Speakers
Keynote Speaker:
A/Prof Johanna Lynch MBBS PhD FRACGP FASPM Grad Cert (Grief and Loss)
Associate Professor Johanna Lynch is a Deputy GP Lead and Whole Person Care Lead at NewMed Education, part of a newly forming medical school. She is a mentor and retired GP Psychotherapist. She consults nationally and internationally across the health and domestic violence sectors on strength-based, trauma-informed and whole person approaches to health. Her doctoral research described the Sense of Safety Theoretical Framework as an integrative approach to distress and healing for the whole person within their community, published in Frontiers in Psychology and as a peer-reviewed book (now an audiobook) entitled: A whole person approach to wellbeing: building sense of safety.
www.senseofsafety.com www.drjohannalynch.com
Keynote Speaker:
Prof Louise Stone MBBS BS Dip RACOG GDFamMed MPH MQHR PhD FRACGP FACRRM
Prof Louise Stone is a GP with a clinical, research, teaching and policy interest in mental health. One of her areas of interest is medically unexplained illness, and her PhD focused on this complex area of practice.
As a GP and medical educator, Prof Stone is a renowned expert on the mental health of doctors and the delivery of compassionate, safe care.
Conference Committee
Conference Education Chair: Dr Susan Barnett
Conference Convenors: Dr Naomi Rutten, Dr Lucy Randall
Conference Secretary: Dr Pansy Lai
Website development: Dr Tom Dickson
Friday 27th Mar 2026
Perinatal Psychological Skills Workshop
Fostering Secure Attachment
A/Prof Johanna Lynch
Perinatal Sexuality
Dr Anita Elias MBBS, FASPM, FECSM
Dr Anita Elias (she/her) has a background in General Practice. She trained in individual, couple and family therapy and has specialised and worked in Sexual Medicine and Sexual and Relationship Therapy for 30 years. She attained her FASPM in 2003 and the inaugural international Fellowship of the European Committee of Sexual Medicine (FECSM) in 2012.
Anita is Head of the Sexual Medicine and Therapy Clinic at Monash Health as well as working in private practice. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, educating undergraduate and post graduate students as well as health practitioners and the community in sexual issues.
Clinically, Anita sees people presenting with all sexual difficulties, welcomes diversity, and takes a person centred, collaborative, biopsychosociocultural approach.
Neuroprotective Developmental Care
Dr Pam Douglas MBBS, GP, IBCLC, PhD
Dr Pamela Douglas MMB FRACGP IBCLC PhD FABM is a GP-researcher and educator, who has developed the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC or Possums programs) over the past 25 years, applying implementation science. She is passionate about upskilling health professionals in evidence-based strategies across the domains of breastfeeding, feeds, sleep and cry-fuss problems, to best support the emotional wellbeing and resilience of families caring for infants – that is, to support the growing of joy in early life! She is author of The discontented little baby book, available in English, Dutch, and Italian; Associate Professor (Adjunct), School of Medicine, Griffith University; Senior Lecturer, School of Medicine, UQ; and Medical Director of The NDC Institute – Home of the Possums programs (possums.org). Pam’s PhD was in Creative Writing and Women’s Studies and explored the stories women tell about their embodied experience of the passage into motherhood.
Somatic Therapy in Perinatal Care
Dr Annie Fonda MBBS (Hons), FRACGP, MPH, FASPM
GP specialising in Psychological Medicine and EMDR Therapy
Trauma-informed care for adults, families & neurodivergent individuals
Annie is a GP with over 20 years of experience providing trauma-informed, whole-person care across complex medical and mental-health settings. Her clinical work brings together the science of medicine and the depth of body-mind psychotherapy.
She has a private practice at Catherine’s House (Mater Hospital, South Brisbane), where she supports adults, children, and families through perinatal transitions, trauma recovery and the challenges of ADHD. She also has public positions within the Inala Indigenous Health Service (Queensland Health) and the Mater Hospital, Catherine’s House for Mothers, Babies and Families perinatal service.
