Vanessa first registered as a psychologist in 1997. She is very experienced, to date having completed more than 10 000+ hours of direct client therapy with children and adults with varying psychological presentations. Vanessa commenced working in community based organisations providing therapy for adults with drug and alcohol addictions. The complexity of addiction led to working for many years with families with a specific focus on improving outcomes for children. During this time Vanessa was part of a research team at the School of Psychology at Griffith University, Brisbane, developing a parenting program for families facing multiple challenges. Vanessa co-authored several journal articles of these research results that have been published in national and international peer reviewed journals. Vanessa has trained hundreds of allied health workers throughout Australia to provide therapeutic interventions to complex families. She has also worked with children in Out of Home Care and in Primary and High School settings. She has managed a dual diagnosis service for adults and has been a Senior Manager for the design and commissioning of Mental Health Services in the Far North Coast of NSW from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie.