:
Dianne Perrett-Abrahams
M.Psych. Forensic (Monash), B.A. (Psych.), Dip.Ed.Psych. (Monash), M.A.Ps.S., F.C.H.P, F.C.F.P, F.A.I.M., F.I M.& L, F.M.I.P.C
PhD (Prelim) incomplete.
Inaugural Forensic Psychology Masters Graduate, Monash University 1994
Nominated (final 5 nominees) the Australian of the Year 2010 awards for services to psychological clinical health (police).
Professional Registration and Associations:
Psychology Board of Australia Registration
Member of the Australian Psychological Society.
Fellow of the Australian College of Forensic Psychologists,
Fellow Australian College of Health Psychologists
Member of Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Member Australian New Zealand Association of Psychiatry,
Psychology and the Law.
Member Australian College of Psychologists in Clinical Private Practice.
Member of the Disability Discrimination Legal Service.
Member Victorian Psychosexual Association.
Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.
Foundation Member of the Institute of Personnel Consultants.
Board & Committee Experience:
Chair Victorian College of Health Psychologists, 2017, 2018
Secretary and Chair Elect Victorian College of Health Psychologists, 2016,
Committee Advisor Rural Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation facilities, 2015.
Board Member, Equal Opportunity Council, Dept. Education, Southern Region 1993.
I designed, implemented and facilitated the coordination of the Addictive Behaviours Unit at Dandenong Pinelodge Private Hospital, opened August l, 1991.
Nominated to Executive of Victorian Council of School Organisations 1989
Victorian Council of School Organisations. Representative of sub-curriculum committee 1988.
Single Adoptive Mothers Committee representative to the Victorian Family and Children’s Services Council, 1986
Committee Member, Community Refugee Settlement Scheme, Dept. of Immigration and
Ethnic Affairs 1985
lntercountry Sponsorship Secretary FACTS lntercountry Adoption Organisation 1984.
President of the Wirrilda Pre-School Board, 1983
Employee Assistance Programs:
In December 1988 I founded my own practice, the Victorian Occupational Support Service (VOSS). At the commencement of VOSS, I researched/ implemented/ coordination of the first police employee assistance program (EAP) for police in Australia at the behest of the Police Association of Victoria from 1987 to 1993. This service was developed to provide psychological services, potentially, to 10,000 police members and their families with the implementation of this program involving the coordination and management of 12 psychologists across the State of Victoria. The EAP involved the design and delivery of psychological, short and long term, treatment interventions to Police members. Providing:
• police members with critical incident and trauma assessment and therapy
• Drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation.
• Psychological assessments and reports for Court regarding police members i.e., criminal matters, crimes compensation matters and expert witness appearances.
• Statistical analysis of presenting pathologies and other essential welfare data with monthly reporting to the Victorian Police Association.
• Training to police delegates and welfare members.
• Return to work programs.
• Counseling and psychological treatment for any police member or family member in the broadest sense ranging from work injury, marital, relationship, family, and child/adolescent difficulties.
In developing this program, initially, a 9-5pm service, it became the first 24 hour comprehensively serviced EAP for Victoria Police. This broad-reaching program provided a 24 hour on call service by a team of 12 psychologists under my supervision and management, covering the state of Victoria, and was utilised by 4500 police members over the 6 ½ years of operation with over 2000 members using the service in the last 12 months of my service provision. The training of police delegates formed a mandatory function of the EAP, with debriefing and training given to police, in Metropolitan and Rural stations throughout Victoria.
Forensic reports and expert testimony were provided for police in a wide range of areas and included WorkCover, Crimes Compensation and criminal matters. An extensive drug and alcohol program with in-patient care formed a major part of the EAP.
The EAP for the Legal Aid Commission encompassed the psychological care of a staff of 800 with crisis intervention following the Queen Street massacre. The general psychological treatment program for this organisation included the design and delivery of treatment interventions, training of staff, work performance enhancement, statistical analysis, drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation. Additionally, this program provided consultancy services to Legal practitioners.
Similarly, I provided a comprehensive National EAP for CUB across Victoria, NSW, Queensland and Tasmania the design and delivery of treatment interventions for CUB included the training of staff, statistical analysis, drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation. In addition, I was responsible for providing a major retrenchment program for the closure of CUB’s Brisbane Brewery. I was also responsible for providing redundancy counseling with vocational guidance and psychometric testing at CUB’s Abbotsford Brewery, Victoria.
I provided a similar program for the closure of the State Electricity Commission (SEC) corporate office in William Street, Melbourne.