She is an Accredited EMDR practitioner, and has advanced training in Relational-Integrative EMDR and EMDR 2.0, and has a range of other skills in the field of mental health such Circle of Security Facilitator Training, Reconsolidation Therapy and Perinatal Infant Mental health. Her practice is collaborative, evidence-based, and grounded in compassion, aiming to make healing feel safe, structured, and sustainable.
She is passionate about advancing psychological medicine and the role of Mental Health GPs within Australia’s healthcare landscape. With postgraduate training in public health, perinatal mental health, and ADHD, and current fellowship with the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine, she advocates for integrated care models that bridge the gap between medicine and therapy.
We are pleased to have Dr Annie Fonda as our newest Fellow of ASPM.
Areas of Expertise:
Psychological Medicine | EMDR & RI-EMDR | Complex & Perinatal Trauma | ADHD & Neurodivergence | Attachment & Family Systems | Trauma-Informed Medical Care
Relationship Transition in the Perinatal Period
Dr Carolyn Russell MBBS (Qld), Dip. RACOG, FRACGP, Mast. Couns. QUT
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Dr Carolyn Russell is a GP Educator and Counsellor at Foundations Counselling Centre Brisbane Qld
Panel: Integrating Care for Families
Facilitator: Dr Susan Barnett
Saturday 28th Mar 2026
Core Psychological Skills Workshop
Dr Susan Barnett MBBS, FRACGP, FASPM
Dr Susan Barnett has been a General Practitioner since 2003 and completed her Focussed Psychological Skills training in 2014. She is a GP psychotherapist in private practice and also works at Monash Hospital, Melbourne as a psychosexual therapist.
Susan currently serves as Education Chair and Board Member for the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine (ASPM). She is actively involved in developing and delivering psychological medicine education for both ASPM and the RACGP . She previously worked as a medical educator with the Black Dog Institute.
Susan contributes to ASPM’s monthly webinar series and facilitates both FPS training and Psychological Peer Review Groups (PPRGs).
She is passionate about translating current psychological evidence into practical insights that help GPs understand interpersonal dynamics and support patients experiencing emotional distress.
Dr Karen Spielman MBBS ( hons) FRACGP CEDC FASPM
Dr Karen Spielman is a GP in a mixed billing General Practice in Paddington in Sydney where she has been for 20 years and has been privileged to look after the third generation of some families. She has always also worked part time in special interest areas including youth health and eating disorders. She has established a multidisciplinary private practice specialising in the whole person care of those with eating disorders, the Tikvah Clinic. She is also GP advisor, a research associate at InsideOut Institute at Sydney University, and currently is the chair of RACGP Specific Interest group for Psychological Medicine.
Dr Naomi Rutten BSc (biomedical) Hons, BMBS, FRACGP, FPS Provider, Grad Cert Developmental Trauma
Dr Naomi Rutten is a GP in Gawler, SA who practices Mental Health General Practice full time. She is the President of ASPM and the Founder of Ducks in A Row Trainings. Her main interest is the Education, Prevention and Healing of Developmental and Complex Trauma. This has led her to study further in a variety of modalities including CBT, Neurofeedback, EMDR, Hypnosis and Internal Family Systems. Dr Rutten is heavily involved in her local community providing presentations and education to Businesses, Schools and anyone who stands still long enough to listen to her.
Dr Pansy Lai MBBS FRACGP MPsychother FASPM
Dr Pansy Lai is a Mental Health General Practitioner based at the Mindsight Clinic in Gordon, Sydney. As a board member of ASPM she is responsible for the portfolio of Training and the Academic Advisory Panel, and facilitates Professional Peer Reflection Groups (PPRGs). She has a Master’s degree in Psychotherapy and integrates medication strategies with trauma-informed psychotherapy in her practice. Dr. Lai provides mental health assessments and treatment across various conditions, combining her clinical expertise with a deep understanding of interpersonal relationships. Her preferred therapeutic modalities include person-centered therapy, neuroscience, internal family systems (IFS Level 1 completed), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
Working with Men Workshop
Dr Tom Dickson
As a Specialist GP with a focus on lgbtiqa+ health, sexual health, and mental health, Dr Dickson brings over a decade of experience in compassionate, inclusive care. His journey in medicine is driven by a passion for reducing disparities and advociating for equality and accessbility in healthcare.
