Berry Street Psychologist Embarks on US Research Trip

A clinical psychologist from one of Victoria’s biggest child and family service organisations has been awarded a fellowship to travel to the US and Canada to study best practice for a therapeutic program for traumatised children and youth.

Clinical psychologist Michelle Taylor.

In May and June as part of the 2013 Creswick Foundation Fellowship, Michelle Taylor, from Berry Street’s Statewide therapeutic program Take Two, will visit experts, mental health focused organisations and educational institutions as part of her research into neuro-developmentally informed interventions for traumatised infants, children and adolescents to assist the clinical work of Take Two.

The Take Two program offers a developmental therapeutic service for children who are clients of Child Protection Services in Victoria.

Her visits will include Fellows of the ChildTrauma Academy in Houston, Texas, Dr Rick Gaskill and Dr Kristie Brandt and five of their Flagship sites – mental health, educational and residential treatment centres.    

“Chelle’s opportunity to learn from a number of organisations will not only benefit the work of Take Two and Berry Street more broadly, and the people we work with, but it will also contribute to our work with many partner organisations across Victoria,” Take Two Director Annette Jackson said.

According to Berry Street, modern advances in neuroscience and neurodevelopment have demonstrated that trauma experienced during childhood impacts the development and organisation of the brain, affecting the functions and behaviours the brain is responsible for.

The organisation said these theoretical advances had resulted in a shift in the way the organisation thinks about and approach therapy with traumatised infants, children and adolescents.                           

Funding body, The Creswick Foundation, was established in 1952 to facilitate study by Australians into emotional, social and psychological conditions affecting children and young people and to give guidance to those involved in treating or preventing those conditions.                    

Taylor will be capturing her thoughts on a blog as she travels on her blog, here.