CQUniversity graduate Dylan Hyatt-Jacobson spent 43 days alone in the Arctic wilderness while competing in Season 4 of Alone Australia. He drew on his psychology studies to manage isolation, hunger and physical demands. He later withdrew from the competition because his worsening back injury put his safety at risk. Hyatt-Jacobson said being resilient sometimes means knowing when to stop. He now works in the domestic and family violence sector and volunteers as a search and rescue tracker.
Up to 150 First Nations psychology students will receive support to finish their studies and build careers in mental health, backed by an $8.3 million federal investment. The program is delivered by the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health. Students will receive financial help, mentoring and professional development. Support is open to First Nations students in undergraduate or postgraduate psychology courses at accredited Australian universities, with a focus on regional communities. Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said the aim is to strengthen culturally informed mental health care.
Many people worry their psychologist thinks they are crazy, but a practising psychologist says this is not what they think. Psychologists are trained to listen without judgement and to focus on helping people feel safer and calmer. No problem is too big or too small to bring to therapy, and psychologists notice strengths as well as difficulties. Psychologists are also human, facing their own stresses, and their main aim is helping people understand themselves better.
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Wellness on the Lane, a mental health clinic in Ballan, has officially launched and is opening its doors to the public on Friday 16 October. The open day runs from 2pm to 4pm at the clinic on Inglis Street, above a pharmacy, with afternoon tea. Co-directors and clinical psychologists Melissa Viojo and Nicole Withers opened the clinic to fill a gap in local services. It offers diagnosis, treatment and ongoing support for people of all ages, including assessment for conditions such as ADHD and autism.
Melbourne Theatre Company’s Eliza explores the creation of one of the world’s first psychotherapy chatbots in the 1960s. The play, now showing at Southbank Theatre, examines themes of innovation, trust, and the human tendency to form emotional connections with technology. Actor Manali Datar, who plays Becky, highlights the play’s relevance to contemporary issues of loneliness and the role of AI in society. The production uses lighting, sound, and set design to reflect the psychological thriller’s themes.
