Chris Mackey and Associates Newsletter

Chris Presents on Panel at Melbourne University

Chris presented on a Panel Discussion for students of the Masters Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Course at Melbourne University on Friday 19th May. The panel was hosted by Tayyab Rashid, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Wellbeing Science and co-author of the book, Positive Psychotherapy with Martin Seligman.

The theme was evidence-based and best practice approaches to the application of positive psychology. The panel included a range of guest speakers who are highly experienced in the dissemination and application of positive approaches to a wide range of client groups.

Chris spoke about the potential wellbeing benefits of experiencing synchronicity, or meaningful coincidences as described in this article. Other presenters on the panel were Joseph Ciarrochi, Kerry Howells and John Hendry who have focussed on such themes as flexibility in thinking, gratitude as a means to curtail resentment, and the central importance of relationships for wellbeing.

Journal Article on Better Access Scheme

Chris has been invited to be a co-author of a journal article on the effectiveness of psychological services offered through the Australian Better Access scheme. The lead author will be Dr Jane Pirkis from the University of Melbourne. Our practice is nationally recognised as having the longest running database and one of the most extensive databases of therapy outcome data in Australia. We have presented at numerous national and scientific conferences on our outcome data. See our past conference slides link and this conference poster for some of the data we have presented at peer-reviewed scientific conferences.

Appointment Availability

We are currently able to accommodate flexible new adult and primary aged clients within a six weeks of making the first call. Our waiting list is currently closed for relationship appointments and for teenage referrals.

We cannot take on new clients if appointments after 4 pm are required. Those appointment slots are much in demand and our current clients fill these times many months in advance.

Our efficient waiting list still provides sooner appointments, particularly to those lucky enough to have a schedule that enables them to be flexible with times throughout the week.

Podcast - Psych Spiels and Silver Linings

The practice podcast Psych Spiels and Silver Linings has recently released completed our series on schema therapy called The Essentials of Schema Therapy. A schema is a pattern of behaviours or thoughts that develops early in life which we apply in adulthood that may be helpful or unhelpful. If a child’s emotional needs are not met, then coping styles, schemas and problematic modes of behaviour can develop. Schema Therapy aims to identify and replace problematic schemas with more viable or adaptive ones to help us better organise and understand new information or situations we encounter in our personal and professional relationships.

In the first episode, Feeling Disconnected & Rejected, we discussed 5 of the 18 schemas outlined by psychologist Jeff Young when he created schema therapy. We discuss the schemas related to a lack of positive attachment during childhood that can make people feel disconnected and rejected in later life.

These schemas include emotional deprivation, abandonment, mistrust/abuse, defectiveness, and vulnerability to illness or harm.

In the second episode, Developing Your Self & Your Self-Control, we discussed the next group of schemas relating to impaired autonomy and performance or your sense of self, and impaired limits or your self-control. These schemas include dependence/incompetence, enmeshment/undeveloped self, vulnerability to illness or harm, failure, entitlement/grandiosity.

The third episode in the series, Expressing Ourselves Freely, discussed the schemas relating to over-vigilance and other-directedness, which means being overly focused on the thoughts of others. These schemas include negativity/pessimism, emotional inhibition, punitiveness, approval seeking/recognition seeking, subjugation and self-sacrifice.

Finally, the fourth episode in the series is titled Curbing Unrelenting Standards. In more depth, we discussed one of the schemas related to unrelenting standards or rigid internal expectations about behaviour and performance. Unrelenting standards or hyper-criticalness is significantly linked with anxiety and depression and one that Chris and Rowan have related to, so we covered it in more depth than the other 17 schemas featured in the series.

You can listen to the podcast on your favourite podcast player or at psychspiels.com.au

If you've enjoyed the podcast, we would love it if you could rate, review, and share it with a friend, as this will extend the reach to others who may benefit.