MEET THE TEAM

Director

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Psychologist

Stephen is a Behaviour Support Practitioner/Psychologist. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Hons), Bachelor of Science (Biomedical) and Masters of Professional Psychology.

Stephen has experience supervising and training Behaviour Support Practitioners. He has over 8 years' experience providing Positive Behaviour Support and Psychology services across child safety, forensic, mental health, independent living, family, and community environments with neurodivergent populations. He enjoys working with young people and adults and their support teams to achieve a better quality of life. Stephen also has an extensive background in support work and team leadership. He has worked across government, non-government and private practice roles and settings across his career. Having a family member with a disability and a rural background, Stephen understands the importance of accessibility and equity, and is passionate about the role of quality services and supports in improving quality of life.

Stephen enjoys working collaboratively and proactively, with a strong focus on values to develop relationships and help support improvements in quality of life and reductions in restrictive practices. He likes to incorporate aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy into his work.  

In his spare time, Stephen enjoys spending time with his wife, dogs, and family, playing the piano, travelling, and going to the gym. 

Senior Behaviour Support Practitioner

Kris is an advanced level Behaviour Support Practitioner with over 10 years’ experience in collaborating with people with a disability and their supports to assess, develop and implement Positive Behaviour Support Plans. Kris is passionate about active support and embedding supported decision making into practice, and he has a highly person-centred and strengths’-based approach to supporting people towards their goals. Kris’ work as Behaviour Support Practitioner is grounded by his experience in providing direct support, management, and coordination across roles with people with a disability over his 20-year career. 

Kris has extensive experience in navigating complex systems and brings excellent interpersonal skills, expert knowledge, and a genuine passion for improving the life of participants to his clients and their supports. His populations of interest include people with neurodevelopmental disabilities, including those with co-occurring conditions. Kris enjoys working with people of all ages. 

Kris has provided mentorship, training, and supervision to Behaviour Support Practitioners across skill levels and enjoys fostering practice and development in positive behaviour support.

In his spare time Kris enjoys cooking, training at the gym, lawn care, and spending time with his family and friends.

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Counsellor

Yasmin is a registered Counsellor and Behaviour Support Practitioner. Yasmin has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Master of Counselling. 

Yasmin is soon to commence counselling with Positive Shift. Her interests are children and young people with ASD/ADHD, improving social skills and anxiety/depression. Yasmin is passionate about mental health and aims to bring her clients to a safe space to express their needs and aspirations.

Yasmin is also a Behaviour Support Practitioner with a background in support work. She has experience working with adults, young people and children with complex physical and mental health needs. She is passionate about working with her clients to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. 

Yasmin is highly adept at building relationships and fostering growth in participants and their supports. 

In her spare time, Yasmin likes spending time with her family, friends and any dog she can find. She enjoys spicy food, Pilates, streaming Below Deck, travelling and seeing live music. 

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Heidi is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Psychology and Communications and a Psychology Honours degree. Heidi is currently studying a Master of Social Work and has previously completed a course in HIV/Aids Care and Counselling. 

Heidi immigrated to Australia from South Africa in 2015 and loves living in the Sunshine State. While studying in South Africa Heidi was involved in working with children and their parents who had to navigate the court system after trauma. This experience cemented Heidi's interest in working with children and their parents to achieve long-term positive outcomes. Heidi's particular population of interest is neurodivergent children. 

Heidi values collaborative engagement with individuals, and their support network, and works hard at establishing positive, open working relationships based upon empathy and trust, where people can feel safe and supported.

When Heidi is not at work, she is juggling the social lives of three teenagers and mediating their disagreements. In her downtime, Heidi enjoys Pilates, reading and trying to figure out whodunit in the latest crime series. 

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Iris is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with Honours in Psychological Science from the University of Queensland.

Iris has worked as a Psychological Assessment Coordinator in a

mental health clinic, as well as a Behavioural Therapist and Psychological Recovery Coach at different community services. 

For almost four years, Iris has worked with adults, teens, and children by integrating a range of theories and

practical skills from diverse psychotherapy traditions, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), and psychological and psychoeducational evaluations.

In her spare time, Iris plays the flute, enjoys playing tennis and likes to take her two dogs on walks. 

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Jessica is a Behaviour Support Practitioner and Provisional Psychologist. She is currently studying a Master of Clinical Psychology.

Jessica is particularly passionate about mental health for children and adolescents. Her populations of interest include culturally and linguistically diverse young people, and those that identify as LGBTQI+. She aims to create and maintain safe and affirming environments for her clients so that all people can access the services that they desire and receive support that respects and celebrates their individual identity. 

Jessica values person-centred and trauma-informed care and works hard at building positive working relationships with clients and their supports.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and friends, dancing, listening to music, and reading.

Psychologist

Adela is an AHPRA Registered Psychologist, Board-Approved Supervisor, and Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner. She has worked in various settings including private practice, educational spaces, government, and not-for-profit organisations. She has an interest in working across the lifespan with the philosophy that people continue to evolve and grow across each developmental stage. Adela is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), solution focused therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT), and utilises a tailored, evidence-based approach with each individual client.

At Positive Shift, Adela will be available to offer NDIS assessments including Behaviour Necessity Assessments, Psychology Assessments (DSM-5 assessments, cognitive assessments, diagnostic assessments), as well as Functional Capacity Assessments.

In her free time, she enjoys practicing pilates and yoga, as well as cooking and eating great food.

Office and Intake Manager

Lisa is an expert at handling NDIS intake and administration with over 8 years’ experience supporting clinical intake of a specialist behaviour support and clinical service. Lisa enjoys helping clients and families navigate what can be a difficult and confusing system, and brings her quick wit, warmth and extensive knowledge of behaviour support to the team. Lisa is highly adept at initially assessing clients and ensuring that onboarding and services are catered to their needs. Lisa also has experience as a Behaviour Support Practitioner and so has a thorough understanding of Positive Behaviour Support.  

Lisa is particularly passionate about ensuring children and young people receive the support they need to ensure they can thrive. 

When Lisa isn’t running her children around to various activities, she likes a good Netflix binge, has a love/hate relationship with camping and enjoys long walks in nature with her 35 kilo Labradoodle while listening to true crime podcasts.