Dr Benj Tarsh B.Med: Grad Cert HPE: MSc: MA MEL: FRACGP
Dr. Benj Tarsh moved from the UK to Australia to study medicine. I have dedicated myself to delivering empathic, patient centred “Whole Person Care” ever since. During my time in General Practice, I have worked in regional Victoria and Melbourne. I sub-specialised in Men’s health, Sexual health, LGBQTI+ Health, Medical Education and Health Literacy. In the last 6 months, I have moved into working in Drug and Alcohol addiction and rehabilitation, and within this role I provide both General Practice medical care and extensive trauma informed psychotherapeutic counselling.
Professional Peer Reflection Group Facilitators
Dr Susan Barnett
Dr Mary Emeleus
Dr Pansy Lai
A/Prof Johanna Lynch
Prof Louise Stone
Dr Naomi Rutten
Dr Karen Spielman
Dr Benj Tarsh
Dr Jo-Anne Zappia
Dr Mary Emeleus FRANZCP, FRACGP, MBBS, BSc(Med), MMH(Psychotherapy), Adv Dip Family Therapy, FASPM
Dr Mary Emeleus is a Psychiatrist in Queensland. She has an Advanced Diploma in Family and Systemic Therapy. She was a GP for 17 years and completed a master’s degree in Mental Health (Psychotherapy) through the University of Queensland. Mary has been a member of ASPM since 2009.
Dr Jo-Anne Zappia MBBS (Adelaide), MP (Melbourne), FRACGP, FASPM, DRANZCOG
Cert Clinical Hypnosis
As a fellowed GP since 1996, I have always worked with a lot of people with mental health presentations. At various times in my career, I have set up small solo clinics focusing on mental health, or devoted my general practice time to counselling. This led to me eventually leaving mainstream general practice in 2022 and I have worked entirely in mental health since then. My work has been supported by further study, culminating in a Master of Psychiatry in 2021. As well as my ongoing counselling work, I enjoy mentoring and supervising other doctors following this path, individually or in small groups. I also enjoy tutoring medical students in professional practice. I have attained both the Fellowship of ASPM, and RACGP Recognition of Extended Skills – Psychological Medicine and encourage my peers to work towards these qualifications.
Sunday 29th Mar 2026
Experiential Workshop: Masking Burnout: Who Gives a Crap About Your Persona?
Dr Shannon Morton
Dr Shannon Morton is a Psychiatrist with over 20 years’ experience working across private practice, hospital and community settings, prisons, schools and long-stay treatment centres, sitting with people through some of their most challenging and transformative moments. She has trained in a smorgasbord of therapies, from Schema, Psychodynamic, and DBT, to Sandplay and Art Therapy, and now blends Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion-Focused, and Existential approaches, to help people navigate the glorious messiness of being human.
Shannon has supervised and lectured widely, presented at national conferences, and co-founded The Kooky Clinic and Hype ADHD Centre, two lived experience, neuro affirming services that have challenged traditional models of care. She also founded The Healing Circle, a recovery-focused group for young people that was recognised as a finalist in the Queensland Mental Health Awards, and the Mad Hatters Society, a divergent-thinking creative innovation think-tank for doctors to tackle complex problems in the healthcare system.
She’s now pouring her energy into Clinic of the Cracked Cup, a creative psychiatry and psychotherapy practice for burned-out clinicians and other wounded healers, offering face-to-face and telehealth services, alongside immersive burnout workshops and retreats. Known for her warmth, creativity, irreverent dark humour and knack for stirring good trouble, Shannon creates spaces where armour can drop and the real stories can surface.
Experiential Workshop: Experiencing Embodiment:
Foundations for Safe Trauma-Informed Practice
Dr Ashlea Broomfield MBBS(Hons), DCH, FRACGP, Prof Dip Nutrition, CEDC-GP, MMed(SRH), SEP
Dr Ashlea Broomfield is a Specialist GP, Sexologist, Mind-Body Therapist, and embodiment facilitator who integrates evidence-based medicine with trauma-informed somatic approaches, supporting health professionals and clients in grounded, relational care.