Other EAP’s under my direction and management were Cadbury Schweppes, Melbourne City Council and Prahran City Council.Prior to the implementation of my own practice, I completed my under-supervision training with the Victorian Drug and Alcohol Foundation and the Occupational Support Service which was a company under the umbrella of Victorian Drug and Alcohol Foundation. I was employed in this capacity for 2 ½ years and facilitated, researched and designed a range of EAP programs, including EAP programs for the CFA, National Bank, Yoorala, The Blind Institute, Prahran City and Frankston City Councils. In this organisation I was promoted to Acting Manager.
Provider to:
WorkCover Provider, Comcare Provider, Victim of Crime Referral Service, TAC, Veterans Affairs, Northern Valley Allied Health Services, Medicare Provider Number: 2688672B.
I currently co treat patients with complex psychiatric conditions with various Psychiatrists. I have provided training to GP’s under the Small Group learning program, specifically on issues of addiction, trauma pathologies; WorkCover; expert testimony and Court procedures.
I have been accredited to a range of psychiatric hospitals, including adolescent units. They include. The Pathway Unit, Albert Road Clinic, and prior to the Albert Road Clinic, Trentwood Private psychiatric Hospital, Dandenong Pinelodge Private Hospital and St. John of God Private Hospital Brighton.
I have been accredited to the Victorian Police Hospital, Melbourne and the Police Unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
I implemented and coordinated a PTSD & Trauma inpatient program at Elsternwick Private Hospital, which provided inpatient and outpatient program facilitation to police patients in my care.
I have 32 year’s experience in drug/ alcohol treatment and rehabilitation; and have been accredited to the majority of hospital facilities in this field at various times. Such treatment facilities have included, Mont Clair Private Hospital, Evancourt Private Hospital Beleura Private Hospital and Coonil Private Hospital, I designed and implemented and assisted in the coordination of the Addictive Behaviours Unit at Dandenong Pinelodge Private Hospital which opened, August l, 1991.
I have been accredited to the Victoria Police Hospital.
I co-ordinated and I implemented the trauma recovery program at Elsternwick Private Hospital 1993.
In the course of my accreditation at these in-patient facilities I was afforded full treatment rights.
I currently liaise with and refer patients to Malvern Private Hospital Addiction Recovery and Dandenong Pinelodge Addictive Behaviors Unit.
I completed my supervision for registration as a psychologist with the Victorian Drug & Alcohol Foundation and the Occupational Support Service (OAS). South Melbourne.
I am called upon to provide lectures and seminars to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous on a regular basis throughout Victoria.
I have provided consultancy to Victorian Prisons including Sale Prison regarding protected prisoners and for selected general prisoner populations at Pentridge Prison and for selected prisoners at Malmsbury Youth detention.
I held supervised placement- long term, for a Master of Forensic Psychologist degree at Mont Park Psychiatric Hospital, Forensic Ward 5, and a supervised placement at Sale Prison for protected prisoners where I provided clinical assessment and group treatment programs for protected prisoners. I also held a supervised placement at Brighton Private Hospital D & A and Brighton Rehabilitation facility in pain management.
Critical Incident Interventions:
I have provided emergency trauma counseling following the Clifton Hill siege to police and members of the public. Following this critical incident my staff and I were requested by Police Command to assess interview tapes of the offender to assist police enquiries related to the offender’s psychological status.
In the immediate aftermath of the Queen Street, massacre I provided crisis intervention to the Legal Aid Commission staff and attending police with treatment intervention and follow up care provided for 12 months in the fallout of this critical incident.
Similarly, Trauma counseling was provided to affected police and Magistrate Court staff following the Russell Street bombing,
Trauma counseling and long-term psychological treatment has been provided to police following the murders of police at Marysville, Walsh Street, and Moorabbin. With long term psychological treatment provided to Victorian police members affected by shootings, stabbings and assaults and those involved in the fatal shooting of offenders.
I was invited as one of 27 psychologists, psychiatrists, medical practitioners and social workers at the invitation of the Government of China as a Delegate to China September 1994 to address social justice issues and the implication of the single child family and provided lectures relevant to this subject to Universities in Beijing, Shanghai, and Kumming.
I provide expert testimony in a range of jurisdictions from Superior Courts, to tribunal settings and I currently conduct over 100 diagnositic assessments and legal reports each year.
Victorian Research:
Sex Differences in Sources and Experiences of Stress and Predictors of Stress Amongst Members of the Vic. Police Force, Master of Psychology (Forensic) Thesis and paper to the Victorian Police Force, 1994.
The research/ implementation/ coordination of the first police employee assistance program (EAP) in Australia at the behest of the Police Association of Victoria from 1987 to 1993. This service was developed to provide psychological services, potentially, to 10,000 police members and their families with the implementation of this program involving the coordination and management of 12 psychologists across the State of Victoria. The EAP involved the design and delivery of psychological, short and long term, treatment interventions to Police members.
