Coming from a farming background, rural mental health has always been a passion for recent Psychology graduate Katelyn Grimmett.
After spending five years at Bond studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) and Master of Psychology (Clinical), her passion only grew stronger.
So when a job arose with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) as psychologist, she leapt at the chance to join the organisation that supports rural and remote Australians.
With the job based in Longreach, Katelyn will work on a FIFO basis, 12 days on and nine off, flying out of Brisbane. Hailing from Woodenbong in NSW, Katelyn is already feeling at home being back in a rural setting despite only completing one 12-day shift to date.
“This job has allowed me to combine my love for psychology with that rural aspect, which is what I always wanted,” Katelyn said.
“The RFDS is very well loved and respected in rural areas because of the assistance it provides, so I’m really excited to be a part of it and give back to something that I’m really passionate about.”
Working as a child and parenting specialist psychologist, no two days will look the same for Katelyn. Her time will mostly be spent venturing out to rural towns around Longreach to visit families, schools and properties whilst also taking appointments at the base in town.
“During my first shift last week I got to see the sights of Winton, Blackall, Barcaldine, Isisford, and Longreach and meet plenty of the locals from around the region. The vast, reddish landscapes are very different from the greener mountains back home,” Katelyn said.
“In rural areas, there’s still a large stigma associated with mental health. On top of that, there’s often limited access to mental health facilities or resources which is why the RFDS is so important to communities, especially as a government-funded resource.”
Katelyn is completing her Clinical Endorsement to be qualified as a clinical psychologist which takes two years of supervised experience.
She will be supervised by Dr Cher McGillivray, an Assistant Professor at Bond University and a registered clinical psychologist.
“I was very fortunate to study at Bond, where I had so many great teachers and mentors. The personalised and supportive assistance I received during my five years was invaluable and something I’ll take with me as I move forward in my career.”