MBBS (Hons)

Cathy worked in medical practice for 20 years, mostly as a GP. She has held leadership roles at Blue Knot Foundation for 12 years, including 2 terms as Chair. 

In Feb 2012 she was appointed Blue Knot Foundation President in recognition of her significant contribution and importance of her role with external stakeholders, including government and mental health sector. She now holds a broad-based representative role with responsibilities across media, advocacy, service strategy and government relations.

She is also a past director of MHCC (Mental Health Co-ordinating Council) NSW, member of the Mental Health Community Advisory Council (NSW), foundation member of the national Trauma-Informed Care and Practice Advisory Working Group, member of the Advisory Panel of Tzedek, member of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies Task Force on Child Protection and member of the Commonwealth Redress Advisory Council.

Cathy was short-listed for CLW’s Leadership Achievement Award for Women in 2009-www.leadershipforwomen.com.au - and appointed an ambassador for National Families Week 2009/10/11/12/13 and 2016.

On Australia Day 2015 Cathy was awarded an AM "for significant service to community health as a supporter and advocate for survivors of child abuse".

She is a prominent voice in the media and at conferences, as well as author of her own memoir chronicling her journey of recovery from childhood trauma: Innocence Revisited- a tale in parts. Cathy is co-author of Blue Knot Foundation documents Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery, The Cost of Unresolved Childhood Trauma and Abuse in Adults in Australia and Trauma and the Law: Applying trauma-informed practice to legal and judicial contexts.

PhD in Politics (University of Melbourne, 1989), Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (Jansen Newman Institute, 2001), Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment (2004), BA (Hons) University of Melbourne, 1983

Pam, a former Fulbright Scholar, has held lectureships at Macquarie University and the University of New England, taught in two Master of Counselling courses, and is a former Program Director of the Jansen Newman Institute. She has written research reports in the community health sector, and was a Senior Research Officer with the Mental Health Association NSW. Pam is a practising therapist, and a supervisor in the area of complex trauma. Her research interests relate to trauma, depression, and the politics of subjectivity.

She is the author of Living under Liberalism: The Politics of Depression in Western Democracies (Florida: Universal, 2008), co-author of Gender Studies: Terms and Debates (New York: Palgrave, 2003) and has published several book chapters, articles and reviews. She is the lead author of `Perceptions and Experiences of Cannabis Use by Young Adults Living with a Mental Illness: A Qualitative Study’ [paper based on What Works? Report into Cannabis Use by Young Adults Living with a Mental Illness, Partners in Mental Health Publishing Consortium and Social Justice Social Change Research Group, University of Western Sydney, 2010] Australian Social Policy Journal (No.10, 2011), pp.51-69.

Pam is co-author of Blue Knot Foundation's Practice Guidelines for Treatment of Complex Trauma and Trauma Informed Care and Service Delivery and Trauma and the Law: Applying trauma informed practice to legal and judicial contexts. Pam is a member of the scientific committee of the International Society for Study of Trauma and Dissociation.

Master of Counselling & Applied Psychotherapy, Master of Education, Graduate Diploma of Communication Management (Human Resource Development), Diploma of Somatic Psychotherapy, Diploma of Energetic Healing, Certificate IV in Telephone Counselling Skills, Certificate of Meditation Facilitation

Merle is the manager of the Blue Knot Helpline and counselling team which delivers specialist telephone-based services for adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse and those who support them professionally and personally. She also facilitates trauma-informed workshops for health professionals, service providers and survivors and has customised and culturally attuned these for specific contexts and communities. 

Merle adopts a respectful strengths-based, recovery-oriented, social justice approach. Her experience includes working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (informed by ongoing cultural mentoring), people and organisations impacted by matters heard before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, refugees and asylum seekers, survivors of domestic violence, people with disabilities and their carers, and people seeking justice and healing for themselves and their communities. She also works in private practice and draws upon a career spanning government, not-for-profit and corporate sectors.

Master of Gestalt Psychotherapy, AdvDip Clinical Hypnotherapy and Strategic Psychotherapy, Cert IV Telephone Counselling Skills, Cert IV Training & Assessment

Mike is assistant manager of the Blue Knot Helpline and counselling team which delivers specialist telephone-based services for adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse and those who support them professionally and personally. 

Mike works in private practice as a psychotherapist and has had extensive training in both solution focussed therapies and relational psychotherapy. Mike previously worked at Lifeline for 5 years as both telephone counsellor and supervisor of telephone counsellors. Mike also began as a telephone counsellor at ASCA (now Blue Knot Foundation) before taking on the assistant manager role.  Mike is passionate about supporting counsellors to do the important work they do in the community.  Mike believes strongly in Blue Knot Foundation’s mission to transform the way our society supports adults who have experienced childhood trauma.

Our Operations Manager has extensive project management experience across many industries and countries. With a passion for Blue Knot Foundation and the not-for-profit sector, she is responsible for the day to day operations of the Business.

Cath works in partnership with a range of Blue Knot Foundation supporters to ensure that the organisation is best positioned to deliver current services and plan for future organisational growth, to further support survivors across Australia. Cath has a solid fundraising background including strategic planning, corporate partnerships, sponsorship, tender and grant writing, philanthropy, community engagement and social impact investment.

Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and Education, Diploma of Management, Diploma of Community Services (Case Management), and Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment.

Samadhi is the manager of Blue Knot Foundation’s national training services, Organisational Consultancy Program and Supervision Program. Samadhi’s experience spans across the University, Government and Community sectors in which she has managed teams and projects to develop effective and sustainable strategies, frameworks, policies and programs. In particular, her work has focused on diverse groups that have experienced inequality, including women, people living with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. 

Samadhi has presented position papers and proposals based on academic research review, qualitative and quantitative research, and appraisal of programs for Australia Catholic University (ACU), University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and NSW Police Force (NSWPF). She has also developed and delivered training for Mental Health Coordinating Council (MHCC), Wesley Mission, and Australia College of Applied Psychology (ACAP).

Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication (UTS)

Kate’s role involves supporting and growing the training program as well as communications distribution at Blue Knot Foundation. Kate is currently doing a Masters in Global Health at Macquarie University to advance her skill-set in development, health and policy.

BBA (Hons) (University of North Texas 1973); MA and STL (University of Louvain, Belgium, 1986 & 88); MPhil (Oxford University, 1991); Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (Jansen Newman Institute, 2005); PhD (University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, 2017)

Kevin is a counsellor/psychotherapist, supervisor, educator and researcher. He also works part-time for Blue Knot as a Training Consultant. He has been teaching off and on for most of his career as well working in people focussed industries. Kevin recently was awarded his PhD for his dissertation: The Goal-Corrected Partnership in Attachment Theory: A Critical Assessment of the Research Programme. He previously spent 10 years work in the community health sector with ACON where he served as Senior Counsellor and gained deep experience working with trauma, especially in the context of HIV risk. Kevin now splits time between education work and private practice. He also teaches in the Masters / GradDip programs at both the Jansen Newman Institute and ACAP in Sydney. Kevin is a recognised presenter in the field of Attachment Theory (his PhD interest) and regularly provides professional development for his fellow mental health workers.

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Asian Studies (ANU)

Due to Lilly's interests in conflicts and their impact on the international environment, she is currently in a volunteer role as the Executive Director of the Australian Division for the Organisation for World Peace. She has joined the Blue Knot Foundation to gain experience while working towards an important cause.