In the December edition of MHPN Connect:

Read Dr Daisy Brooke's 2024 reflection & MHPN's 2023-24 Annual Report

Find your nearest MHPN network or start your own

Join a Balint network 

Watch our professional development webinar: 

• A whole child approach to disaster recovery

Listen to our podcast:

• In Conversation With… Associate Professor Shuichi Suetani and Emeritus Professor Sid Bloch – Defining Moments from Sid’s Psychiatric Career

Happy holidays from MHPN!

MHPN would like to thank our valued stakeholders and program contributors for another successful year of growth, development and interdisciplinary collaboration. We look forward to offering you even more professional development and networking opportunities in 2025!

Please note that MHPN's office will be closed from 4pm Friday 20th December and reopen on Monday 6th January at 9am. Phone and email support will not be available during this time.

Networks

In 2024, our National Networks Program held over 900 meetings with more than 10,000 attendances, both online and at locations all over Australia. 

MHPN would like to extend our immense gratitude to our volunteer Network Coordinators, guest speakers and the network members who embrace interdisciplinary collaboration at every meeting.

Get involved with networks in 2025

350+ interdisciplinary mental health networks meet all over the country and undertake professional development and peer support about a range of topics, relevant to their needs.

Led by local volunteer Network Coordinators, meeting content is tailored to the needs of the local mental healthcare community.

To join a network:

1. Follow the link below to find your nearest network
2. Login to your MHPN account
3. Follow the prompts on the network page to join
4. Wait for the next meeting invitation and RSVP to attend!

For any questions or troubleshooting regarding joining an MHPN network, please email contactus@mhpn.org.au or call 1800 209 031 for support.

Start your own network

Could you improve interdisciplinary mental healthcare in your community? Apply to access MHPN funding and do just that!

Each MHPN network is led by a local practitioner who liaises with MHPN to direct the most relevant professional development and networking opportunities for that community. These volunteers are called Network Coordinators, and receive administrative and strategic support from a dedicated MHPN Project Officer to run the network.

Interested? Get in touch!

If you have any questions about starting a new MHPN network visit our website below or contact networks@mhpn.org.au for further information.

Pictured from left to right: Bunbury & SW Eating Disorders MHPN; South East Regional Victoria (SERV) Creative MHPN; Clinical Meet up MHPN.

Balint network vacancies

MHPN-supported Balint groups are open for new member applications in 2025! Secure your spot by applying today.

What is a Balint network?
A Balint group is a small group of clinicians who meet regularly, with the guidance of trained leaders, to discuss challenging cases from their practices. The focus is on the emotional aspects of their work and particularly the clinician-patient relationship.

MHPN currently support a number of Balint networks that meet all over Australia. There is a limited number of spaces in each group.

Networks that have spaces available in 2025:

• Balint Group Northcote (Vic) 
• Elsternwick Balint Tuesdays (Vic) 
• Fairfield Balint (Vic) 
• National Online Balint Group 
• Online Balint Group for Doctors - Tuesday (National)  
• Online Multidisciplinary Balint Group - Wednesday lunchtime every 4 weeks (National) 
• Second Online Multidisciplinary Balint Group - Wednesday lunchtime every 4 weeks (National) 
• Third Wednesday Balint Group (National) 
• Tuesday Balint group with Lachlan and Jenny (National/Online)
• Tuesday Monthly Online Balint Group (National)

Get involved!
To join a Balint network, create or login to your MHPN account, follow the network link above and apply to join. 

No network that meets your needs? Consider starting your own! Fill out the application form below or contact Senior Project Officer Trish Clarke t.clarke@mhpn.org.au for further information.

Webinars

MHPN's webinar program produced 14 webinars in 2024, attracting more than 11,000 attendees at these live broadcasts. Additionally, we've had over 15,000 views of webinar recordings this year!

We're incredibly grateful to our webinar facilitators and panelists who have contributed to the success of the 2024 program by sharing their expertise and engaging with our audience. 

A whole child approach to disaster recovery

Our interdisciplinary panel of experts explore ways to support infants and children following a disaster, by ensuring disruptions to the child’s ecology (their family, school and broader community) are considered in recovery interventions. 

Popular webinars from 2024

Missed out on any of our live broadcasts in 2024? Access all webinar recordings for free via our website, or view some of our most popular recordings below.

💻 Supporting the mental health of a neurodivergent person with co-occurring Autism and ADHD | Watch now

💻 BPD: Multidisciplinary strategies to navigate feelings of rejection and fear of abandonment | Watch now

💻 No, I can’t! Overcoming School Refusal | Watch now

Podcasts

MHPN's podcast program released 25 new episodes and accrued over 39,000 listens across our entire podcast library so far this year!

MHPN would like to thank our valued podcast hosts and guests who bring their wealth of experience and knowledge to MHPN's audience.

In Conversation With… Associate Professor Shuichi Suetani and Emeritus Professor Sid Bloch – Defining Moments from Sid’s Psychiatric Career

Associate Professor Shuichi Suetani is joined by Emeritus Professor and renowned psychiatrist Sidney Bloch to discuss key moments from Sid’s distinguished career and the historical advancements in understanding mental health. They explore how psychiatric treatments have evolved over time, reflecting on the successes achieved, the ongoing challenges, and the potential for future progress in the field.

LISTEN NOW:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MHPN Website

Popular series from 2024

🎧 Creative Arts Therapies
This four-part series, produced in partnership with the Australian New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA), explores the practice of creative arts therapy.

Listen to episode one: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MHPN Website

🎧 A Conversation About… Anger and Mental Health
This three-part series features Clinical Psychologists Professor Mark Creamer and Dr Tony McHugh who are joined by expert guests to discuss current approaches to treatment for clients struggling with anger.

Listen to episode one: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MHPN Website

External opportunities

InsideOut Institute GP Hub 

The InsideOut Institute GP Hub is one-stop-shop for GPs to use at the point of care to provide support in the identification & treatment of people with eating disorders. 

The Hub aims to help GPs identify people sooner and give them the resources they need to intervene early to help people avoid more severe and longer-term illnesses. 

The Mental Health Professionals’ Network (MHPN) respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri and the
Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation, the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which our office is situated. We also acknowledge Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.