Staff Profile: Kat – Structured Intervention Clinician
Kat is a structured intervention clinician who works as part of our team of qualified professionals that use evidence-based approaches to help clients develop goals and strategies to achieve them.
Turning Point is made up of a diverse team that is committed to removing stigma around drug and alcohol addiction and providing support for those affected by addiction. Our staff profiles will provide you with insight on the great work we do and what it is like to work in the addiction treatment, training, and research sector.
Meet Kat a Structure Intervention Clinician
Kat is passionate about working at Turning Point. “It’s been the best place I have ever worked and that’s why I have been here for 13 years,” she says.
Joining the team in 2008, Kat has moved around the organisation working in a number of different areas including Turning Point’s face to face service in Box Hill as well as in the primary mental health unit PAPU (Psychiatric assessment and planning unit).
“I have always worked in social work just in different capacities.”
Currently Kat is working with Turning Point’s Structured Intervention Team where she helps clients work through the Ready 2 Change program. The Ready 2 Change program is a brief telephone intervention program that works with people making a change to their gambling, alcohol or drug use, where qualified professionals like Kat use evidence-based approaches to help clients develop goals about their substance use and strategies to achieve them.
“It is really rewarding working closely with someone and to see them make that progress,” she says.
Kat also does one shift a week working on the Telephone and Online support lines.
“TOLS comprises of short and sharp interventions and you don’t know what you are going to be getting which I like. It keeps you on your toes and sharpens your skills.”
What Does Kat Do?
As well as helping clients work through the Ready 2 Change program, Kat does many other tasks to ensure that the program is running effectively.
“SIT is a multidisciplinary team, so we will have clinical review meetings with psychologists, addiction and medicine doctors, nurses and psychiatric registers and we review different cases together to help get a better understanding on how to help specific clients. We undertake intake questionnaires and then exit questionnaires with our clients as well so they can get a sense of how far they come. All of this gives us the opportunity to improve the our knowledge and skill base. ”
“We also deliver drug diversions, which is providing support to people who have been apprehended by the police for drug possession and they are mandated to take a drug diversion instead of going to the courts. This gives us the opportunity to connect with people and educate them about drugs and drug use. We look at if they want to make changes and provide them with referrals to help them make those changes.”
What is the work culture like at Turning Point?
The work culture is a key reason why Kat has stayed at Turning Point for so long. Not only do her co-workers respect the clients they work with but also show respect to each other.
“There is structured clinical support if you have concerns over a client you have always got support and supervision. There is a real respect that flows through the whole workplace from our colleagues to the people we are helping.”
“It is professional and I have made some really good friends here. We work hard but we also really support each other.”
Since starting in 2008 Kat says the team has grown rapidly over time and there is plenty of opportunities to move around and try new roles.
“It is really interesting to be a part of a team that keeps growing and it seems to be at the forefront of responding in the addiction space and helping people get their lives back together.”
Interested in working at Turning Point?
If you have the chance to apply for a position at Turning Point Kat strongly recommends that you take the opportunity.
“Even if you are starting your career it will give you a deeper knowledge about the addiction space. Turning Point also has an excellent name in terms of research and innovation. I have seen a lot of growth in the last 10 years.”
Would like to join our team and work with clinicians like Kat? We are currently looking for some people to join our team in the following roles:
Telehealth Services Counsellor
Intake Clinician
Clinical Lead: Specialist Clinical Services
Want to work at Turning Point? We currently have several amazing opportunities which you can view here.