In 1991, Louise took up a lead role with Australia’s first co-located domestic violence, sexual assault, and historical child sexual abuse service, and later became founding member and Convenor of the Domestic Violence Action Groups of WA (DVAGWA) established as a peak body to advocate for and represent 14 action groups located throughout Western Australia. DVAGWA successfully lobbied Government to introduce social justice reforms while also securing legislative and policy change, and new funding for much needed FDV counselling and support services.
In the mid ‘90s, while working at the WA Government’s Domestic Violence Prevention Unit, Louise was a key advisor for the “Freedom From Fear” community education campaign encouraging perpetrators to seek help. During that time Louise provided FDV training for Judges and Magistrates and a broad range of other allied professionals in WA and across Australia. Louise has written Best Practice Guides for Victim and Perpetrator Domestic Violence Services and then later for Legal Aid’s Primary Dispute Resolution Services and Family Relationships Centres established across Australia.
Louise was appointed to positions that supported and managed 10 National and 16 State committees established to work collaboratively in the Family Law and Family Violence areas. Louise then went on to work as National Manager Family Services for a peak industry representative body supporting more than 70 social service organisations across Australia before being appointed as manager of a leadership program when returning to Perth.
Prior to her appointment as Chief Executive Officer at Phoenix Louise was responsible for establishing clinical supervision, case note audits, clinical observations, and professional development for 300 staff located in 11 sites in regional and metropolitan WA.
Louise has studied Self-Regulation with Canadian neuroscientist Dr Stuart Shanker and the Shanker method became the foundational evidence-based underpinning of the Trauma Transformation program Louise had conceived and developed with the clinical staff for Phoenix clients.
Louise is currently leading the development of a fee for service program that will be known as Phoenix Professional Development and Prevention Services and delivering workforce training, sector professional development, clinical supervision and mentoring for professional staff who wish to work with, or currently work with individuals and families impacted by interpersonal violence and abuse.
Qualifications:
Master of Arts Human Services; Grad Dip Counselling; Cert IV Workplace Training & Assessment; Public Sector Management Certificate; Various certified accreditations in the fields of counselling; family therapy; domestic violence; trauma; self-regulation; and dental therapy.