The research/ development and implementation of the EAP to the Legal Aid Commission Victoria and the direction of this program for 8 years. This service provided crisis intervention and on-site debriefing following the Queen Street Massacre with post trauma service for the entire staff of the Legal Aid Commission for 12 months in the aftermath of this event.
The research and co-implementation of the Addictive Behaviours Unit Dandenong Pinelodge Private Hospital opened August lst, 1991. Providing inpatient and outpatient therapy for drug, alcohol and gambling addiction.
The research and implementation of a trauma inpatient program with after care group programs for patients with an emphasis on police clients at Elsternwick Private Hospital 1993.
Overseas Research:
As a delegate to China September, 1994 to address social justice issues and the family. I was one of 27 psychologists, psychiatrists, medical practitioners, lawyers and social workers invited to research issues of social justice and the implications of the single child family providing lectures and papers to universities in Beijing, Kuming and Shanghai.
The research of Intercountry adoption of children in Haiti, incorporating the research of child welfare agencies and Haitian legal processes and adoption procedures, for FACTS Intercountry Adoption Agency, 1985.
From 1988 – Present
Director/ Forensic & Health Psychologist – Victorian Occupational Support Service (V.0.S.S.), 517 Main Road, Eltham 3095.
At the commencement of this practice I researched, implemented and coordinated the first Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to police in Australia for The Police Association of Victoria. This ground-breaking program involved a 24 hour a day 365 day per year program which I presided over for 6 ½ years. The EAP was implemented for police to access treatment though out the state of Victoria via the service provision of 12 psychologists under my supervision. This unique program was the first of its type to Police personnel in Australia and was implemented to provide care to police victims initially following the Russell Street Bombing and then extended to provide trauma treatment and rehabilitation to police personnel in addition to providing treatment to police for all psychological issues. The program was in place to provide critical incident care and post trauma treatment after the Clifton Hill siege and the Queen Street massacre and provided crisis and trauma interventions, treatment and follow up care to police involved in all fatal shootings. Treatment interventions to police currently involve emergencies and day to day stressors encountered by Police in the course of operational duty. As a WorkCover and TAC provider I provide diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation to individuals suffering from complex and dual pathologies, stress induced pathologies, i.e. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Adjustment Disorders with dual pathologies, i.e. ABI with bipolar disorders. Addiction disorders with dual pathologies i.e., psychosis, BPD, dissociative disorders, bipolar, depression and anxiety form a major part of my practice over 25 years. As a provider for the Victims Assistance Service I implement assessments and treatment for victims of crime. As a private practitioner I am called upon to treat patients with divers and complex pathologies and routinely dual diagnosis. As a WorkCover and TAC provider I treat patients with stress related pathologies, complex pain pathologies, acquired brain injury pathologies and dual diagnosis.
I have consult as the clinical director of Drug and Alcohol Residential programs in rural Victoria.
I have provided Consultancies to Monash Family Psychiatry, Clayton 1995-2005.
Previous Positions:
1986 – 1988, Acting Manager, Consulting Psychologist Industrial Consultant responsible for psychological treatment of employees emanating from EAP projects such as the CFA, Carlton & United Breweries, National Bank, Yoorala, Blind Institute, Bank Institutions, Local Governments.
Employer; The Victorian Drug and Alcohol Foundation in conjunction with the Occupational Assistance Service (a division of the Alcohol and Drug Foundation of Victoria), Park Street, South Melbourne.
1986 Psychologist/ Researcher David Syme School of Business Monash University.
1975-1979 Director/Management Consultant – Capitol Management Consultants Swanston Street, Melbourne. Responsible for recruitment/ training/ change management programs, work enhancement interventions of senior personnel i.e. Chartered accountants, Lawyers, legal staff, IT staff.
1970-1975 Snr, Management Consultant- Fisher & McDonald Management Consultants, Nion Management Consultants and Inventum Personnel.
Major Consultancy Interests In:
I have a diverse background, history and interest in the following areas of psychological practice; Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma pathologies, Dual diagnosis, All aspects of Forensic Psychology. Including forensic reports, expert testimony; Victims of Crime treatment and rehabilitation. Treatment interventions regarding stress disorders, police crisis and occupational stress, critical incidence and crisis debriefing. complex pain disorders- treatment and management, child sexual abuse and trauma treatment intervention from early childhood development through to adolescence and adult; behavioural and clinical therapy for ASD patients and those without verbal speech, alcohol/drug detoxification and rehabilitation. /gambling rehabilitation, anxiety disorders, family counseling, individual therapy. Design, implementation and management of EAP’s,
Principal and Director, Voss Psychology