Panel: Different Subspecialities within a Subspecialty
Dr Carolyn Russell
Dr Karen Spielman
Dr Anita Elias
Dr Annie Fonda
Dr Pam Douglas
Dr Anne Saunders BSc, BMBS, FRACGP
Dr Anne Saunders work part time as a general practitioner in private practice, seeing a wide variety of patients in this role including offering addiction medicine services depending on clinical need. She also works in a tertiary emergency department as a consultant GP part time and is the immediate past co-chair of the RACGP Victoria Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Committee. As an RACGP educator, she teaches medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence and the family violence program.
Rapid fire clinical insights
Dr Pansy Lai, Dr Tom Dickson, Dr Naomi Rutten, Dr Anne Saunders, Dr Clea Alexander, Dr Susan Barnett
Dr Clea Alexander MBBS, BMedSci, FRACGP, DCH
Clea has been working in general practice since 2010 and FPS since 2021. She has a strong interest in mental health and wellbeing, especially in health coaching.
Closing Plenary Panel: Oh Wise Ones – Elders of ASPM Share Their Wisdom
Dr Chris Bauer MBBS (Uni NSW) , M. App.Sci (UWS) , M.A.Family Therapy (Uni NSW) , Grad Dip Family Therapy (Relationships Australia), Grad Dip Conflict Resolution (Macquarie Uni)
From 1980–2000, Chris Bauer worked as a country GP near the Blue Mountains of Sydney. During that time, he developed a strong interest in mental health presentations in the context of family-based General Practice. He recognised the unique potential General Practitioners have to understand the intergenerational nature of mental health and wellbeing. Prompted by an interest in “illness and wellness narratives”, he undertook Post-Graduate studies in various counselling roles, including Couple and Family Therapy as well as Narrative Therapy. Chris was also involved for five years in teaching Humanities to Health and Science Students at a local university. His General Practice provided ongoing teaching to both medical students and registrars. Through ASPM and other educational opportunities, Chris commenced as a facilitator of mental health training to interested General Practitioners.
In 2000, Chris commenced full-time work in Psychological Medicine in Sydney, and later in the rural Southern Highlands region. He has extensive experience of working in his practice with the professional support of a valued Credential Mental Health Nurse. A main area of professional interest is the role of strengthening relationships to improve Mental Health outcomes. He has noticed that the presenting client/patient is often, in fact, the member of the family with the best psychological health.
Chris has a long standing interest in the role of the ASPM in providing ongoing mental health training and education to General Practitioners. He has presented at numerous conferences and workshops to many Doctors and allied Health workers. He now lives and works in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, based near Ballina.
Dr Srishti Dutta MBBS, MRCGP, FRACGP, DFSRH, DRCOG, DCH
Dr Srishti Dutta is an experienced General Practitioner working in North Brisbane. Having completed her medical degree in India, she undertook vocational training in general practice and worked as a GP in the United Kingdom starting in 2008. Dr Dutta relocated to Australia, continuing her primary care career in Brisbane, where she moved in 2014 and has since diversified her interests to working as a GP Liaison Officer with Metro North HHS and Brisbane North PHN, medical education roles including facilitator for Black Dog Institute and governance roles which includes past Chair and current board member of GP Supervision Australia (GPSA).
Her special clinical interests encompass women’s health, contraception, mental health, and dermatology, alongside providing holistic whole person GP care to her patients . Additionally, she is passionate about teaching and training in primary healthcare and continues to be involved in medical education, participating in collaborative in-practice learning programs spanning the spectrum of learners from medical students to GP registrars and peers .She has been a GP supervisor for over 15 years now.
Dr Dutta has worked as a GPLO since 2017. Her primary focus within this role is with specialist outpatient services within the Metro North Hospital and Health Service , system redesign and innovation in healthcare particularly at the interface between primary and secondary care. .
Her most recent creative endeavour has been as the creator and host of the podcast, Medical FlyWays. This podcast aims to highlight the experiences of migrant doctors in Australia. Drawing on her own connection to the migrant experience, Dr Dutta created the podcast to share these untold stories, celebrating the resilience, passion, and diversity within the healthcare community.
Dr Mary Emeleus
Dr Carolyn Russell
Prof Louise Stone
Facilitator: A/Prof Johanna Lynch
