About

Research

Brian’s research focused on the:

• Many types of violent abuse and its impact on all sectors of the community
• Trauma associated with this type of anti-social behaviour

Writer for the Daily Mercury

In 2016 Brian’s profile as a psychotherapist developed further as a regular writer to the then Mackay Daily Mercury on domestic violence matters.

This included comments on teaching boys how to relate to and have respect for women and girls. He spoke at schools and other groups who were interested in ending domestic violence in the Mackay region.

This was a busy time for Brian as he realised there was a need for men to be more involved in ending domestic violence.

Helping Prevent Domestic Violence in the Solomons

In 2019 Brian was asked to travel Solomon Islands to assist the community in ending domestic violence. He helped the community to identify domestic violence and to look at strategies to help men and women find safer solutions to family conflict.

Cultural beliefs and differences can be a trigger for uncontrolled violence and family dysfunction in many parts of the Solomons. The close-knit connections of most Solomon Island communities meant that domestic violence was felt across the whole community causing instability and great fear for everybody not just those at the centre of the abuse.

Accident Compensation Commission

In 2020, Brian worked as a counsellor for the NZ Government in the Accident Compensation Commission’s sensitive claim unit helping adults who experienced early childhood sexual abuse.

The unit is a government support service developed to help people tell their stories and have some redress without the fear of being judged or blamed for what happened to them. Brian provided therapy and support to navigate the redress system. Working in this area was challenging requiring sensitivity, compassion, and a great deal of patience.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Brian was also contracted to the Department of Veterans Affairs in NZ to provide counselling and psychotherapy for ex-servicemen and women who suffered combat fatigue and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

As an ex-soldier from the Vietnam conflict, Brian is well-versed in how soldiers react to trauma and how they deal with their experiences in combat situations. It was often said, “It’s great to be able to talk to someone who knows the environment and the language of soldiers, I feel more comfortable talking about my stuff”.

Indigenous Communities

Brian has worked with indigenous communities throughout the Northern Territory travelling to remote locations to offer counselling services and advice to communities on how to reduce alcohol and other drugs consumption, and domestic violence. During his time there he wrote a paper on Lateral Violence, presented the paper at the Gestalt International Conference in Brisbane and later had it published under the title, “Living on the Edge”. Dealing with oppression, despair, and hopelessness in Central Australia. Gestalt Journal, Vol 11. No 1 November 2014.