Psychologist with too many projects
It is that time of year again where I sit down and reflect on what I've learned in 2023 and what I want to learn in 2024. It is part of the formal requirements of maintaining my registration as a psychologist. At a practical level it looks like putting the finishing touches on my learning … Continue reading Content consumed versus content studied
I am a Be Well Plan facilitator. The Be Well Plan is a mental health and resilience program in which we teach participants evidence-based psychological tools for improving and maintaning their mental health. One of the activities we get participants to do is the VIA character survey. Given how popular this survey is, you may … Continue reading Tangible application of character strengths in everyday life
There's a low intensity happiness intervention called Three Funny Things. It is one of a number of humour-based interventions that you can read more about here. It is quite simple. For a week or so, take 10 minutes to write down three funny things that you heard, saw, did or experienced that day. Write down … Continue reading Three funny things
[this is a revised version of a post I wrote for my work] I started taking mental health as a topic seriously when I started working at Flinders. Yes, it was part of my training as a psychologist, but my career had kept me on the periphery of the topic for a long time, at … Continue reading A stepped approach to improving one’s mental health
I am embarrassed to admit that despite knowing that multi-tasking isn't a great idea (if the tasks you are switching between are both cognitively demanding), I have still been trying to do it anyway. This dawned on me recently, when I realised that on any given day of the week, I was (at least in … Continue reading Oh yeah, I can’t multi-task either
2023 has been, thus far, a good lesson for me in how you can get caught in vicious cycles. My mood overall has been low in 2023, especially compared to 2022. A combination of the normal challenges of life & work, reaching a reflective age, witnessing the challenges of others and grappling with existential issues. … Continue reading low mood –> bad habits –> poor health –> low mood
We're nearing the halfway point of the continuing professional development year, and my learning continues to be fragmented as I choose podcasts and papers based on what interests me at the time. From an engagement with learning perspective, this approach is fine as it maintains my sustained interest and curiosity. However, the main problem I … Continue reading Writing as mental problem solving
This is a minor re-write of a post I originally put on my work blog. I live in Australia. Last year I attended a work meeting in which Indigenous student support staff talked about how they went about their jobs. As part of talking about how to create culturally safe learning spaces, they provided an … Continue reading Writing an Acknowledgement of Country
This year I am learning the importance of having a plan B or maybe the ability to pivot to a plan B. Of course, I am learning this valuable lesson because I didn't have a plan B and my plan A turned to shit. Now that I am emerging out the other side, I thought … Continue reading The importance of having (being able to create) a plan B
I trained, as a psychologist, to assess/diagnose mental ill health and apply evidence-based treatments. The alleviation of suffering was the primary goal. Now in my work however, I operate more at the wellbeing, happiness, wellness end. I try to teach people strategies and techniques for bringing more positive experiences (e.g. gratitude, connection, awe, curiosity, self-acceptance, … Continue reading I didn’t spread COVID but I did spread wellbeing
Dr Gareth Furber 