Help CenterI am an Adolescent and General Psychiatrist with almost a quarter of a century of clinical experience in General and Adolescent Psychiatry. In the last … so many years, I worked in various roles and positions in mental health and forensic systems.
My long journey to psychiatry took me through a medical school in Poland, academic experience in Denmark and finally, exchange training in Australia in reconstructive surgery. To my surprise, my life significantly turnaround after moving from paediatric surgery to child psychiatry. Seeing a patient behind the surgical scalpel was my discovery which substantially changed my professional trajectory.
After experiencing several training posts around Australia, I finally discovered Western Australia in 1996. Perth has become my home and a base for more travels, studies, and engaging professional and personal experiences.
Child and Adolescent psychiatry gave me a solid developmental and systemic perspective on mental health. It enhanced my clinical approaches in psychiatry and broadened my understanding of life. I have remained fascinated and inspired by how young people develop their healing menu for personal growth and resilience.
My experience of different cultures and countries has translated into my humbled recognition of the complexities of our individual stories.
Now, I am onto another project – a new youth mental health services concept aimed at supporting and inspiring young people from the Generation Z era. This project is called - Voix – find your voice! It is as much clinical support for young people as a learning experience for me about this new generation of online nomads – drifters - operating in their native cyberspace. I am a visitor there – an immigrant curious to learn about these online realities whilst supporting young people still relying on the psychological trajectories of their adolescent development when venturing into this new world.
There is approaching thunder of another tectonic shift in our evolving reality. The virtual, augmented and many other realities will infringe on our current online interpersonal communication styles. It will significantly impact young people … on all of us … and I am getting ready for this challenge through active involvement in HealthCare VR groups and digital health solutions. It is not uncritical excitement about the upcoming technology but realistic recognition of these new developments' potential benefits and pitfalls.