Early intervention is my passion

1 Nov 2022

Do you ever see a situation and think “What if we could have caught that earlier – what difference would that have made to that person, their family, the community”?

Registered Mental Health Nurse Sarah gets to do just that every work day, when she provides professional support to new mums and dads who are finding emotional distress is affecting their relationships and their ability to bond with their baby.

Sarah works at St John of God Raphael Services, a specialist service in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, providing low or no cost counselling, therapy and support for new and expecting parents, aimed at empowering them to deal with the emotional challenges of early parenting, build a healthy relationship with their baby and thrive as a family.

“Early intervention is my passion,” Sarah said.

“I enjoy being able to work with parents, both mums and dads, who are experiencing some difficulties.

 “I work with them through those issues and when we get to the other end, they feel more confident and supported. That’s what I like best.”

She said when considering a new position with the organisation, it was the opportunity to address any emotional issues with parents early on in their relationship with their baby and set the scene for them to have a strong bond together that attracted her to working with us.

“I was most attracted by the early intervention and prevention - working with mums and dads during the perinatal period,” she said.

She said working at St John of God Raphael Services is different to other organisations because of their genuine care for staff members.

“It’s the people. I feel genuinely cared for. The environment is welcoming and I just enjoy coming to work because of that,” she said.

Since starting her position, Sarah has had opportunities for both professional and personal development that will stand her in good stead for the future.

“I have been sponsored to have training in attachment-based therapy, which is very important in the role that I do, and I’ve also had the opportunity to mentor other nurses who come to the service,” she said.

“Australia is a beautiful country and I have had opportunities to grow professionally and I have had the opportunity to raise my children in a safe environment, so that’s what I love about being here.”