Compassion, Awareness, Mindfulness and Acceptance (CAMA)

Clinical Psychology skills along with an extensive nursing background, mainly in rural and remote Australia, and an intimate knowledge of rural issues and of the challenges we face maintaining optimal health and life satisfaction, places Director of the CAMA Psychology Group Bernadette Devenish, in a strong position to offer informed relevant support and guidance.

Embracing the whole person, this combination of up to date medical and clinical psychology qualifications, along with Psychology Board of Australia approved supervision with Clinical Endorsement training, facilitates a unique approach to psychological support and lifetime change.

In depth knowledge of the interaction and interdependence of physical and mental health, equips Clinical Psychologist Bernadette Devenish, with the necessary skillset to identify the values and goals of the client, and to offer support toward building a purposeful and fulfilling life based on what matters to them - their values.

Specialty areas include –

• Health Psychology managing and maintaining optimal physical and mental health. Preventative approaches aimed at reducing the risk of exacerbating existing conditions or of developing illness and chronic disease later in life.
• Eco Therapy — walking and/or sitting outside in a natural setting when the weather permits, drawing on the calming and restorative mental and physical health benefits of being out in nature. Reducing the spread of COVID-19, flu and other contagious illnesses also makes eco therapy an attractive alternative to working in a closed office.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Training) ACT - a modern form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). ACT teaches specific, structured evidence-based skills which enable people to better manage difficult thoughts and feelings, so they are less an obstacle to living a meaningful, purposeful, fulfilling and satisfying vital life.
• Mindfulness training — a useful tool to help us to step back, take a different perspective, and shift to a more helpful workable relationship with our inevitable difficult human experiences such as difficult thoughts, feelings, memories, and sensations, relationship pressures, loneliness and feelings of isolation etc.
• Suicide intervention and prevention — extensive experience in suicidality supported by Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).
• Psychological First Aide following critical incidents or natural disasters toward prevention of PTSD.
• Trauma, PTSD, and Complex Trauma as a result of adverse childhood experiences such as neglect, abuse, and exploitation.
• Managing stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, relationship and parenting difficulties, loss, grief, separation, and divorce.
• Tele health and video link-up specialising in the delivery of evidence based clinical psychology services online and via the telephone.

CAMA Psychology Group:

• Tele and video health
• Natural settings in and around Toowoomba
• Toowoomba Consulting Rooms, 26 Euston Rd, Toowoomba, Queensland. 4350
• Brisbane — ACT Centre, 7 Marie Street Milton

If you would like to speak with a psychologist from the CAMA Psychology Group, please telephone during office hours on 0407 535 304 or send an email to info@camapsychology.com

In the case of an emergency please phone 000 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 for 24 hour a day 7 days per week support.