Introducing Dr Carissa Coulston-Parkinson – the mastermind behind SANE’s latest series of blog posts, including topics on The Power of Psychology, International Men’s Day and Women’s Day, Human Rights Day, Festive Season Challenges, adjusting to the new year and back to school (just to name a few).
Dr Coulston-Parkinson is a compassionate and dedicated Clinical Psychologist with a deep understanding of complex mental health conditions. He has specialist knowledge in the areas of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, intellectual disability, personality disorders, traumatic brain injury and neurological conditions. You can view her research publications hereand her expertise and insights into some of these conditions will continue on the SANE Blog this year.
Join the SANE team as we learn more about Dr Coulston-Parkinson, why she chose a career in mental health, the challenges she sees in the complex mental health community and how she believes their quality of life can be improved.
Dr Coulston-Parkinson, what led you to specialize in complex mental health conditions?
My interest in Clinical Psychology evolved from family experiences and values.
My mother was a young child when she and her family immigrated to Australia from Austria in the aftermath of World War II. Her father was a partisan during the war and the family suffered horrific consequences as a result of his efforts, imposed by the Nazi regime. They all survived and worked admirably hard to build a new life here, but they were scarred by experiences that no child or adult should have to face.
My father’s values also played a role in shaping my career path. He was a well-respected man in the community who volunteered much of his time to help the unemployed and those experiencing financial hardship due to mental illness. I often accompanied him on home visits to these community members. His profession as a police officer also exposed him to extremely distressing events at a time when there was insufficient support for the police. He always maintained a stoic facade, but bore signs of stress.
I came to learn how life events and trauma can affect mental health and felt a natural calling to help those who struggled. I hoped that by pursuing a career in psychology, I could better understand complex mental health conditions and make a difference.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in this community?
The biggest challenges I see in this community include difficulties with employment, relationship disorders, and problems with medication use.
In the workplace, mental health issues not only hinder work performance, but can make it extremely difficult for many to maintain any form of employment. Many also experience job loss, not just because of mental illness, but because of fears around social stigma and a lack of confidence that prevents them from discussing needs with their employer and getting the support they might be able to get.
Symptoms of mental illness can also strain relationships. They can impair a person’s ability to function effectively and communicate, leading to misunderstandings, conflicts and burnout among friends and family. Loss of primary relationships is common and in severe and chronic mental health cases, meaningful connections are nearly impossible.
Finally, medications such as antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are commonly prescribed for chronic conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, as well as acute psychosis. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is also a last resort for severe and treatment-resistant depression. These treatments often have unwanted side effects such as fatigue, weight gain, cognitive impairment, and others, negatively affecting physical health as well as social and interpersonal functioning. Adherence to medication is understandably declining and many turn to alcohol or illegal substances to cope. This further interferes with employment, relationships and overall mental and physical health.
What changes do you hope to see to improve the quality of life for individuals and families living with complex mental health needs?
Health care providers such as case managers and other professionals in public mental health settings often have over 50 clients at any given time to manage. Providing adequate care under these conditions is a formidable challenge, underscoring the need for a better health care provider-to-client ratio.
Improving this ratio could have a significant impact. For example, some clients often just need a gentle nudge from a health professional to engage with support services, as they may be reluctant due to stress or lack of motivation. With more health care providers available to help locate services and accompany clients to initial appointments or meetings, many individuals may be encouraged to take active steps in managing their care. This could be as simple as joining a customer in an online support meeting.
In addition, health care providers often encourage clients to advocate for themselves at work, with friends and family, and in other areas. While ideal in theory, most people don’t apply this advice independently for a variety of reasons. In many cases, simply having a health care provider to bridge the gap with an employer and significant others could be a huge benefit.
By increasing the number of health care providers, we could ensure that clients receive the support and encouragement they need to independently advance their self-care and advocacy efforts.
To read Dr Coulston-Parkinson’s latest blog posts, visit the SANE blog.
