Wellness and Support Program

Email: jo.hood@empatia.com.au 

Phone: 0412 482 819 

• Masters of Human Resource Management 

• Grad Diploma in Human Resources and Industrial Relations 

• Bachelor of Arts 

Jo specialises in supporting women in senior leadership roles juggling work, family and life in general. 

Jo has served in numerous human resources roles mainly for professional services firms throughout the Asia Pacific. She was the people and culture manager for KPMG Canberra before joining their internal National Executive Coaching and Leadership Development team as a senior manager. 

In her undergraduate studies, Jo majored in Organisational Psychology. She has a Graduate Diploma in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, as well as a Masters degree in Human Resource Management. 

She is accredited in Lumina Spark and the Leadership Circle. She is a member of the Australian Human Resource Management Institute and the Association of Coaches. 

Jo loves a bush walk, reading the Women’s Weekly and is a closet royal watcher. 

• Masters of Management, Leadership and Health Care 

• Bachelor Applied Social Science and Counselling (Theology) 

• Diploma of Community Services 

Dee has worked in people-caring roles for more than 20 years, including trauma healing support groups and parenting groups. 

She has a Diploma of Community Services and a Bachelor of Applied Social Science, with further specialised training in supporting men and women with family and domestic violence concerns. 

Dee is a bookworm and has the very bad habit of trying to read too many books at a time. 

• PhD Counselling Psychology 

• Masters of Theology 

• Masters of Christian Counselling 

• Masters of Education 

Mel lectures at Bible College, is a school counsellor and facilitates supervision training for counsellors in NSW. She was a secondary mathematics and history teacher and enjoys connecting with teenagers. 

Her private practice focuses on children, teenagers, and women, as well as supervising other counsellors. Mel is the author of Toddler to Teen (over 20,000 copies sold) and A Grateful Heart. 

Mel is an elder in her local Churches of Christ church and enjoys reading, tennis and playing with her most squishable grandchildren. 

• Masters of Social Work 

• Dip Leadership & Management 

• Grad Diploma Ministry  

• Bachelor of Theology 

• Bachelor of Engineering 

Sheldrin is currently the Head of Department, Pastoral Care Services, at King Edward Memorial Hospital and a pastoral counsellor. He was the founding coordinator of Pastoral Care Services at Fiona Stanley Hospital.  

Sheldrin is an accredited pastor with the Baptist Churches, WA.  

Sheldrin is a member of the Carlton Football Club, and he is very grateful to his wife and two children who endure lots of shouting, cheering and singing when Carlton is playing. Go the Blues!

• PhD in Counselling 

• Masters of Theology 

• Masters of Counselling 

• Masters of Education 

• Masters of Commerce 

• Grad Diploma of Counselling and Integrated Psychotherapy 

• Grad Diploma of Ministry 

• Bachelor of Theology 

• Bachelor of Engineering 

Shannon specialises in working in blue collar industries, especially critical incident and trauma work with emergency services.  He has been a clinical manager with Converge International and a clinical supervisor for OZ Help Foundation. He is the dean of counselling for Perth Bible College and has an active private counselling practice. 

Shannon is a Level 4 member of the Australian Counselling Association and a member of their College of Clinical Counsellors and College of Supervisors. 

• Masters of Counselling (in progress) 

• Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy 

• Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education 

• Bachelor of Arts 

• International Coaching Federation Level 1 

Terry is a qualified counsellor, professional and pastoral supervisor and an ICF-trained performance and leadership coach. He was also a secondary mathematics, science and music teacher for two decades in NSW and ACT Christian schools. 

Terry provides training and equipping for teams and individuals in communication and state-management strategies and conducts individual and group therapy in coaching and counselling modalities for anxiety and stress, grief and depression and marriage and relationship growth. 

• Bachelor or Counselling 

• Graduate Diploma in Counselling and Family Therapy 

• Master of Clinical Mental Health Counselling 

• Master of Psychology 

• Graduate Diploma of Theology 

• Bachelor of Theology 

Fr Nicholas Pearce is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. Ordained in 2010, he has worked in numerous parishes and held several positions within the Archdiocese, most recently leading a team of staff developing and implementing a discipleship-based ministry to youth, young adults and university students. 

His particular area of interest is promoting positive mental health and wellbeing among clergy and religious, and he works from a strengths-based IFS and ACT-informed approach. 

To relax, Fr Nicholas enjoys cooking, playing the occasional game of squash (not well), and spoiling his nephew and niece. When time permits, Fr Nicholas enjoys getting outside and has led multiple groups of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago over the past ten years. 

• Master of Counselling 

• Graduate Diploma of Counselling and Integrated Psychotherapy (Spiritual)  

• Bachelor of Education (K–12) 

• Advanced Diploma of Counselling and Family Therapy, Diploma of Counselling 

• Diploma of Bible and Christian Ministry 

Coming from a lifelong Christian and ministry background, Marissa is passionate about helping people live fulfilled lives and be all they can be. She holds various counselling, education, training and ministry qualifications. Marissa is a clinical member of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) and their College of Supervisors. Marissa is also a registered teacher in Queensland and is an adjunct counselling lecturer with Perth Bible College and the Australian College of Ministries. 

Marissa likes to keep busy, enjoys her own continued education and is a devoted lifelong learner. That said, her various cross-stitching projects are a pleasant hobby for her in her downtime.