Our stories

Assoc. Prof. Bridget Hamilton

Assoc. Professor Bridget Hamilton is Director of the Centre for Psychiatric Nursing, and a registered mental health nurse with 30+ years’ experience as a clinician, manager, educator and researcher. She is currently leading the evaluation of Safewards in Victoria.

Cath Roper

Cath Roper holds a pioneering consumer academic role for the CPN. Her research interests include the development of consumer perspective as a discipline, consumer decision-making, and human rights and ethics in the context of mental health legislation.

Dr Finbar Hopkins

Dr Finbar Hopkins has a extensive background as Clinical Nurse Educator within both MH services and academic settings. Her current research is focused on reflective practices that support nurses' professional development and self care.

Wanda Bennetts

Wanda Bennetts began working in consumer perspective roles in 2000. Her current substantive role is at the Independent Mental Health Advocacy, where she is works as a Senior Consumer Consultant. She is a consultant and sessional teacher for the CPN’s MHN education team.

Robert Trett

Robert Trett holds a Masters in Psychotherapy, and has worked in both private and public practice as a mental health nurse and psychotherapist since the mid 1990s. He is a nursing lecturer within the CPN’s MHN education team, and  is leading the development of the CPN's Psychotherapeutic Essentials for Mental Health Nursing.

Sally Buchanan-Hagen

Sally Buchanan-Hagen has a background in emergency nursing, and teaches nursing at Deakin University. She works as a sessional teacher for the CPN’s MHN education team, from the perspective of her lived experience of mental health services. She is also leading the consumer perspective component of the evaluation of Safewards in Victoria.

Kylie Boucher

Kylie Boucher is a secondee to the CPN from her substantive position as a Clinical Nurse Educator for Austin Health. She is a nursing lecturer within the CPN’s MHN education team, and is leading the CPN’s research project into Victorian Graduate Mental Health Nursing Programs.