I support families where one parent works away for significant periods of time. This may be regular or irregular mobile work. I work with industries including, FIFO (on and offshore), defence, aviation and corporate executives. My focus is on everyone in the family: children, adolescents and parents. My goal is to reduce family psychological distress and improve mental health outcomes by providing resources that build resilience and help families stay connected.

Under the Same Sun was born out of my work in individual therapy with clients who were navigating the challenges of family life while their partners worked away for extended periods of time. I shared with them strategies that my own family had developed to manage the ups and downs of FIFO life, and these made a real difference in my clients’ lives. 

The name? Well, whenever I miss my husband, I remind myself that he isn’t that far. We are still under the same sun.

I provide practical tools and supportive spaces designed for different ages and stages. For children, I have two picture books (coming soon!) to help them understand and cope with the experience of separation. For the teens, I have created a journal that can be filled out independently or with the help of a trusted adult.

For the parent holding down the fort at home, I’ve developed my online connection groups.

I am a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and have been supporting young people and families for over a decade. As a parent in the FIFO community myself, I bring with me a deep personal connection to this way of living as well as my professional expertise. This combination means I truly understand the challenges and can offer evidence-based strategies as well as ones my family and I have developed over time.

These groups are run via Zoom with a small number of women for 6 weeks. Each week, I provide psychological content specifically tailored to mobile work. There is also time to connect, chat, share your own experiences and learn from other women who also know what life is like when one parent works away from home. You will receive handouts on each topic, including strategies, insights and tools you can use straight away. I will be guiding the group to ensure it’s supportive, practical and safe.

Together, Apart: A Journal For Teens Navigating Life When a Parent Works Away is designed for adolescents aged 12-17 years old. It provides guided prompts, reflection activities, and practical strategies to help them explore and process their emotions and safely express their emotional needs. It also provides a list of age appropriate psychological supports they (or their parent) can reach out to should they wish to speak to someone more about their experience.

Yes! I’ve written two picture books for children aged 1-7 years of age, that help them understand and cope with the ups and downs of having a parent who works away. They’re currently in the publishing process and will be available soon.

I do! I collaborate with businesses, particularly in mining, defence, aviation and industries with high levels of mobile work, to support both employees and their families. When families feel supported at home, employees are better able to manage the demands of their role and the recurrent transitions that come with this lifestyle. I am passionate about the wellbeing of families and believe this way of life can be sustainable when the right structures are in place. 

Please submit an online enquiry if you’d like to find out more!