DrRick Whitehead

Dr Rick Whitehead is a Lecturer in the Master of Counselling (H758), teaching counselling skills and research skills for counsellors. He is passionate about psychologists and counsellors developing their uniqueness, genuineness, and vulnerability in their work with others.  Rick is a registered psychologist and has been working in the mental health field for 19 years; working in addiction, early psychosis, with families, adults, and children.  Rick received his PhD in 2019, looking at the role of Buddhist 'nonattachment' in mental health, and he continues to study in this field, investigating related topics like mindfulness, self-compassion, and nonattachment to self.  Following his PhD in 2019, he worked for 5 years at Alfred headspace and CYMHS as a researcher in youth mental health, researching topics that addressed youth suicide, intellectual disabaility, autism, and youth violence in the home.  Recently, Rick has been interested in researching factors associated with therapist burnout and barriers and facilitators for therapists' genuineness and vulnerability with clients.

In additon to teaching, supervising and counselling, Rick loves surfing and being a Dad.